What are Synthetic Opioids?

Do you want to know what are synthetic opioids so you or a loved one can seek treatment for drug abuse? Perhaps an opioid addiction rehab center Jacksonville, FL, residents trust can help you recover. Addicts use synthetic opioid drugs for their pain relief and pleasurable effects. However, they are highly addictive and linked to nearly 50% (19,413) of opioid-related deaths in 2016.

What are Synthetic Opioids?

Synthetic opioids are human-made or made from natural opiates taken from the opium poppy plant. Morphine, codeine, and thebaine are examples of natural opiates. Although opiates and opioids are chemically similar, they are not the same.

Regardless, synthetic opioids include heroin (an illegal drug made from morphine) and prescription opioids. Doctors prescribe opioids for pain relief. We group opioids as semi-synthetic and fully synthetic opioids. Semi-synthetic opioids include hydrocodone, oxycodone, and hydromorphone. The fully-synthetic ones include:

• Fentanyl
• Methadone
• Tramadol
• Pethidine
• Levorphanol
• Dextropropoxyphene

As you can see, the answer is not as straight-forward as you think.

Furthermore, the Internet is flooded with questions on synthetic vs. natural opioids. The answers, of course, lead to a discussion on their similarities and differences. Hopefully, breaking it down will help you understand what they are and why they have a high potential to cause addiction.

What’s the Deal with Synthetic vs. Natural Opioids?

When it comes to synthetic vs. natural opioids, people tend to want to know which ones are more addictive and most commonly abused. Let’s first take a look at natural opioids. Morphine, narcotine, codeine, thebaine, papaverine, and narceine are all naturally-occurring opioids. On the other hand, synthetic opioids are made in pharmaceutical labs using opiates. The commonly prescribed medications hydrocodone and oxycodone are made from codeine or thebaine.

Synthetic opioids create similar effects as natural opioids by binding the same opioid receptors in the brain. Opioids, in general, are habit-forming and addictive. However, human-made opioids are more potent and addictive than natural opioids because of their chemical makeup.

Take fentanyl, for example. Fentanyl is a powerful lab-made drug similar to morphine but is about 50 to 100 times more potent. It is also more potent than heroin. Synthetic opioids, including fentanyl, are currently the most common drugs responsible for addiction and drug overdose deaths in the US. In 2017, there were more than 28,000 deaths in the US involving human-made opioids (other than methadone).

What are Synthetic Opioids Effects?

Not only do people want to know what are synthetic opioids, but they are also interested in finding out about the effects they cause on the body and brain. People abuse heroin and prescription opioids because the drug gives them a “high.” Like natural opioids, synthetic opioids interact with the brain’s opioid receptors to relieve pain and replace it with a sense of euphoria.

But prolonged use can activate the brain’s reward system and make the person crave for the drug. A person can become an addict if they don’t get treatment early enough. Those addicted to opioids are usually unable to stop using drugs on their own. People who try to quit at home risk relapse or overdose when severe withdrawal symptoms such as pain, anxiety, depression, or insomnia develop.

Treatment for Opioid Addiction

People with moderate to severe opioid dependency often need treatment at a rehab to end drug abuse. An opiate addiction treatment center can treat addiction to natural, semi-synthetic, and fully-synthetic opioids. The opioid treatment programs and therapies at Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, FL, include:

• Medical detox
• Dual diagnosis treatment
• Extended care programs
• Transitional living
• 12-step and non-12-step programs
• Individual and group therapy

Treatment happens at an outpatient, inpatient, residential, intensive outpatient, or partial hospitalization center. Medical specialists supervise detox for clients with severe addiction or those needing round-the-clock care in a medical setting. The second stage of treatment involves behavioral therapies to help break psychological drug dependence.

You Have What it Takes to Beat Opioid Addiction

Beaches Recovery is a JCAHO accredited rehab serving men and women in Jacksonville, FL, and nearby cities. Call 866.605.0532 to find out more about our programs and how to enroll in one that is right for you.