(Insert College/and or class)
December of 2014
Opiate abuse in the 21st century is on a huge problem, and there doesn’t seem to be much slowing down either. Opiates are derived from opium plants, and can be seen in a plethora different street and pharmaceutical drugs. Some of these include heroin, codeine, oxycotin, vicodin, methadone, and many others. Normally. People take these medications to relieve pain, and most of them are only available via a doctor prescribing them, but once a tolerance is built up to the drug internally, the individual must use higher dosages to achieve the same effects. Also, obtaining these drugs illegally and with a doctor’s approval is possible. Due to the fact that there is a lucrative black market in almost every country for such opiates.
In recent years, a lot of pharmaceutical manufacturers have received a lot of bad publicly for the drugs they provide to the public. These companies include Bayer, Elizabeth Activis, and the Purdue Pharmacy Company. Bayer for example, has been subject to scrutiny, over just how addictive they are making their products. Due to the amount of people in rehab due to their products. Also, in 2012 Elizabeth Activis released a statement saying that they would quit the production of codeine due to the fact that it is glamourized by hip-hop artist as a “cool” way to become intoxicated. These companies have created a slippery-slope to addiction for all those who use their drugs.
Opiate abuse is not a joke to be taken lightly either, and if you or a love of is suffering from this dependency, please seek help. From a personal standpoint, I use to be addicted in the codeine myself. I had suffered a brutal car accident where I severely injured two areas of my jaw bone, and for pain relief, I was prescribed promethazine/ codeine syrup from my doctor. At first the drug is great, you have no tolerance, the pain goes away quickly, the drug produces a very euphoric high, and the syrup itself tasted really good. However, after a while I started to develop a serious dependency for the drug.
As months went on, I would raise my dosage so I could achieve the same level of comfort as I had the first time I took the drug. Once I ran out of my codeine for the month, I would have to wait the remaining days with no opiates, and it was hell. You lose all motivation to get out bed, to interact with humans, your psychological demeanor becomes super annoyed with other, and you become very paranoid. Psychologically, it is one of the worst things to go through. I also believe that mental disorders, and injuries are the leeway to opiate addiction. A mentally unstable person that consumes opiates is putting him/her in a world danger due to the fact that opiates raise your dopamine levels through the roof. Meaning that once the drug wares off, the individual who took it, will actually feel ever worse than prior to when they took it.
Injuries, like the one I had suffered in my car accident, leads to addiction in a very subtle way. The sad part about people with injuries, especially serious injuries, is more times than not they actually need to medicine to cope with the pain. A lot of the time they do not have a mental disorder to begin with initially, but slowly develop one as dependency and addiction settles in. Yet if you take any opiate, whether it’s a street drug or a pharmaceutical, you will become dependent on it. Pain killers play the role as a bandage, they should never be used a long-term treatment, as this can lead to serve mood swings, extreme bipolar, and plethora off other psychological effects.
For people suffering this addiction, there is hope. Scientist and psychologist around the world have conducted many tests, and studies over opiate addiction. For instance, psychotherapy is becoming a popular treatment who suffer from addiction via mental health disorder. This method of attack is intended to dig deep, and find the underlying issues a person may have that leads them to abusing drugs. It is an attempt to rebuild an individual’s emotional behaviors, and to restore the person’s cognitive actions. The other treatment method I would like to talk about deals with physical therapy and alternative medicine. These two methods work hand and hand to get the individual back to full health so they do not need pain relief, and if that cannot be fully achieved, then alternative medicine comes into play. Like I stated earlier, no opiate should be a long term solution for anyone, so if full rehabilitation cannot be met with physical therapy, rest and time. It is very important that other medicines, such as external stimulants, non-addictive muscle relaxers, and other alternative medicines are tried out.
There are many options to help lean, and eventually get off narcotics like therapy, counseling, and alternative medicines. Vicdodin, oxycotin, codeine, and heroin are never to be seen as long term solutions for any problem, whether that be for physical needs, or mental needs. I, myself, have been down the road of opiate addiction, and it does take a more brutal effect on your psychological well-being than psychical in my opinion. Especially if you have already been suffering from a mental disorder prior to consuming an opiate-based substance. Opiate abuse recovery ultimately relies on the individual and there will power to become clean once again. If one if to go through treatment successfully, the must first want to change themselves, otherwise the entire process becomes pointless. You cannot pet a dog that doesn’t wish to be pet. All in all opiate abuse is something that should not be taken lightly, if you or a loved is suffering this, please seek help.
Sources:
"Psychological Causes of Addiction - Addictions." Psychological Causes of Addiction - Addictions. Web. 5 Dec. 2014. <http://www.amhc.org/1408-addictions/article/48345-psychological-causes-of-addiction>.
"Opiate Abuse Side Effects, Addiction Signs & Symptoms." Opiate Abuse Signs, Symptoms & Withdrawal Effects. Web. 5 Dec. 2014. <http://www.deltamedcenter.com/addiction/opiates/effects-symptoms-signs>.
