How did the opiate addiction crisis begin

How Did the Opiate Addiction Crisis Begin?

There is a lot of controversy as to how the opiate addiction in America started, but the breadcrumbs seem to lead back to the abuse of prescription drugs that had been prescribed for mild to moderate pain. Many drug intervention programs find that the reasons their drug-addicted patients are there is because they became addicted to prescription drugs given to them when they had an injury or a surgery. Opiates create a feeling of euphoria that is easily realized the first time a pill is taken. This can lead people to want to feel that again and again, so they will start taking more and in higher doses, even if they don’t need them.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that more than 2 million Americans have become dependent on opiates just in the last year. Men and women of all ages are affected, and so are all levels of education and ethnic groups. Many people have loved

ones, neighbors, and friends that are dealing with opiate addiction.

They do so in silence, so it can be difficult to tell until that person spirals out of control.

Those that are genetically predisposed toward addiction, sensitive to opiates, have poor coping mechanisms when it comes to stress, and give in to peer pressure are more likely to become addicted.

Sometimes it is the result of a psychological disorder, which is something drug intervention programs can help address.

When Opiate Addiction Advances

After many individuals became addicted to their painkillers, they ran out. They had no more refills. Again, drug intervention programs find that people started getting the pills from others. Either they would ask them for them or they would start raiding the medicine cabinets of homes they visited. This epidemic has also led to people breaking into the homes of women who just had babies or elderly people that

have been prescribed opiates for pain. The opiate addiction has contributed to an increased crime rate.

Addicted people will also go as far as going to the emergency room and claiming to have pain when they don’t or intentionally hurting themselves so they will be prescribed the pills. Those addicted will go to extreme measures to get their next fix.

Unfortunately, the next fix isn’t always in the way of a pill. There are drug addiction treatment California on the street that create the same type of high, and these drugs are more dangerous than the pills that led to this very desperate measure. While the pills are dangerous, this is the point where the addiction can become especially dangerous.

Entering Recovery Drug intervention programs can focus on the cause of the addiction.

It is very important to get help as soon as possible to end the addiction. As the addiction progresses, people can build a tolerance, and this means they take higher doses. Taking higher doses eventually leads to an overdose that can make a person very ill or kill him or her. Through recovery, the core issues are dealt with so that the addiction can be beaten for the long term.