Long Term Effects of Opiates
The long term effects of opiates certainly outweigh any "good" feeling an addict may experience. Learn the signs and how to get someone help.
Opiates are all the rage around the world. Heroin especially, being that it is less expensive, and just as potent (or more so) as pharmaceutical grade opiates. The opiate epidemic continues to boom, without an end in sight. Deaths from opiate overdoses increase on a daily basis. The long term effects of opiates are far more dangerous than the great pleasure an addict feel once under the influence of this powerful drug.
Due to the extreme dangers associated with the drug, addiction to opiates has become a seriously tragic problem. When opiates are misused and abused, they can cause very severe health problems and even death. Every single person who takes prescription pain medications, should definitely inform themselves with what opiates are, the risk of addiction, and the dangers associated with abuse. If not managed quickly, opiates can and will kill you.
What are Opiates?
Opiates are substances that do create morphine-like effects in its users. Typically, opiates are used as sedatives or painkillers and are prescribed by a physician. These are highly addictive substances that are deadly. Opium poppy flowers are where opiates are derived- they were created from the poppy plant, over thousands of years ago. People use opiates both medicinally and recreationally. There are two way opiates can be found; some, from the natural, raw opium, while on the other hand, the other are manufactured so that they contain the same chemical composition and structure as the opium in its raw form.
A variety of drugs are included under the umbrella of "opiates", ranging from illegal drugs like heroin, to legal drugs such as codeine, morphine, and fentanyl. They all share one common trait of slowing down or depressing the body's central nervous system.
Opiate Classifications
While there are different types of all sorts of drugs, opiates can actually be classified in three way. Familiarizing yourself with the differences, may give you better insight to what you are dealing with.
Opiates can be classified in three ways:
- The first class is the natural occurring opium derivative, which includes morphine.
- The second class contains a partially synthetic derivative of morphine, which is called opioid drugs including oxymorphone, oxycodone, and hydrocodone.
- The third class encompasses synthetic compounds such as levorphanol, Meperidine, methadone, alfentanil, codeine, Propoxyphene, and Fentanyl.
When an individual takes one dose that could be all it takes for a full blown addiction to surface. One dose alone can also cause death. The long term effects of opiates, if you do survive long term, are dangerous and appalling.
Long Term use of Opiates
Long term use of opiates can lead to significant health issues and dangerous opiate withdrawal. Due to the terrible long term effects of opiates, one will begin experiencing negative symptoms sooner than later. Common symptoms of long term use of opiates include:
- Breathing and heart problems
- Drowsiness
- Physical Dependence
- Tolerance
- Sleep disorders
- Constipation and bowel dysfunction
- Low sex drive
- Dry mouth and tooth decay
- Accidental overdose
- Death
While it is a brave decision to realize you have a problem and are willing to seek help for addiction, if long term use of opiates is something a person has done, it is advised to not quit alone. It is important to seek professional medical assistance to detox while going through opiate withdrawal.
The extensive, long term effects of opiates cause a plethora of issues. Seeking detox assistance at a rehab recovery center is the first step on the road to recovery. Once a person has successfully completed detox and are done with opiate withdrawal, they can move on to learning how to live again at an inpatient rehab center. This will ensure long term success in recovery. The tools a person will gain in this process are priceless.
El Paso Drug Treatment Centers can work with you to help you find treatment centers. The most important thing to remember is, you can do it.