Writer: Joannabelle Freya Widjaja
Introducing: the Grim Reaper
Opioids include prescription painkillers and illicit substances like heroin. They are a class of natural, semi-synthetic, and synthetic pharmaceuticals. They contribute significantly to the problem of drug overdose and are addictive. Fentanyl and other powerful synthetic opioids that are illegally produced are responsible for most overdose deaths in recent years. Opioids, which have a variety of actions in the brain, including pain relief, are derived from or resemble natural chemicals found in the opium poppy plant.
The seed pods of the opium poppy plant are used to make natural opioids including morphine, codeine, opium, and thebaine. Opiates are another name for these natural compounds. Natural opioids are chemically processed in labs to create semi-synthetic opioids, like heroin and other painkillers. Fentanyl and other synthetic opioids are made wholly in labs and contain no natural components. The potency, or intensity, of opioids varies. These drugs create a sense of euphoria, giving people a reason to consume them repeatedly. Therefore, their use can result in addiction or opioid use disorder (OUD). Oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine are examples of prescription opioids that offer advantages as well as potentially dangerous side effects. [1][2][3]
Temporary Pleasure Results in Endless Suffering
A medical professional usually prescribes these drugs to help the body relax and reduce the symptoms of a disease, injury, or surgery. Some common examples include diarrhea and coughing. You may think that this drug is something positive, but it is actually more damaging and harmful to us than it is beneficial.
Even when used under a doctor's supervision, opioid consumption may be dangerous. A person's tolerance and reliance may build with regular use of prescription drugs, necessitating greater and more frequent doses. Furthermore, if taken in excess, opioids can cause breathing difficulties and, if abused, can result in a lethal overdose. The possibility of respiratory arrest arises, which occurs when breathing stops entirely, or respiratory depression, which slows breathing. The adverse effects of taking this include drowsiness, relaxation, nausea, decreased breathing (which may result in hypoxia), and more.
Pregnant women who take opioids or have untreated opioid use disorder run the risk of harming their unborn child's health. Without proper prenatal care, pregnant individuals with untreated opioid use disorder are more likely to experience severe and sometimes lethal pregnancy problems. Infants who are exposed to opioids before birth are more likely to experience health issues such as low birth weight and early birth. After birth, withdrawal symptoms like agitation, sobbing, trembling, or poor feeding may also occur. Neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) is the name given to this. In other words, you are slowly digging your own grave by consuming this. [1][2]
How it Works
Opioids can be administered via injection, under the tongue, as a skin patch, or orally. By consuming this narcotic, it travels into the body and attaches to the opioid receptors on nerve cells located in the brain, spinal cord, and other parts of the body. These receptors control vital processes like stress reactions, respiration regulation, and pain management. Opioid medications can reduce pain perception in the brain and prevent pain signals from traveling through the spinal cord when they connect to these receptors. Furthermore, the reward system has opioid receptors. The body's own opioid-like signaling molecules attach to these receptors, they set off positive brain processes that encourage us to repeat healthy habits. [2]
A Second Chance
Suggested ways to treat OUD are behavioral therapy and medications. For opioid use disorder, medication is the usual course of treatment. Among the legal medications are naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone. These drugs have been demonstrated in studies to lower the risk of overdose mortality and relapse. They support patients in continuing their therapy and leading regular lives. Lofexidine is a drug that has been authorized to treat withdrawal symptoms. Research has demonstrated that it lowers cravings and the likelihood of resuming drug usage. For opioid use disorder, behavioral therapy works best when combined with pharmaceutical therapy. Staying on pharmaceutical treatment can be facilitated by many forms of behavioral therapy. Additionally, these therapies can help with issues like comorbid mental health issues that are not addressed by these drugs.
Sources & Works Cited
[1] John Hopkins Medicine
[2] National Institute on Drug Abuse
[3] FDA
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