What Are Some Common Signs of an Opioid Addiction?

Opioid pain medications are commonly used after surgical procedures or when you’ve severely injured yourself. These types of medications block the receptors that allow you to feel pain, and give you an overall sense of calm. For this reason, these medications are often abused, and they often lead to addiction.

At Lori Scott Family Care, our team specializes in many different types of addiction. Dr. Lori Scott is an addiction specialist, who helps you or your loved one overcome opioid addiction. If you’re ready to conquer your addiction, our team can help.

Understanding opioids

Opioid medications are a class of controlled substances that are normally prescribed to treat acute or chronic pain. Taken under the care of a licensed medical professional, this class of medications are safe and effective to take for a short period of time.

Opioids work by changing the way your brain responds to pain signals. They also lower the number of pain signals that are sent to your brain from the rest of your body. These medications may provide you not only with pain relief, but a sense of euphoria as well.

For this reason, these medications are often abused, and they can lead to dangerous addictions when taken outside of the scope of their prescribed treatment. Some of the most common types of opioid medications include:

• Fentanyl
• Codeine
• Morphine
• Tramadol
• Oxycodone

These medications are usually prescribed for conditions like dental procedures, vehicle injuries, or after surgery. However, when they’re taken for a long time, your body may begin to crave more and more of this medication, leading to addiction.

What constitutes addiction?

Addiction is a condition where your brain uncontrollably craves a substance or certain type of behavior. Addiction is a disease that involves a so-called reward that your brain can’t get enough of. 

In the case of opioids, you want to use the medications or drugs, even when you have no reason to. Someone who is addicted to opioids or any other substance may experience any of the following:

• Loss of self-control
• Lack of emotion
• Show increased desire for the substance
• Perform self-harming behaviors
• Dismiss problems that arise

Many people who experience addiction may lose family and friends due to the disease. It often interferes with your job or social interactions, because all you can think about is the next fix.

You or your loved ones may also experience several phases of relapse and remission. It’s common to abstain from using and then fall back into the addictive behavior. Addiction can be hard to spot in others. Certain signs are easier to spot than others, and people with addiction often learn how to hide it from others in order to continue using.

Signs of an opioid problem

If you suspect someone you love is experiencing addiction, it’s important that you know the signs to look out for. These signs may also help you determine if you’re falling into addictive behaviors. The following are common signs of an opioid addiction:

• Mood swings
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Poor decision making
• Giving up responsibilities
• Irritability
• Decreased energy

An opioid overdose is an emergency, and means that you or the person you love has taken too much of the substance. It can lead to depressed breathing and other dangerous symptoms, such as:

• Vomiting
• Slow heart rate
• Passing out
• Unresponsiveness
• Small pupils

An overdose is a condition that needs immediate medical attention. Dr. Scott helps you overcome your addiction through many different methods of treatment. One of the treatments she offers is suboxone therapy.

This medication works in your brain to keep you from craving the opioid medication that you’re addicted to. However, in order for suboxone therapy to work, you need to keep your regular appointments with Dr. Scott.

Don’t hesitate to call us if you or someone you love needs help with addiction. You can call our office at 252-238-7079 or you may book a consultation online today.