Are you asking the question, “What are opioids?” Opioids are highly addictive drugs that you can obtain both in prescription form and illicitly. It is also one of the most worrisome of all types of addiction because of how common it has become. The real risk comes in the form of overdose. Every day, an average of 130 people in the U.S. die from an opioid overdose, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Because of how frightening this drug is, everyone needs to understand what it does.
What Are Opioids Made Of?
Opioids can be prescribed by doctors or obtained through illicit forms. The most common access to them is in prescriptions written to control pain, such as after a surgery or injury or to manage the intense pain of cancer treatments. Yet, there are other forms, including illicit types such as heroin. In all forms, opioids are very dangerous.
The term “opioids” refers to all types of drugs that interact with the opioid receptors in the brain. This term includes opiates, which are natural forms such as morphine. These are derived from an extract of the opium poppy. There are also synthetic forms, which are chemical-based. This classification includes options such as fentanyl. All types of opioids can be highly addictive.
What Do Opioids Do to the Brain?
What are opioids able to do within your brain? This question is key to understanding these drugs. The drugs mimic the brain’s naturally produced endorphins. These are feel-good hormones released when something is pleasurable to you. The drugs can turn off the pain receptors in your mind. Those areas communicate with nerves throughout the body to sense and manage pain. By turning them off, you feel better. The increased endorphins create a high.
However, the underlying problem with opioids is that they also contribute to addiction. When the brain begins to feel and experience these highs, it wants to feel that over and over again. The brain’s receptors also become dependent on the drug. That’s because these drugs can change the chemical makeup and function of the mind through use. This result makes it very hard for you to stop using these drugs.
Can You Get Addicted to Prescription Opioids?
It’s prevalent for people to think that the drugs the doctors give them are safe to use. They may be, but opioids always carry the risk of addiction. That’s why it becomes so essential for individuals to recognize the signs of addiction, such as:
- Being unable to stop using
- Feeling pain or discomfort when you don’t use
- Using up prescriptions before you should
- Seeking out illicit access to opioids
- Needing to use more of the same drug to get the same feeling
If you are facing any of these signs of addiction to opioids, it’s time to seek out an addiction treatment center. Bayview Recovery can provide you with the support you need.
Why Do You Need Addiction Therapy for Opioids?
When you consider what opioids are and how they impact your life, you can then see just how important it is to get help. Opioid addiction is very difficult, if not impossible, to stop on your own. That’s why you need individual and group therapy to help you overcome these struggles.
At Bayview Recovery, we offer a wide range of services to support you as you work through your addiction and to recovery. These services include:
- Intensive outpatient therapy
- Men’s rehab programs
- Women’s rehab programs
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Medication-assisted treatment
When you visit us, you gain insight into what is happening to you due to opioid use. You also gain support to help you avoid an overdose. The key is to seek out help as soon as possible for your addiction.
Get Help for Opioid Addiction at Bayview Recovery
What are opioids doing to you and your life? If you’re stuck in a net of opioid use, finding help to recover your health and wellbeing is possible. Our team at Bayview Recovery is available to talk to you, provide you with comprehensive support, and guide you towards a future without drug use. To learn more about the services we offer, call 855.478.3650 today.
Bayview Recovery Center is located in Tacoma, Washington and specializes in substance abuse addiction and co-occurring disorders. The specialists at Bayview recovery are equipped with years of experience navigating adult men and women to sobriety and giving them the tools to maintain it. Backed with a comprehensive set of treatment offerings for individualized care, Bayview has a commitment to fighting addiction. Learn more about Bayview Recovery here.