Pain medication used to treat pain. But the use of this drug is sometimes misused. The following are the signs of people abusing pain medication. Abuse of analgesics is major problem in United States. According to the latest CDC estimates, approximately 12 million people admitted using pain medication for non-medical reasons in 2011.
A new study also found that the number of new babies are born and have become addicted to pain medication tripled over the past decades due to the use of legal and illegal opioids (analgesics) such as hidrokodon and oxycodone. The number was increased from 1 per 1000 infants in 2000 to more than 3 per 1000 infants in 2009.
Opioid addiction is chronic medical condition which caused changes in brain because of the use of drugs such as oxycodone, codeine, and morphine hidrokodon.
Opioid dependence is even considered as chronic brain disease by American Society for Addiction Medicine and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
The good news, opioid dependence can be treated effectively, but you have to recognize the signs of people who abusing these drugs.
With the direction of Dr. Carlos Tirado, assistant professor of psychiatry at University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Austin and director of drug dependence clinical services at Hospital Seton Shoal Creek, the following are 5 signs of people may be abusing pain medication as well as ways to help them as quoted by CBS News :
- Drowsiness and Lack of EnergyOne of potential sign people is addicted to opioid is that person always look tired and sleepy. This condition make them don't spend more time with his friends and many activities. Tirado said that during the peak effect of opioid use, the user may appear drowsy with drooping eyes and always asleep.
"While this may be confused with just tired, individuals who abuse opioids may show this pattern at various times throughout the day," Tirado said. - Not Able to Concentrate, Lack of Motivation
Opioids can reduce concentration. The effect can disrupt learning process, especially at work or school. Drug Effects related decrease in concentration and constant need to take the drug makes a person who is addicted to opioids is difficult to concentrate and maintain the level of academic and job performance.
This often resulted in more clear signs, like miss work for days, leaving school/work and significant performance degradation. - Changes in Social BehaviorBecause often feel sleepy, tired and unable to concentrate make peoples who are addicted hard to maintain their friendship and healthy lifestyle habits such as exercise, attend social clubs and hobbies.
People who are addicted to pain medication became more isolated and frequently spend time with addicted friends and doing destructive actions. - Changes in AppearanceAccording to Tirado, it's hard to tell when someone is having high opioid addiction, but the most common physical signs are the pupils continue to shrink, even in a lighted room, and suddenly feel itchy in the abdomen, arms or legs; eye looks limp; flushed face and neck; head nodding.
When experiencing pain medication addiction, users can show signs of frequent yawning, runny nose, dilated pupils, suddenly often go to bathroom (nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea), painful joints (especially in the back and legs), feeling like have flu and severe insomnia. - Have Many SecretsIf someone you love abusing pain medication, they often speaks in different way to their friends. Some of them even using the code.
"The need for secrecy is great and has a double identity is basic indication of the occurrence of chronic opioid addiction," said Dr. Tirado. He said most of the abused opioid in United States comes from the original recipe that is sold in cash or traded on black market.
Because these activities are illegal and classified as high risk, individuals who have addictions desperately need high level of confidentiality by using slang term such as "oxys" (oxycodone) or "hydros" (hidrokodon) to keep its privacy.
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