Opioids Use Disorder

Opioids

In 2014, an estimated 1.9 million people had an opioid use disorder related to prescription pain relievers and an estimated 586,000 had an opioid use disorder related to heroin use.

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Opioids

Opioids reduce the perception of pain but can also produce drowsiness, mental confusion, euphoria, nausea, constipation, and, depending upon the amount of drug taken, can depress respiration.

CKF Addition Treatment has programs to help those struggling with opioid use disorder.

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Misusage of Drugs

Heroin and pain relievers can cause serious health effects.

Some people experience a euphoric response to opioid medications, and it is common that people misusing opioids try to intensify their experience by snorting or injecting them. These methods increase their risk for serious medical complications, including overdose. Other users have switched from prescription opiates to heroin as a result of availability and lower price. Because of variable purity and other chemicals and drugs mixed with heroin on the black market, this also increases risk of overdose. Overdoses with opioid pharmaceuticals led to almost 17,000 deaths in 2011. Since 1999, opiate overdose deaths have increased 265% among men and 400% among women.

How does opioids affect

the brain and body?

Opioids reduce the pain-signal perception in the brain. Opioids also affect the parts of the brain that control emotion and this also helps minimize the effects of pain. Opioids have been used throughout human history to treat pain, cough and diarrhea and in the last two decades, opioids have been used more and more to treat chronic pain.

Ironically, for some people, using opioids for chronic pain actually increases their pain through the development of a condition called hyperalgesia.

Additional affect

the brain and body.

In addition to relieving pain, opioids affect the parts of the brain that are reward centers, causing the “high” many people then begin to seek to abuse.

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Treatment is available. Call us at 785-825-6224 to get started.

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