It’s no secret that opioid abuse is a widespread problem in the U.S. From prescription opioid abuse to drugs like heroin and street fentanyl, overdose deaths in America have climbed steadily since the mid-1990s. Opioids are among the most addictive substances in the United States that are prescribed.
The problem is daunting to be sure and the opioid abuse overdose statistics are eye-watering, to say the least. Nearly 50,000 people in the United States died from opiate-related overdoses in 2019 alone. According to the National Institute On Drug Abuse. However, there are good reasons for hope where the opioid abuse epidemic is concerned.
The rise in the abuse of opioids has brought a corresponding rise in demand for effective, evidence-based opioid addiction treatment. As one of the addiction treatment field’s key innovators, The Sylvia Brafman Mental Health Center has risen to the challenge.
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are a category of drug that is most often used to treat moderate to severe pain in prescription form. All opioids are either derived from opium, an extract of the opium poppy plant, or synthesized.
Most prescription opioids, such as oxycodone (Percocet, OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin, Lorcet) are referred to as semi-synthetic because they are partly derived from natural compounds. Fully synthetic opioids include fentanyl and buprenorphine. Illicit drugs like heroin and illegally manufactured fentanyl are also opioids.
All opioids are addictive. Use of an opioid, as prescribed or in the case of opioid abuse, can create opioid dependence in as little as 10 days. If a person has regularly taken opioids long enough to develop a dependence, they will experience some physical withdrawal symptoms when they stop. Opiates are most often prescribed after a person either has an injury or surgical procedure resulting in moderate to severe pain afterward.