Opiates are drugs primarily used to treat pain, but when irresponsibly administered or abused, they result in addiction. Given their nature, opiates or opioids are usually classified as narcotics, especially when referred to in the context of drug abuse. After using these drugs for a few weeks, ideally, for medical purposes, it is important to go through proper withdrawal, given that instant cutbacks on these drugs result in some symptoms.
When these drugs are used for a very long time, it becomes very hard to withdraw, basically creating an addiction. Luckily, there are services such as opiate addiction rehab orange county, that specialize in providing professional treatment to the addiction and symptoms.
Dangers of opiate addiction
When the body develops a tolerance for the opioids being used, one gets the urge to take more of the drug, so as to get an intense feeling of being high. Opioids basically slow down bodily functions, which becomes problematic when used in excess. The most common effect of opiate overdose is respiratory complications to the level where one cannot breathe, leading to suffocation and loss of life.
The aforementioned respiratory complications aid in the development of hypoxia, which causes brain damage.
Depression can be a dangerous condition in that is eventually leads to mental instability. When opiates are used for a very long time, the user develops depression, and in most cases—coupled with hypoxia, also results in brain damage.
The simplest way to define drowsiness is a feeling of being sleeping, which significantly affects the productivity of a person. Using opioids on a regular basis renders the user useless, given that most of the time will be spent sleeping. This also greatly lowers the productivity of a person, which can lead to poverty given very little time is spent on productive work.
Paranoia is a common effect of most narcotics. When used, the mind starts to hallucinate, which leads to paranoia. When paranoia is intense, can result in increased blood pressure which is not good for the body’s health. Elevated heart rates can also trigger a heart attack.
Opiates are a blessing especially when used for medical reasons, but as explained above, can be very dangerous when used in a way that is out of the medical realm. If you are treated using opiates, make sure to inquire about withdrawal treatment, and if out of hand, make sure to enroll in a rehabilitation program.