Do I Need Treatment for Opiate Addiction

Opiate addiction can affect many aspects of a person’s life before he or she realizes that treatment is necessary. If you can feel your abuse of opiates beginning to cause problems for you and your loved ones, you may need treatment for Opium addiction.

What is Opiate Addiction?

According to the NIDA, “addiction to opiates… is a serious global problem that affects the health, social, and economic welfare of all societies.” A person who is addicted to opiates could be abusing one or more of the following drugs:

• Heroin
• Morphine
• Prescription Pain Relievers

Because that is such a wide array of drugs both illicit and prescribed, opiate addiction is widespread and very problematic. Some people, though, have difficulty knowing whether or not they are actually addicted to opiates, as doctors often prescribe the medication for pain. This causes many people to become physically dependent on opiates and experience withdrawal symptoms when trying to get off the drugs. It is important to know the difference between:

• Opiate Dependence – When “a person relies on the drug to prevent symptoms of withdrawal” (NLM).
• Opiate Addiction – When a person craves opiates, thinks about them constantly, and compulsively uses them even when he or she knows they are hurting more than they are helping.

A person can be dependent on opiates without being addicted.

Am I Addicted to Opiates?

Consider these signs of opiate addiction and ask yourself if they apply to you. The behavioral signs of opiate addiction are:

• Craving the euphoric feelings you get from opiates.
• Feeling that you are unable to get out of bed in the morning without the use of opiates.
• Increased apathy toward other responsibilities like work or school.
• A change in your social habits to where you only spend time with others who use or abuse opiates.
• Hiding opiates around the house.
• Lying to others about your use of opiates.

If you are trying to obtain opiates in an illegal manner and you do not care what kind of trouble it will cause, this is also a sign of opiate abuse called drug-seeking behavior. Some of the physical signs of opiate abuse are:

• Withdrawal symptoms that occur when you do not take the drug, including vomiting and nausea, diarrhea, muscle pain, and flu-like symptoms.
• Building up a tolerance to opiates where you need to take more of the drug in order to feel the same effects.
• Experiencing constipation, dry mouth, and dry mucous membranes often (DOJ).

If you are experiencing many of these side effects, both physical and behavioral, you are more than likely addicted to opiates.

Opiate Addiction Help

Opiates are habit-forming drugs that often cause long-term addictions. If you believe that you have become addicted to opiates, the best thing you can do is seek treatment. Both inpatient and outpatient facilities are available to opiate addicts, and there are a wide range of treatment options in these realms. Opiate addiction causes painful withdrawal symptoms and cravings that can last even after withdrawal has subsided. Especially if your addiction to opiates is severe, you should seek treatment 800-947-5219 with health care professionals.