Mia
When it comes to drugs, most people think of heroin or cocaine.
Opioid addiction might not be as common as cocaine or heroin addiction but it is just as dangerous and hazardous.
It is important to spread awareness about opioid addiction especially since young lives also get lost in this addiction.
Let us debunk some popular myths about opioid addiction.
Opioids Are The Only Solution To Pain
Many people think that opioids are the only way to manage pain after a painful injury, surgery or health condition.
While they are powerful at eliminating pain, they are not the only medications available for it.
There are other anti-inflammatory drugs that are non-steroidal.
Some of the common ones include Naprosyn, Vimovo, Zorvolex and Diclofenac. They also help manage conditions like swelling.
When one believes that opioids are the only solution to pain, it can become a dangerous addiction that can affect the body long term.
You Can Easily Control Opioid Consumption
It is extremely easy to get addicted to opioids because they create certain changes in the brain.
Your body releases more endorphins which are popularly known as the ‘happy hormone’. They bring about feelings of pleasure and a state of ‘high’.
As time passes you get more and more dependent on them till you reach a point where you can’t get through your day without them.
Eventually, you enter into addiction and once you enter the phase it is super difficult to bounce back.
Factors like stress, an abusive environment, lack of moral support and a depressing workplace can also contribute to opioid addiction.
More than 70 people lose their lives every day in the United States because of misusing prescription opioids.
Before you take them, ask your doctor for alternatives for pain relief.
It is Always Obvious When Someone Is Addicted To Opioids
It is true that an opioid addiction can create physical changes like bad breath, saggy eyes and thinner hair but sometimes it isn’t always obvious.
A person who acts completely normal when they are with you could be suffering from this particular addiction.
Some signs which may be hard to catch include mood swings, losing interest in normal activities, constant stomach pain or sickness, being overly anxious in certain situations and decreased appetite.
You Can Treat Opioid Addictions Without Medicine
Today holistic approaches are very popular for treating alcohol and drug disorders.
But when it comes to opioid addiction, medication is almost always necessary to help the patient manage their withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapses. When combined with modern therapy medications can help patients recover fully.
Naltrexone is an FDA-approved medication that helps addicts manage drug cravings. Suboxone has also proven to be quite effective. In fact, the suboxone treatment at WhiteSands in Sarasota has been widely acclaimed as the best treatment option for opioid addiction.
Only Weak-Minded People Can Develop An Opioid Addiction
This is one of the most common misconceptions about opioid addiction.
Many believe that people have complete control over opioids but they don’t realize that opioids take over brain processes.
This in turn affects a person’s ability to process events or everyday situations.
Withdrawal symptoms can get extreme in certain circumstances and lead to lasting chronic conditions.
Telling people to simply get over their addiction isn’t good enough.
Make efforts to get them actual help.
Conclusion
Being aware and acknowledging the seriousness of opioid addiction is the first step towards helping a friend or a loved one overcome the problem.
We hope that this information could bust the popular misconceptions around opioid use and its effects. If you want to learn more about opioid addiction you can always ask a professional or look at verified health information sites and journals.
