What are opioids? Many of the pain relievers prescribed by doctors.Many people have heard of the opioid epidemic that’s plaguing the country, but many people still ask, “What are opioids”? Opioids are a specific type of medication that helps people manage symptoms of pain. The problem is that these medications are highly addictive and the addiction progresses quickly. Some of the most common forms of opioid medications include the following:

  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Hydrocodone
  • Demerol
  • Methadone

What Are Opioids and How Are They Prescribed?

Opioids are a synthetic form of opiates. Opiates come from the opium plant that’s found around the world. Opium in its purest form can be addictive and dangerous, and it’s not a plant that’s grown in the United States. Medical science found an alternative to opiates by creating opioids, which are synthetic pain relievers that behave like opiates. When taken, the medication acts by attaching to different pain receptors in the brain and blocking pain signals.

Our human nature is we want to feel well as often as possible, and we don’t like dealing with any form of pain, discomfort or suffering. Therefore, someone hurt in an accident, or having surgery or any other type of pain, use these medications to alleviate their discomfort. The problem is that the medication not only blocks pain, but it releases the pleasure chemical dopamine. The brain’s wiring tells a person to keep seeking that sensation of pleasure, which can quickly become a problem.

How Do U.S. Opioid Prescriptions Compare to Other Countries?

When asking, “What are opioids?”, it’s typically because you’ve heard the news that there is an opioid crisis in the U.S. This makes one wonder if other countries deal with this same epidemic. It would be silly to think that the United States is the only country that needs help with pain. What’s mind-blowing is that when comparing the U.S opioid use with that of other countries, their prescription usage numbers are far less than ours.

A recent study shows that the United States consumes roughly 80 percent of all of the opioids in the world. This shocking news can’t help but make one wonder what other countries are doing to battle symptoms of pain. As a country, most U.S. people believe from a young age that the solution to our problems always comes in the form of a pill. The reality is that there are many techniques and non-narcotic medications that accomplish the same thing.

How Does an Opioid Addiction Progress

Knowing what are opioids is one thing, but knowing how bad an addiction can become is another. If you’re the loved one of someone and asking, “What are opioids”? it’s important to understand the progression. Knowing what to look for can help you find help for your loved one before the problem gets worse. The first part of the progression is a physical dependency in which the person starts going through withdrawal without the medication.

From here, the addiction gets worse, and the person shows more drug-seeking behaviors like finding new doctors. When a person can’t get more opioids from a doctor, they may begin seeing multiple doctors. There are some checks that pharmacies perform to stop “doctor shopping” from happening, but they don’t always work. It’s also possible that the person will steal medications from loved ones or buy them illegally. If you’re lucky, the next step is opiate addiction treatment.

If you’ve been asking, “What are opioids”? because you think you or your loved one needs help, Beaches Recovery is here. We offer drug treatment programs for those who have an addiction to opioids as well as other types of drugs. Our facility is JCAHO accredited, and we have an assortment of treatments for drug abuse. Through our multi-faceted program, people can begin the healing process and find a new way of living.

Stop living in the cycle of active addiction, and give us a call today at 8666050532.