Opioid Addiction and Substance Use Treatments

Addiction is a complex, chronic disease that impacts many throughout the world, and can be challenging to overcome. Addiction can also be diagnosed as Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and range from mild to severe levels of addiction, involving overwhelming desire for the substance, increased dependence on the substance, and withdrawal symptoms if the substance is unobtainable. In the United States, over 20 million people have SUD, including alcohol and drug use disorders. Addiction and SUD is treatable, through substance use treatment, misuse management, and a healthy support system.

Opioids, also referred to as narcotics, are a common substance that have high addiction potential. Opioids are commonly prescribed by doctors to help manage moderate to severe pain, typically post surgical operations. However, the combination of pain reduction and the sense of euphoria many experience while taking opioids can lead to Opioid Use Disorder, or an opioid addiction. Medical professionals help to reduce this likelihood is by prescribing milder doses for a shorter period of time, and addiction is less likely to occur as long as the prescription instructions are followed accordingly.

Many factors play a role in addiction and OUD, including:

• How the substance is administered (injected, taken orally, etc.)
• The rate at which the substance triggers the 'reward pathway' in the brain
• How long is takes to feel the substance's effects
• Level of tolerance
• Severity of withdrawal symptoms
• Environmental and biological components

Due to the complexity of SUD and opioid addiction, and the multiple factors that impact each person differently, it is essential to seek help from medical professionals, such as doctors and psychiatrists, who can provide the necessary support you or a loved one needs to manage the condition. Opioid addiction specifically affects approximately three million people in the United States, and be managed through a personalized treatment plan that may include outpatient counseling, in-patient care and counseling, medication-assisted treatment, and methods of psychotherapy.