In the past 20 years, there has been a major rise in addiction rates, across the board, for every demographic in California, America, and around the globe. While there are many reasons that contributed to this rise, none has done so more than the stunning rise of prescription medication.
Prescription opioids, such as percocet, oxycodone, or hydrocodone, are the at the heart of this phenomenon, as the way that these painkillers function is similar to stronger drugs, such as heroin. To be true, there is definitely important medical functions that that these medications perform, but it is time for our society to take a long look at how we continue to treat prescription medication, rather than ignore its effects.
The prescription opioid epidemic
It has recently been declared that our country is in the midst of an opioid addiction epidemic. This is absolutely the case. Currently, there are over 2 million people in the United States that have a physical dependency to prescription opioid medication. While many of these medications are dangerous on their own, if abused, these rising numbers also serve to make prescription medication a gateway to stronger substances, since tolerances towards many medications are built up, quickly.
Common short-term effects of prescription opioid abuse
The reason that prescription opioid painkillers are so effective at preventing pain is because they, like most opioids, are able to block the receptors in the brain that alert us about pain from feeling anything. In addition to this, they also force your brain to release strong amounts of dopamine, which gives a strong feeling of pleasurable numbness.
The trouble is that prescription opioids can also cause a plethora of physical effects that are unpleasurable, and even dangerous, if you are taking large amounts. These physical effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and tiredness. In addition to the physical effects, prescription opioids can also cause depression, anxiety, and paranoia.
Common long-term effects of prescription opioid abuse
Using prescription opioids continuously for a long period of time can lead a person to develop a physical addiction, which means that dangerous withdrawals can start to occur if a person refrains from taking opioids for quite a while. Chronic prescription opioid usage causes extreme damage to vital organs, such as your liver or kidney. In addition to this, prescription opioid addiction can alter your brain’s chemistry so that it is difficult to feel pleasure when you aren’t under the influence of your medication.