Opiate abuse and addiction are becoming more and more of a problem across the country. Drugs like codeine and morephine are being abused by people of all ages and from all walks of life. In 2006, the last year for which data is available, over seventeen million people over 60 abused an opiate. Opiate addiction is very difficult to treat, and the drugs you can get out of a medicine cabinet are every bit as dangerous as those that can be bought on a street corner.

Since 1997, admissions to drug rehab centers for opiate addiction have risen from about 16,000 to over 90,000 per year. At one time, heroin was the only opiate that was a problem- now when a reason is given for an admission to a drug treatment center, there is a special category for “opiates other than heroin”.

Many people that become addicted to opiates started taking them for a legitimate reason. But, there are others who use drugs like Xanax, Oxycontin, and Percocet simply for the “rush” that they give. The pills can be crushed and snorted like cocaine, or injected like heroin. With an opiate addiction, the brain’s workings are changed forever, and the body needs more and more of the drug to get the same effect.

Anyone can become addicted to opiates, at any time. However, those who abuse other prescription or street drugs are at particular risk, and the young and the elderly are at risk too. People who are under a lot of pressure, like someone who has a very fast-paced job, often take opiates to “mellow out” and they become addicted.

Here are some signs of opiate abuse to be on the lookout for:

Drowsiness and lethargy

Impaired vision, constricted pupils

Shallow or rapid breathing

Tremors, vomiting and nausea, chills, other withdrawal symptoms

If you think that a friend or family member may be addicted to opiates you should also look for red or raw nostrils from possibly snorting the drugs, or needle marks if they are injecting. An opiate addiction is difficult to treat, and the sooner it can be brought under control the easier it is to beat. Continued opiate abuse can lead to serious respiratory and cardiac impairment, which can be fatal.

As we said, opiate addiction is difficult, but not impossible to treat. First, the painful and debilitating withdrawal symptoms must be treated, often with medicines like naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone. Of those three medications, methadone is falling out of favor because it is addictive in and of itself. Not every drug treatment center specializes in the treatment of opiate addiction, so choose carefully. Also, counseling and behavior modification therapy must be used to reduce the possibility of relapse.

A person dealing with an opiate addiction should never try to quit on their own. There are over 13,000 drug treatment centers in the US, and there is probably one near you. If you think you have a problem with opiates, your first stop should be your doctor’s office- they will evaluate you and recommend a treatment program.

Drug Enforcement Agnecy (DEA) – http://www.usdoj.gov/dea/index.htm
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA) – http://www.samhsa.gov/
National Institue of Health (NIH) – http://www.nih.gov/