Hi..Am done with your work. Please take a look at it to ensure that all is in order. Get back to me in case of anything. It was awesome working with you. Wish you all the best and hope to see you soon :)

Running head: OPIOIDS ADDICTION AND ABUSE

Opioids Addiction and Abuse
Name
Institutional Affiliation
Date

1

OPIOIDS ADDICTION AND ABUSE

2

Introduction
Opioids are a class of drugs that for a long time have been utilized in managing chronic
pain in various health organizations with the drugs being highly recommended to other
individuals as far as the management of some categories of acute pain is concerned. However, it
is worth noting that there is a big problem that has been recognized with the use of these drugs,
which is the addiction as well as dependence associated with the drug. This challenge has
resulted in financial and also health problems for many people. Based on the global assessment
of this challenge, it is proper to note that the economy is to a great extent affected by opioid
dependence and this has contributed considerably to the health budget. Individuals at the risk of
developing opioid dependence consist of those people with chronic pain as well as those people
with substance use disorders or even with other underlying mental disorders. Therefore, this
paper revolves around a discussion of various causes of opioids abuse and addiction and
the possible solution or measures to consider as the means to counter the health problem.
Opioid Addiction and Abuse
Opioids have for a long time been more prescribed to individuals or in other words
patients compared to the outdated methods which highly required supervised in-patient
medication. As seen earlier, opioids are a class of drugs that have been utilized extensively in
managing pain, and this is based on the fact that they contain analgesic as well as euphoric
properties (Breivik, et al., 2006). It is worth noting that the abuse of opioids has in the recent past
been on the rise, with some recognized researchers reporting that the use of the drug has
surpassed street narcotics in the United States. Opioid addiction has raised concerns hence

OPIOIDS ADDICTION AND ABUSE

3

making the federal government and the citizens to consider the various ways to get out of the
mess.
As far as opioid abuse is concerned, it is acknowledged as one of the chief psychiatric
conditions, and there are in place guidelines when it comes to the classification as well as
treatment of the same. Physicians and also psychiatrists consider the use of The Fourth Edition
of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, (DSM-IV) as the reference book to
identify as well as classify substance abuse. Based on this document, the diagnostic criteria for
drug abuse highly consists of physical dependence, tolerance as well as five additional behaviors
linked with illicit drug use.
Based on studies carried out in the United States, it is apparent that there is a high
occurrence of the drug abuse among the patients on prescription therapy, and also an average of
twenty percent of individuals or patients being linked with the abuse of opioids even though
when they are going through what is recognized as long-term opioid therapy use. These studies
also indicate that there is a relevant difference when it comes to the gender and age of those
abusing opioids whereby there are more men than women being involved in the addition and the
challenge being more prevalent among the younger group of these patients (Compton, &
Volkow, 2006). Some of the most commonly abused opioids include oxycodone and
hydrocodone whereby it has been identified that about three-quarters of the patients engage in
the abuse of these two drugs. Reports also show that the cost of the drug abuse to be high with
the cost incurred in treating abusing these drugs in the health care institutions being greater
compared to treating individuals who do not abuse the drug. The high cost is because those
dependent on the opioids tend to repeatedly have other comorbidities hence the higher cost when
it comes to their treatment.

OPIOIDS ADDICTION AND ABUSE

4

Therefore, with the growing number of patients on long-term treatment for chronic
conditions, it has led to increased fatalities as a result of the overdose of opioids. It is also proper
to note that opioids are drugs well-known as the cause of respiratory depression as well as
embarrassment, and individuals who get involved in the overdose of these drugs are therefore
prone to give in as a result (Dahan, Aarts, & Smith, 2010). It is of great significance therefore
that as we focus on the measures to consider in preventing addiction of opioids, healthcare
providers ought to make sure that they avoid issuing more of the drug to patients than they are
supposed to get.
Reasons for the Abuse and Misuse of Opioids
It is worth noting that opioids are part of the most recognized drugs as far as pain
management is concerned and because of this, they are recognized as the final result in chronic
pain. The drugs are therefore highly prescribed for those individuals with chronic pain, for
instance, cancer patients, people with other chronic conditions as well as those patients palliated
for other terminal sicknesses (Greenwald, & Narcessian, 1999). Opioids are also utilized in the
management of severe pain that happens to be very extreme in situations where other analgesics
are lacking. To manage these situations, the usage of opioids is always under prescription, and in
such cases, only health providers that are mandated to give prescriptions are supposed to do so.
However, opioid abuse, as well as misuse, is to a great extent reported among patients
and healthcare workers. The reasons for the abuse and addition for the drug is based on things
such as self-medication, use of the drug for reward, misuse, and abuse because of addiction, and
also diversion of use for profit. Some individuals or in other words patients usually get the
prescription forms from health care workers, and in the process, they continue altering the details

OPIOIDS ADDICTION AND ABUSE

5

in the forms as the means to have the dose altered for their own benefit. This at the end of the
day gives the patient higher doses than it was originally planned and as this continues to happen
on a repeated basis, these individuals become dependent.
Just like any other drug like alcohol, the use of opioid may cause one to develop two
kinds of dependence. First is physical dependence whereby the individual abusing the drug
experiences withdrawal symptoms especially when they skin the use of the opioid and they are
not in the position to perform their daily chores. On the other hand, psychological dependence
makes the person feel the urge to use even in cases where there are no any physical symptoms
(McCaffery, et al., 1990). It is also worth noting that another cause of the abuse of opioid hence
addition is based on the idea that patients sell the drug or even provide it to their family as well
as friends with the sole intention of making a profit. These people, in turn, end up being victims
of opioid addiction.
It is also reported that some people end up using opioids as a reward, and this happens to
be a major cause of concern. To a great extent, the health system is to blame when it comes to
the abuse associated with thes...