OPIOID ADDICTION

What You Need to Know About Opioids
There are two sides to opioids, the positive and the negative sides. Opioids are medications created initially to help people ease their physical pains. Doctors prescribe opioids most times to people who have an injury or going through dental work or surgery. Opioids are an effective pain reliever, but has a downside to it; it is addictive; it can lead to an overdose crisis, and dangerous when used without the doctor’s counsel. According to the Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Nora D Volkow, 2.14 million people from the ages of 12 had an opioid use disorder in 2016.

How Opioids works
Opioids medications pass through the blood and attach to the opioid receptors in the brain cells, then the cells release signals, which mute the perception of pain, and increase the feelings of pleasure. In addition, opioids come in various forms of natural pain-relieving drugs such as morphine (Ms Contin, Kadian, etc.) or synthesized in a laboratory such as fentanyl (Duragesic, Actiq, etc.)

Opioids and Heroin
Heroin is another form of opioids; it relieves pains, it has the same pain relieving components as pain relievers medications, but it is usually injected directly into the vein with a needle. Furthermore, pain relievers and heroin can be addictive and can result in deadly opioid overdoses.
Furthermore, heroin is made from natural substance gotten from the seedpod of opium poppy plants (morphine) in Southeast, and Southwest Asia, Colombia and Mexico. It can enter into the bloodstream through injecting, sniffing, snorting, or smoking. The most common names for heroin include Hell Dust, Big H, Smack, and Horse.

Unfortunately, younger people can easily access heroin in some communities because it is cheaper to get; they opt for heroin instead of opioids, and those who are addicted to opioids later switch to heroin. Nonetheless, less than four percent of people who abuse prescription pain medicines started using heroin with five years. However, we (the society) can prevent the misuse of opioids and reduce the number of people using heroin by ensuring opioids or heroin addicts get the proper treatment.

Why are opioid medications dangerous?
There is a fine line between the benefits and the risks of using the medications. Lower doses of opioids make you sleepy, but it can slow your breathing and heart rate if the patient takes a higher dose, which can lead to death. In addition, the medication gives a pleasurable feeling; this is the reason why it is addictive.

What are the dangers of heroin?
The effects of heroin are the same as opioids medications; it binds to the opioid receptors in the brain and body, which send a rush of dopamine and extreme happiness through the body. Some short-term effects are nausea, severe itching, dry mouth, clouded thinking, and vomiting. In some cases, it can stop breathing, which leads to death while the long term effects include heart infection, collapsed veins (people who inject heroin), insomnia, addiction, and depression.

Furthermore, people who inject drugs have a high chance of getting deadly diseases such as hepatitis C and HIV. These diseases are transmitted through blood and other bodily fluids.

What can be done?
It is highly advisable to follow the doctor’s instructions when taking medications strictly. Also, ensure your doctor knows other drugs and supplements you are on to avoid opioids overdose.Learn more about the NationalDrugAbuse/Opioids

We live in an era where people especially the youths do not want to go through the process of healing; they would rather take or do anything that will ease out the pain in a flash. This is why a lot of youths as stated above are more likely to abuse the use of opioids. Nonetheless, creating awareness of opioids and the dangers of using it without the doctor’s prescription will help many of us to make the right choices and live a healthy lifestyle.

Opioids are powerful medications that can safely help to control acute pain, especially after-surgical operation pains. But it can cause death if taken incorrectly. Encouragement to help you with various forms of addictions

Encourage Yourself: For help check out this site; Pedialink.com. For an immediate crisis or emergency call 911. DON’T FORGET TO PRAY