In 2006, a National Survey revealed that almost half of the American public knows a friend or family member who has a pain killer addiction. What is worse about this news is that most citizens are not aware that pain killer abuse is just as bad as heroin addiction.
This ignorance of the public is quite alarming and underlines the danger posed by the rising incidence of pain killer addiction. In order to shed light on the similarities of heroin addiction and pain killer addiction, here are some facts about them.
Heroin is actually an opioid compound obtained from morphine and as you may know, morphine is derived from the opium poppy plant. This opioid compound acts the same way as endorphins, a natural hormone manufactured by the body, which creates a feeling of happiness and well-being.
In the United States, the manufacture, possession and sale of heroin is considered to be illegal. In the UK, however, heroin is prescribed legally under the generic name of diamorphine.
The similarity of heroin addiction to pain killer addiction lies basically on the opiates contained in these substances. Because opiates are considered to be addictive substances, the misuse and abuse of pain killers very often leads to addiction.
The only thing worse about opiate addiction is that most people do not realize their substance abuse problem until it is too late. Basically, individuals who succumb to opiate addiction give many different reasons.
Recreational use is just one of the reasons. As mentioned earlier, the opiates contained in both heroin and pain killers can create an intense feeling of euphoria. Unfortunately, this feeling diminishes as the level of tolerance increases.
People who take opiates usually develop their addiction quickly. Withdrawal symptoms may develop from heroin use after three days while withdrawal symptoms from pain killers can be more intense, but take a little longer to start.
Another reasons is as a pain reliever. As a pain reliever, both heroin and pain killers can be effective. Of course, you can expect heroin to have higher amounts of morphine.
Some opiates do not even create a feeling of euphoria but only act as analgesics. The start of opiate addiction may even be psychological.
Individuals thought that by taking their pain killers they can have a better day or become less stressed. Such careless use of these the drug may come with a high price.
It is quite saddening that people do not realize how similar heroin and pills containing opium are. Both substances will lead you to dependence, tolerance and withdrawal stages.
Withdrawal symptoms for these two addictions may appear at different time intervals but they are basically the same. They both include vomiting, shaking, stomach pain, depression, suicidal thoughts, horrible cramps, aching bones, restlessness, the inability to sleep for days and sometimes weeks, runny nose, loss of appetite and sweating to name the worst of the symptoms.
The American public should be aware of the dangers of the opiate class of drugs from the start. What most people don’t know is that a pain killer addiction can and will often lead to a heroin addiction.
Pretty much anyone that you ask that uses heroin will tell you that they NEVER thought that they would even look at heroin, let alone use it. Of course people who don’t use heroin say the same thing, they will never in a million years touch the stuff.
But the disease of addiction can hit you out of no where. It can be as simple as hurting your back. You would then get prescribed a pain killer by your doctor.
Before you know it you are addicted to them, and you have no idea how hard the addiction is to kick. When your doctor stops prescribing you the pills and you feel the effects of withdrawal, which is hell, anything is a possibility. Most people will start buying pain killers illegally.
They then realize how expensive the pills are, and they realize how much cheaper heroin is. It’s easy to say this would never happen to you, but when those withdrawal symptoms hit you, it will be a whole different story.
So it is very important that you are educated on the dependency of opiates. If you get prescribed pain killers from your doctor, use them as directed, and even then use them with caution.
If you are on the verge of using pain killers recreationally, be even more careful, because you have no idea what your recreational use can quickly turn into. Well, hopefully after reading this article, now you do realize the dangers.
I hope you enjoyed this article, and please take all of the information and advice I gave you seriously. I have experience with this powerful drug, and it is nothing to play around with.