Essential Insights into Opioids and Their Influence on Health
Opioids are a class of drugs commonly used to relieve pain. They work by mimicking naturally occurring chemicals in your body called endorphins. These substances help regulate your breathing, slow down digestion, encourage social bonding, and turn on your body's reward system during sex, eating, and exercise.
There are three main classes of opioids: natural opioids, semi-synthetic opioids, and synthetic opioids. Natural opioids, also called opiates, come from the seed pods of the poppy plant and include codeine, morphine, and opium. Semi-synthetic opioids are half-natural, half-artificial and include heroin, hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone (Dilaudid), oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet), and oxymorphone (Opana). Synthetic opioids are completely developed in a lab and include fentanyl, methadone, and tramadol.
Heroin and prescription opioids tend to bond primarily with Mu opioid receptors (MORs), which may increase your risk of dependence or addiction. Your body can produce multiple kinds of endorphins and has three types of opioid receptors: Mu opioid receptors (MORs), Kappa opioid receptors (KORs), and Delta opioid receptors (DORs).
Opioid use can sometimes cause unwanted side effects, including nausea, constipation, drowsiness, confusion, and slowed breathing. Opioid overdose symptoms include difficulty breathing, slower heart rate, bluish lips or fingertips, vomiting, pinpoint pupils, and loss of consciousness. Opioid overdose can be fatal.
More than 2.7 million people in the United States have opioid use disorder (OUD), also called opioid addiction, and may experience at least two of the following symptoms within the last year: increased use, unsuccessful attempts to cut back, cravings, significant time spent obtaining opioids, interference with responsibilities, affected social life, stopped hobbies, combined with alcohol or illegal drugs, continued use despite physical or mental health symptoms, and development of dependence.
Options for treatment for OUD exist, and seeking help sooner rather than later can make a big difference for your health and well-being. Treatment for OUD often involves a combination of medication and counseling, with buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone being FDA-approved medications for OUD. Therapy approaches often used to help treat OUD include cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT).
Long-term opioid use may contribute to chronic health issues like tooth decay, low levels of sex hormones, osteoporosis, sleep disorders, anxiety, depression, and physical dependence. Tapering your dose of opioids is essential to minimize the risk of withdrawal symptoms, with the length of the tapering period depending on how long the opioids have been taken.
If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid use, it's important to remember that help is available. Resources such as the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Opioid Treatment Program Directory and the Department of Health and Human Services treatment center directory can be used to explore treatment programs in your area. Additionally, Narcan (naloxone), a medication approved by the FDA, can reverse an opioid overdose and comes in the form of a nasal spray.
Opioid overdose is a serious issue, with fentanyl contributing to a significant number of opioid-related deaths in the United States. In 2021 alone, fentanyl contributed to 71,238 opioid-related deaths. The majority of opioid-related deaths in the United States in 2021 caused by fentanyl were due to synthetic opioids like fentanyl itself, which was the leading cause with over 72,000 synthetic opioid overdose deaths by 2023, indicating fentanyl's significant role in opioid fatalities during that period.
It's crucial to be aware of the risks associated with opioid use and to seek help if you or someone you know is struggling. Options for treatment exist, and seeking help sooner rather than later can make a significant difference in your health and well-being.
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