Last updated : December 23, 2024
Since the 1990’s painkiller use in America has been on the rise, especially those that are opiate based. It is now easier than ever to get an opioid prescription from a doctor. The pressure for medical professionals to treat patients as customers and focus on customer service rather than medical treatment has made doctors more likely to give the patients what they want rather than what they need. However, what many American’s are looking for is a quick way to get their favorite drug.
Most of us are aware that painkillers should only be taken in the recommended amounts, and that if they are taken in excess there can be adverse health consequences. However, many do not know the real dangers of what an opiate painkiller dependence and addiction can mean for themselves or their loved ones. Since the painkillers most likely to be abused are opiate based, it is important to understand the four major effects of their use.
The first effects of opiate painkillers are the most intense, and consequently why many people become addicted to them. Depending on how a person takes the drug will determine how serious these initial side effects will be. When someone takes opiate painkillers, there is an initial feeling of having an intense high, and this feeling is followed by a period of feeling sedated with lowered mobility function. For many people, these feelings are enough to make them stop taking the medication once it is no longer needed, but for others the initial high they get is enough to get them hooked.
Although a doctor might gloss over the initial side effects, the side effects that occur after the initial dosage of the drugs are what every doctor will stress to their patients. Once the initial high has dissipated and the period of sedation kicks in, people will begin to experience a sense of deep relaxation. The muscles in the body will relax, the pupils will look like pinpoints, and motor function will continue to deteriorate. This physiological reaction happens due to the manipulation of the neuroreceptors in the brain and the release a chemical called GABA.
Once someone has been taking opiate painkillers for an extended amount of time, and also taking more than the recommended amount they will start to experience the more serious side effects. These side effects include nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea which occur due to the way the drug reacts to the receptors in a person’s digestive tract. Because the opiates are manipulating the receptors throughout the body, people can also begin to experience muscle twitches and spasms as the drugs wear off.
After someone has been taking opiate painkillers for an extended period, they will find that they need more of the drug to have the same effects. For people suffering from chronic pain that need to take medication, this is a regular occurrence and does not mean they are addicted to the painkillers. However, if someone begins to have withdrawal symptoms after suddenly ceasing to take the painkillers, then this is a sign that the body has become dependent on the drugs. The physical signs of withdrawal include muscle soreness, nausea, fatigue, and other flu-like symptoms.
Many people will be able to take the prescription without any problems, but other people will become addicted to the feelings the drugs give them. For people that are currently using opiate painkillers and people who know someone that has been prescribed the drugs, it is important to understand how they affect the body and addiction or dependency warning signs.
