subject: Understanding The Irreparable Consequences Of Opiate Addiction [print this page] Drug abuse is one of the main causes of crimes, injuries and other societal concerns. These days, there are several chemicals and substances abused by drug addicts such as heroin, oxycontin, morphine and the likes. These substances are generally called opiates and opiate abuse in a growing problem globally. Because drug addicts are overwhelmed and lulled by the feeling of sniffing and smoking illegal drugs, they usually lack ideas on the long-term detriments related to opiate abuse such as immune system damage, risk of infectious diseases and brain injury. It is difficult and challenging to handle problems related to opioid addiction because it requires intensive behavioral treatment and medication rehabilitation.
Are you aware that opiate abuse has long term and lasting impact on the health and well-being of drug abusers? Patients are not the only ones affected by this concern but also their families and the people around them. Due to its damaging consequences, it's necessary to bring drug abusers to rehabilitation facilities for treatment.
Statistics and Developments
According to statistics from the Substance Abuse Warning Network, heroin abuse admissions in medical center emergency rooms increased by 35% since 1995, while morphine and heroin are among the main causes of overdose-related deaths. Statistics from the National Institute on Drug Abuse show that heroin abuse in young people declined since 1990s but increased in 1996,1997 and 2000.
Damaging Effects of Opiates
Generally, opiate's long-term damage is caused by the intake of strong opiates like morphine, that can be availed in pills form. Some desperate abusers who cannot avail them right away resorted to grinding the opiates, dissolving them in liquid and injecting them intravenously. This harmful and risky practice can result in vascular swelling, obstruction in small arteries, obstruction of oxygen supply to other areas of the body, cellulitis and infection of the heart's lining and valves, pneumonia, liver and kidney damage and collapsed veins. Meanwhile, the short-term effects of opiates include xerostomia, euphoria, flushed skin, and heavy extremities.
Opiate Treatment
Since 1982, methadone has been used as the most common medicine to treat opiate abuse because of its capability to reduce the craving for opiate drugs, to lessen withdrawal signs and symptoms and to enable the substance addict to function again. Buprenorphine has been confirmed more efficacious compared to methadone because of lesser withdrawal signs or symptoms. Furthermore, naltrexone is another treatment drug known to hinder the capability of the drug abuser to feel the effect of opiates but it is not widely utilized these days because of poor compliance of patients.
Now that you are aware of the negative effects of opiates abuse, help an individual you know who abused opiates. Help them overcome opiate abuse related problems.
