Several years into the opioid crisis, the dangers of opioid abuse have become more well-known in the United States. Yet despite all the negative press, the pill mills, and widespread abuse, opioid addiction still has its grip on millions of Americans.
At the same time, people continue to be prescribed opioids and painkillers on a daily basis for legitimate medical purposes. You may even have opioids in your medicine cabinet right now. If you’re one of many who need pain meds, how can you protect yourself from abuse? Are there non-opioid pain management options to consider instead? And if you think you may have opioid use disorder, how can you get help? Let’s explore.
What is Opioid Use Disorder?
Opioids are drugs derived from the poppy plant, yet are synthetically made through chemical processes. These medications are usually prescribed by a doctor to treat severe or persistent pain. You may be prescribed opioids if you’re suffering from chronic back pain, recovering from surgery, have severe pain due to cancer, or recently experienced a major injury. The various types of opioids prescribed include:
- Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Fentanyl
- Hydrocodone
- Codeine
- Oxymorphone
When you take prescription opioids, the medication attaches to proteins within nerve cells inside your body, such as in your brain, spinal cord, or gut, explains the American Society of Anesthesiologists. As a result, pain messages get blocked, relieving pain you may have been experiencing. The length of time opioids that stay in your system varies based on the type of medication, so at some point you would need to take the drug again to continue fending off your pain.
However, as you take opioids on a regular basis over time — especially for managing chronic pain — you can develop opioid use disorder. In essence, you get addicted to the drug. You eventually build a tolerance for your opioid dosage, so you need to take more pills to achieve the same pain-relieving effects. Behind the scenes, your body can actually begin to believe opioids are necessary for survival.
Once you develop a dependence on opioids, your body will need the presence of the drug to function normally, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA). At the same time, the euphoric, happy feelings that opioids may generate will motivate you to continue using the
drug as your brain gets addicted to the dopamine rush it provides. That means, if you try to stop using opioids, you may experience withdrawal symptoms like abdominal cramps, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, and more, leading you to continue using. And so your opioid use disorder persists.
Common Signs of Opioid Addiction
- Taking your opioid medication in larger amounts or for longer than intended
- Regularly desiring to cut down your opioid use
- Spending a majority of your time obtaining, using, or recovering from opioids
- Experiencing opioid use cravings
- Neglecting your work, school, or personal responsibilities due to drug use
- Continuing to use opioids despite any negative consequences
- Developing a tolerance
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit opioids
SOURCE: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5)
Statistics on the Ongoing Opioid Crisis
The fallout of opioid use disorder has left its mark on our society for the past few decades in the form of a nationwide opioid crisis. In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency as a result of the opioid crisis. That year alone, more than 70,000 people lost their lives due to drug overdose, shares the State of New York. Since then, opioid use has come under the microscope even more and steps have been taken to curb the drug’s devastation. However, the opioid crisis still persists today. Just take a look at these statistics that reveal opioids’ continued impact over the years:
- An estimated 6.7 to 7.6 million adults in the US currently live with opioid use disorder.
- Overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans ages 18 to 44.
- 10.1 million Americans misused prescription opioids in 2019, shares the HHS.
- Nearly 75% of drug overdose deaths in 2020 involved opioids, shares the HHS.
- The number of people who died from opioid overdose in 2022 was 10 times the number in 1999, shares the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That amounted to 224 deaths each day.
- In 2018 and 2022, the US Surgeon General released a public health advisory to urge more Americans to carry naloxone, a potentially lifesaving medication that reverses the effects of opioid overdose, reports the HHS.
- Opioid overdose deaths have decreased from an estimated 83,140 in 2023 to 54,743 in 2024. While this represents a sizable drop, the number of deaths occurring today is still staggering.
- 60 million people struggle with the addictive effects of opioids globally, according to The Lancet
Why the Opioid Crisis Persists
In spite of opioids’ longstanding impact, as well as our growing awareness of its challenges, why does the opioid crisis endure? Experts point to a variety of factors:
- Influence by pharmaceutical companies
- Inadequate regulation
- Overprescribing by the medical profession
- Increased use of illegal heroin and synthetic opioids
SOURCE: The Lancet
All of these factors combine to keep the opioid crisis going. But underneath it all is the simple reality that opioids are an addictive substance. When abused (intentionally or accidentally), you can become addicted. And one of the hallmark symptoms of a substance use disorder is continuing to use despite any negative consequences. Even with greater awareness of opioids’ dangers, people who are addicted to the drug continue to use it, even if they desire to quit. This is evident by the fact that only 1 in 5 US adults with opioid use disorder received medications to treat it in 2021, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Add in the increasing prevalence of illegal fentanyl, and the crisis has only intensified.
The Fentanyl Crisis in America
Of the various types of opioids, fentanyl continues to be the primary driver of opioid overdose deaths, especially due to the rise in illicitly manufactured fentanyl. In 2021 alone, 67% of overdose deaths in the US involved fentanyl, shares Congress.gov.
Though fentanyl is a synthetic opioid with legitimate medical use, it’s often made illicitly and sold in the illegal drug market. That’s because it’s about 100 times more potent than morphine, shares the US Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and can be made cheaply. Considering its potency, illegal drug manufacturers will lace other drugs (including other opioids) with fentanyl to make them stronger. Sadly, only 2 milligrams of fentanyl is considered a lethal dose. As people with opioid addiction unknowingly purchase pills containing fentanyl, their risk for overdose increases. This growing fentanyl awareness has caused widespread concern, leading many people to educate themselves on the signs of fentanyl overdose or even ask, can you overdose from touching fentanyl.
Preventing Opioid Abuse: Opioid Alternatives
You may not be one of the many people across the US illegally obtaining prescription opioids or struggling with opioid use disorder. However, if you are actively using opioids — or if you have a loved one who uses them — it’s important to educate yourself on how to prevent opioid abuse. After all, anyone who takes prescription opioids can develop an addiction. With that said, here are a few proactive ways you can protect yourself:
- Never take prescription opioids in greater amounts or more often than prescribed
- Avoid taking opioids with other medications, alcohol, or other substances
- Do not share or sell your prescription opioids
- Store your prescriptions in a secure place out of reach from others
- Properly dispose of unused prescriptions at the end of your treatment
SOURCE: CDC
If you’re concerned about a loved one’s potential for opioid abuse, consider obtaining Narcan over the counter (a medication for reversing the effects of opioid overdose) and fentanyl testing strips. And if your doctor is considering prescribing you opioids, you may want to ask them about possible non-opioid pain management options instead. Opioid alternatives for chronic pain include aspirin, ibuprofen, steroids, and acetaminophen. Other alternatives to opioids also include nondrug remedies in combination with medication, such as:
- Physical therapy
- Acupuncture
- Surgery
- Massages and other relaxation techniques
- Injections or nerve blocks
- Biofeedback
- Radiofrequency ablation
- Spinal cord stimulation
SOURCE: American Society of Anesthesiologists
Finding Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
It’s entirely possible to take opioids as prescribed by your doctor for a fixed period of time without developing an addiction. However, if you can relate to the signs of opioid addiction mentioned earlier, what should you do next? If you think you may be struggling with opioid abuse, it’s key to seek professional treatment for opioid use disorder.
At Defining Wellness Centers in Mississippi, our holistic addiction treatment programs can help you overcome opioid use disorder and heal the root causes driving your addiction. Taking a whole-person approach to treatment, our programs combine evidence-based practices, technology, trauma-informed care, and experiential therapies to help you reclaim your life and achieve lasting healing. To start your recovery journey, contact our team today.
