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The opioid crisis has been an issue around the country for decades because of the severity of damage the drugs cause. But not everyone knows exactly what makes opioids so addictive and dangerous. Some people may think the desire to escape reality through drugs is what makes them addictive, or that they are used as a mechanism for coping. Most people are not familiar with the exact components of what the drugs hold or why the chemical makeup is so addictive.
Opioids release dopamine, which essentially creates intense feelings of pleasure or “euphoria.” Because the feeling is so strong, the brain will continue to crave the feeling, leading to the repeated use of opioids. According to the Mayo Clinic, opioids trigger the release of endorphins, which tell your brain that you are feeling good. Endorphins boost feelings of pleasure and also make it less likely that you will feel pain, which could make one to chase that euphoric feeling as soon as and as often as possible.
As the body becomes less responsive to the drugs and develops tolerance, more of the drug is needed to achieve the same effect, pushing people to take higher doses.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, dependence on opioids results in the body being able to only function normally when taking the drug, making it much harder to quit using drugs. When a person’s body adapts to the drug and builds up a tolerance that they don’t feel anything anymore, they may feel a desire to take a larger dose or take it more often to achieve the same effects. We see how the drugs can become very addictive, but people need to understand the perilous effects that stem from the use.
Opioid addiction can lead to life-threatening outcomes, such as respiratory depression, overdose risk, and much more. According to the World Health Organization, an opioid overdose can be identified by pinpoint pupils, unconsciousness, and difficulties with breathing. These symptoms can be caused by the effects of opioids on the part of the brain which regulates breathing.
Also, their regular non-medical use, prolonged use, misuse and use without medical supervision can lead to opioid dependence and other health problems.
There are substances in opioids that people are unaware of that can be life-threatening, if misused. According to John Hopkins Medicine, some opioid drugs are made from naturally occurring plant compounds (alkaloids) that come from a specific type of poppy plant called an opium poppy, while other opioids are synthetic, meaning they were human-made substances made in a laboratory.
Taking too much of either type of opioid is not natural for the human body.
Everyone knows that opioids, or drugs in general, are harmful; however, the elements in opioids that make them so addictive and dangerous is not universally known. Getting this information to the public is crucial to increase the knowledge of opioids throughout Alameda County.
This article was written as part of a program to educate youth and others about Alameda County’s opioid crisis, prevention and treatment options. The program is funded by the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department and the grant is administered by Three Valleys Community Foundation.
