Every year, the United States spends an estimated $78.5 billion on the matter of prescription opioid misuse. The expenses include healthcare costs, addiction treatment, criminal justice cases, and lost productivity. According to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, more than 45,000 people living in the United States died from drug overdoses in 2019 alone. The abuse and addiction to drugs have become a national crisis that reflects poorly on health care statistics and can negatively affect the well-being of individuals.
What Are Some Abused Narcotics?
Also known as opioids, narcotics are a category of drugs that can dull the senses and relieve pain. Narcotics can be “street drugs” such as heroin or pharmaceutical drugs such as codeine, fentanyl, OxyContin, and methadone. When used as a prescription drug, narcotics can control pain and provide relaxation by blocking pain signals.
However, these days, anyone without a prescription can obtain narcotics from pharmacies, hospitals, friends, medicine cabinets, and even the internet. These opioids come in many different forms, including capsules, tablets, syrups, injections, lollipops, and white, black, or brown chunks. They can be smoked, swallowed, injected, or snorted. Some of the street names for narcotics include:
- Black Tar
- Brown Sugar
- Smack
- Dovers Powder
- Jawn
- OC
- Purple Drank
- Big H
- Sippin Syrup
- Hillbilly Heroin
Narcotics as pain relievers can be prescribed by your family doctor to treat different issues including: Surgeries, Common Injuries, Toothaches, Terminal conditions such as cancer.
What is Narcotic Drug Addiction?
Narcotic or opioid addiction is a recurring urge to use opioids. Many opioid addictions begin when a patient uses the drug as pain medication. At this stage, there is no natural desire to use opioids. After a while, if you keep using the drugs, your brain develops an intense craving to take the opioids.
When people engage in narcotic abuse, the effects can be damaging and long-lasting. It can also lead to narcotic addiction, which may require treatment programs to overcome.
Signs of Narcotic Drug Addiction
If you can no longer control the need to take opioids or continue to take the drug without a doctor’s prescription, you might be addicted to the drug. Most symptoms of addiction to narcotics may be behavioral. Family and friends are usually the first to notice narcotics addiction problems and the behavioral changes accompanying them. Some of the symptoms include:
- Physical Agitation
- Depression
- Irritability
- Mood Swings
- Slow/Shallow Breathing
- Panic Attacks
- Poor Decision Making
- Loss of Weight
If you feel you have a narcotic addiction, the best step is to consult your doctor. Doctors can diagnose opioid addiction thorough medical assessment. The diagnosis process also includes tests for mental health disorders.
Side Effects of Narcotic Drug Addiction
Prescription narcotics are often used to treat chronic pain, and they are well known as pain medicines. However, continued use of these medications can lead to high levels of tolerance and dependence. When used for extended periods, it can lead to opioid use disorder or substance use disorders. Some of the side effects of opioid addiction may be behavioral, physical, or psychological. Some obvious indications of addiction are the inability to stop the use of opioids and the urge to use more than a doctor’s prescription. Opioid overdose is a severe problem, and the side effects include:
- Slowed Breathing
- Unresponsiveness
- Vomiting
- Tiny pupils appear in the eyes
- Slow Pulse
- Loss of Consciousness
Causes of Narcotic Drug Addiction
Narcotics alters the brain’s functions by forming artificial endorphins to block pain. What these endorphins do is make the user feel good. Excessive narcotics can wire the brain to depend on these unnatural endorphins. Immediately this happens, the brain might stop creating its own endorphins. With more usage, you might need more narcotics due to drug tolerance.
Drug tolerance happens when the body becomes accustomed to the relief a drug provides. Narcotics addicts need more opioids to get the same feel-good effect with time. On the other hand, if you stop using narcotics for a long time, your tolerance levels drop. If you need to start retaking opioids, you need to consult a doctor.
Can Narcotic Drug Addiction Be Avoided?
Some people can use narcotics without getting addicted. However, if you use it as a long term pain reliever, the odds of getting addicted are higher. Since long term use can lead to addiction, people who use opioids for less than a week are less prone to addiction, while those who use the drug for up to a month stand a higher chance of getting addicted.
How To Treat Narcotic Drug Addiction
Narcotics addiction is a serious problem that must be constantly monitored and managed. The procedures to treat opioid is different for every individual, but the primary objective is to help reduce and eventually stop the dependence on opioids.
When you stop using narcotics, your body experiences some withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may come in the form of anxiety, vomiting, abdominal pain, and nausea. Some of the procedures involved in treating narcotics addiction include:
1. Recognition
The most important stage towards recovery from a narcotics addiction is recognizing the problem. If you feel you are addicted to opioids, you need help, and you need to start taking control of your behavior. Follow these steps to break your addiction:
- Make a Resolution to Quit
- Take Charge of your behavior and commit to stop using narcotics.
- Get Help From Your Doctor
- A doctor can be your greatest ally in the fight against narcotics addiction. They can help prescribe withdrawal medication and advise you on the best steps throughout the journey.
- Get All The Support Available
- You need support to conquer the addiction, and it might come from friends and family. Additionally, if you have private insurance and have an addiction that you get shake off, you can reach out to The Retreat of Broward.
2. Withdrawal
Your doctor can prescribe drugs to help you control your cravings for narcotics. The drugs allow you to reduce dependence by targeting the same area of your brain as opioids. However, they do not make you feel high, and you can even take them for a lifetime.
3. Relapse Prevention
Doctors also help at this stage by prescribing medicines that prevent you from relapsing. These drugs prevent you from feeling high when you take narcotics.
4. Behavioral Treatments
Behavioral treatments are an essential part of addiction treatment. Here, you learn how to manage your emotional and mental health and what to do to prevent or manage depression. It also helps to mend relationships that may have been damaged due to narcotics addiction.
The Retreat of Broward Can Help You Overcome Narcotics Addiction
The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that out of the 4,698 deaths resulting from a drug overdose in Florida, 3,189 involved opioids. Now, that is a whopping 68%. Addiction is a serious issue and can cause damages to your health, relationships, and finances. However, the good news is that you’re not alone.
At the Retreat of Broward, we have well-trained professionals who are ready to help you through your recovery journey. Whether it’s a heroin addiction treatment or prescription drug addiction treatment, Treats of Broward offers Florida’s best addiction treatment detox center.
We provide personalized treatment options that are tailored to meet your unique needs. Are you struggling with drug addiction and wish to take charge of your life? Contact us today to start your incredible journey towards recovery.
