Opiate Addiction Signs & Symptoms
Opioids drugs are commonly thought of as heroin. However, the opiate crisis that is occurring today in the United States encompasses much more. In fact, it generally doesn’t begin with heroin, but can end up with heroin use.
Many teens and young adults report beginning their opiate use with opiate prescriptions out of household medicine cabinets. Adults report being prescribed opiate medications for an injury or pain, such as
Opioids medications like OxyContin, Vicodin, fentanyl, morphine and the like. For both, the adult and teen/young adult dependency can develop but access to ongoing prescriptions becomes impossible and detox symptoms begin and are painful.
At the point the search for relief begins and the possibility of heroin use is likely. It is cheaper and easier to access.
What are Opiate drugs?
Opiates or Opioids are compounds found in opium poppies. Opioids include prescription painkillers like oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), morphine, codeine, fentanyl, and others and Heroin, which is illegal.
Heroin can be inhaled, injected, or smoked, while most pain killers are taken as a pill, however when abused can also be inhaled, injected or smoked.
Tolerance is built quickly requiring the user to take higher doses and dependence is established rapidly and there is high risk of overdoes.