Opioid Addiction Treatment Center

Across the United States today, nearly every adult has been touched in some way by the opioid epidemic. It is safe to say that almost everyone knows someone, whether it is a friend, family member, loved one, or acquaintance, who has struggled with addiction to opioids or even lost their lives to overdose. Many people have watched as the challenges that stem from opioid addiction have torn apart communities and families.

The impacts of the opioid epidemic are not restricted to any one state or community. The problem is widespread and touches nearly every corner of the United States (and far beyond). For proof that addiction knows no bounds, one only needs to look to their local surroundings. The effects of addiction have touched people of all ages, socioeconomic levels, upbringing, race, and religion.  

If there is a blessing to the widespread and pervasive nature of the opioid crisis, it is that there has been a renewed furtherance of understanding regarding addiction and recovery. There has also been much more open and honest discussion about how significant the effects of addiction and opioid use are on individuals, families, and their communities. Today, rather than hide their child’s or spouse’s addiction, people may be more likely to seek help and support from others who share similar situations or from a treatment center like Grand Falls Recovery, where treatment professionals specialize in opioid treatment and recovery. 

Opioids belong to a specific drug class that also includes legally prescribed medications (drugs prescribed for symptom management by medical and mental health professionals) and illegal substances or “street drugs.” Prescription medications that belong to the opioid drug class include morphine, hydrocodone, and oxycodone, along with other familiar medications. Familiar illicit substances include fentanyl and heroin.

Opioids, regardless of legality, produce effects by attaching to specific areas in the brain and spinal cord called opioid receptor sites. They also connect to other receptor sites throughout the body designed to accept opioids. The connection of opioids to the brain helps slow and block pain messages sent from the brain to other areas of the body. It also limits the speed at messages travel from the body to the brain, signaling pain. Opioids, whether illicit or prescription, help individuals struggling with chronic pain conditions effectively reduce the severity of their symptoms. By using these medications, they feel a sense of relief for a time as their pain and discomfort reduce or disappear entirely. 

The relief, relaxation, and “high” achieved with opioid use occur rapidly, sometimes within seconds. Unfortunately, it also wears off quickly, leading to a rapid return of pain and discomfort. Because the user craves the pain relief (or high) again and takes another dose when this happens. 

As drug use continues, a person may feel they need to take higher doses, or more hits, in order to achieve the same effects as before—this is known as building a tolerance. Higher doses at more frequent intervals are needed to achieve the desired high. This is dangerous because higher doses can quickly lead to overdose and death. 

There has been a significant increase in opioid use nationwide in the past decade. Opioid drugs, even when prescribed and taken as directed, have a high potential for addiction. Research indicates that up to 25% (as many as one out of four) of people who take opioids as part of a long-term pain management program will develop a dependency on opioids. With time, they will be unable to stop using or reduce their use without seeking professional detox and treatment services at a Missouri opioid rehab. Data from the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed approximately 47,000 American’s experienced a fatal opioid overdose in that year. In 32% of those cases, opioids were obtained by prescription from a medical or mental health provider.