Opioid addiction is a serious issue and becomes even more serious if a dear person is addicted. We have collected a few easy ways to find out whether the addiction is real or not. We do not want to scare you but opioid overdoses have taken the lives of over 800,000 Americans during the time of 1999 to 2020.
What are the Signs to Identify Opioid Addiction
The studies have told us that nearly one-third of the people who get a prescription for opioids, like Suboxone or Subutex, abuse them and 10% of them end up being addicted. Please, don’t get late and turn your identifying game on. Firstly, you must have an idea of addiction and opioids themselves.
Addiction: It can be defined as a condition, where the person repeats the same action while knowing the negative and unpleasant result.
Opioids: They can be defined as a medicine that is used by physicians to cure cough, and diarrhea and relieve pain.
Now, let us move on to opioid addiction and its identification.
What is the Pre-Addiction Stage
Like any other disease, addiction is also a condition that develops if the person is dealing with some issues or living in a special type of environment. For instance:
- They may have been living in the company of friends who urged them to join.
- The person may be in his or her teenage years and wants to do some appealing and thrilling things. Substance abuse seems very cool to teenagers and young adults.
- Stress-related to different aspects like poverty and the desire to live a lavish life,
Is it an important factor that boosts the chances of being addicted to opioids? The people who are addicted to or do the illegal business of the hero must have surrounded the person.
- Depression is the most common medical condition that attracts people towards opioid misuse. This is dangerous enough to lead a person towards suicidal thoughts, and a sense of euphoria is the easiest way to get rid of stressful thoughts.
There are some symptoms explained below.
Cravings
Craving is the bad part of our lives, whether it is the desire to scroll the Facebook or Instagram timeline or the desire to experience euphoria from opioids. The latter becomes more of an addiction than a habit or fun thing. Therefore, you need to identify the behaviors of your loved ones when they have access to opioids.
The Carefree Usage
An addict will not stop taking the drugs even if it costs heavily on his pocket or relationships. Addiction alters the thinking pattern in a way that everything seems petty in front of short-term relief. In most cases, the brain is controlled to the extent that it wants opioids at any cost while ignoring the severe outcome.
They Start Converting into a Failure
Failure is forever part of life but addictions are enough to turn someone’s life into a complete failure. The unparalleled sleep cycles turn life upside down and the affected person cannot use his full strength to do the home and work tasks efficiently.
Behavioral Change with Family
Behavioral change is one of the clear signs of opioid misuse. The addicts need money to buy their things and stealing money from their family and friends remains the last and only option for them. Moreover, they avoid engaging in family occasions and want to spend time alone while being in a state of dizziness. Dizziness is another sign that helps us identify that opioid addiction is taking over a person’s brain.
Loss of Decision-Making Power
We all know that we cannot call a person in his sane mind when he is under the influence of drugs. As a result, the decision-making power is affected badly by a person. So, if you see a person who is taking decisions that are dangerous for both himself and his family. Be aware and take them to the doctor before things become unbearable.
Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms are one of the most visible signs of opioid addiction. The person has to suffer body problems like diarrhea and sweating. In addition, believe us, the sense of euphoria is nothing compared to the pain of withdrawal.
Doing Things in an Unsafe Manner
While we already know that, there is a clear difference in the behaviors of normal and addicted people. Studies have shown that opioid influence causes a person to indulge in unsafe activities and behave ruthlessly while using things like matchsticks or knives.
A Must-Known Fact!
Physical dependence on opioids will not be considered an addiction if the person uses it to relieve the pain they had before the opioid usage.
It is Never too Late to Seek Addiction Treatment!
We hope that you have a profound understanding of what are the key symptoms of opioid misuse and you will take the required measures to save your loved one from the threat of life loss. Most outpatient addiction treatment rehabs accept all state-funded insurance. You just have to verify that with your provider of the rehab before you begin your treatment. The best way to treat opioid addiction is by seeking a medically supervised Detox.