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How the Opioids (strong painkillers)  works in the body to create a high: 

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How the Opioids (strong painkillers)  works in the body to create a high: 

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Opioids are strong painkillers that are perscribed by doctors for patients with strong pain symptoms, and if not used correctly, they can do serious harm to a person.

Examples include: OxyContin®, Percocet®, and Vicodin®

Opioids affect the brain and body by telling your brain to block the nerve cells (or neurons) that are feeling the pain. This results in the person feeling happy and calm.

Some short term effects include: Calmness, sleepiness, confusion, nausea, vomiting, constipation and slow or stopped breathing (National Institue on Drug Abuse, 2019). Long-term effects include addiction, heart and/or lung infection, muscle pain (National Institue on Drug Abuse, 2019).

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NIDA.NIH.GOV | National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

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NIDA's mission is to advance science on the causes and consequences of drug use and addiction and to apply that knowledge to improve individual and public health. NIDA is one of the National Institutes of Health.

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According to Medlineplus.gov, early symptoms of withdrawal include:

Agitation

Anxiety

Muscle aches

Increased tearing

Insomnia

Runny nose

Sweating

Yawning

Late symptoms of withdrawal include:

Abdominal cramping

Diarrhea

Dilated pupils

Goosebumps

Nausea

Vomiting

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Withdrawal from these drugs on your own can be very hard and may be dangerous. Treatment most often involves medicines, counseling, and support. You and your provider will discuss your care and treatment goals.

Withdrawal can take place in a number of settings:

At-home, using medicines and a strong support system. (This method is difficult, and withdrawal should be done very slowly.)

Using facilities set up to help people with detoxification (detox).

In a regular hospital, if symptoms are severe.

MEDICINES

Methadone relieves withdrawal symptoms and helps with detox. It is also used as a long-term maintenance medicine for opioid dependence. After a period of maintenance, the dose may be decreased slowly over a long time. This helps reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms. Some people stay on methadone for years.

Buprenorphine (Subutex) treats withdrawal from opiates, and it can shorten the length of detox. It may also be used for long-term maintenance, like methadone. Buprenorphine is often combined with Naloxone (Bunavail, Suboxone, Zubsolv), which helps prevent dependence and misuse.

Clonidine is used to help reduce anxiety, agitation, muscle aches, sweating, runny nose, and cramping that are due to withdrawal. It does not help reduce cravings.

Other medicines can:

Treat vomiting and diarrhea

Help with sleep

Naltrexone can help prevent relapse. It is available in pill form or as an injection. It also, however, can bring about a sudden and severe withdrawal if taken while opioids are still in your system.

People who go through withdrawal over and over should be treated with long-term methadone or buprenorphine maintenance.

Most people need long-term treatment after detox. This can include:

Self-help groups, like Narcotics Anonymous or SMART Recovery

Outpatient counseling

Intensive outpatient treatment (day hospitalization)

Inpatient treatment

Anyone going through detox for opiates should be checked for depression and other mental illnesses. Treating these disorders can reduce the risk for relapse. Antidepressant medicines should be given as needed.

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Opiate and opioid withdrawal: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

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Opiates or opioids are drugs used to treat pain. Opiates are derived from plants and opioids are synthetic drugs that have the same actions as opiates. The term narcotic refers to either type of drug.

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Key pain management strategies include pain medicines. physical therapies (such as heat or cold packs, massage, hydrotherapy and exercise) psychological therapies (such as cognitive behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques and meditation)

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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Addiction is a medical condition. Treatment can help. Recovery is possible.

Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD), is a chronic and relapsing disease that can affect anyone. In fact, millions of Americans suffer from opioid addiction.

As with most other chronic diseases, addiction is treatable. If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for opioid addiction.

Preventing overdose death and finding treatment options are the first steps to recovery. Treatment may save a life and can help people struggling with opioid addiction get their lives back on track by allowing them to counteract addiction's powerful effects on their brain and behavior. The overall goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in their family, workplace, and community.

Opioid addiction treatment can vary depending the patient's individual needs, occur in a variety of settings, take many different forms, and last for varying lengths of time.

Evidence-based approaches to treating opioid addiction include medications and combining medications with behavioral therapy. A recovery plan that includes medication for opioid addiction increases the chance of success.

Medications used in the treatment of opioid addiction support a person's recovery by helping to normalize brain chemistry, relieving cravings, and in some cases preventing withdrawal symptoms. The choice to include medication as part of recovery is a personal medical decision, but the evidence for medications to support successful recovery is strong.

SAMHSA's National Helpline is a great resource to share with someone who may have a substance use disorder.

Call 1-800-662-HELP (4537).

Medications for opioid addiction include:

Available as dissolving tablet, cheek film, extended-release injection, or 6-month implant under the skin.

Can be prescribed by a doctor for use outside of a clinic.

Available as daily liquid.

Can only be used in a certified opioid treatment program setting.

Can be prescribed by any clinician who can legally prescribe medication.

Only used for people who have not used opioids for at least 7-10 days.

Talk with a doctor to find out what types of treatments are available in your area and what options are best for you and/or your loved one. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease; be sure to ask your doctor about the risk of relapse and overdose.

If you notice that someone may be struggling with opioid addiction:

Ask if you can help. Everyone can play a role and take action to help their loved ones in recovery. Treatment and the support and help from family, friends, co-workers, and others can make a big difference in the recovery process.

Be supportive, and reduce stigma. Stigma or the fear of stigma may stop someone from sharing their health condition and prevent them from seeking the health or behavioral health services and support services they need. Recognize that opioid addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failing. Stopping stigma is important to helping loved ones feel safer and healthier.

Carry naloxone. Naloxone can reverse overdose and prevent death. It is a non-addictive, life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in time.

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Recovery is Possible: Treatment for Opioid Addiction

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Addiction is a medical condition. Treatment can help. Recovery is possible. Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder (OUD), is a chronic and relapsing disease that can affect anyone. In fact, millions of Americans suffer from opioid addiction. As with most other chronic diseases, addiction is treatable.

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1. Difficulty breathing or shallow breathing.

2. Unresponsiveness or loss of consciousness.

3. Extreme drowsiness or confusion.

4. Slow or erratic heart rate.

5. Cyanosis (blue or purple lips and fingernails) due to a lack of oxygen.

6. Cold and clammy skin.

7. Nausea and vomiting.

8. Seizures.

9. Gastrointestinal bleeding (in the case of non-opioid pain relievers like NSAIDs).

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Core State Violence and Injury Prevention Program (Core SVIPP)

The CDC VetoViolence website has violence prevention tools, trainings, and resources for public health practitioners.

Dating Matters focuses on teaching 11-14 year olds healthy relationship skills before they start dating and reducing behaviors that increase the risk for dating violence, like substance abuse and sexual risk-taking.

Learn to recognize, respond to, and minimize the risk of concussion or other serious brain injury.

This interactive online training series helps healthcare providers apply CDC's recommendations in clinical settings through patient scenarios, videos, knowledge checks, tips, and resources.

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The CDC Injury Center focuses on how injury and violence impact all of us and how to prevent it. Focus areas are overdose, suicide, and adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).