Opioid Abuse and Addiction: MedlinePlus
Opioid Abuse and Addiction
Also called: Narcotics, OpiatesNational Institutes of Health
NIH MedlinePlus Magazine
Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a type of drug. They include strong prescription pain relievers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. The illegal drug heroin is also an opioid. Some opioids are made from the opium plant, and others are synthetic (man-made).
A doctor may give you a prescription opioid to reduce pain after you have had a major injury or surgery. You may get them if you have severe pain from health conditions like cancer. Some doctors prescribe them for chronic pain.
Opioids can cause side effects such as drowsiness, mental fog, nausea, and constipation. They may also cause slowed breathing, which can lead to overdose deaths. If someone has signs of an overdose, call 9-1-1:
- The person's face is extremely pale and/or feels clammy to the touch
- Their body goes limp
- Their fingernails or lips have a purple or blue color
- They start vomiting or making gurgling noises
- They cannot be awakened or are unable to speak
- Their breathing or heartbeat slows or stops
Other risks of using prescription opioids include dependence and addiction. Dependence means feeling withdrawal symptoms when not taking the drug. Addiction is a chronic brain disease that causes a person to compulsively seek out drugs, even though they cause harm. The risks of dependence and addiction are higher if you abuse the medicines. Abuse can include taking too much medicine, taking someone else's medicine, taking it in a different way than you are supposed to, or taking the medicine to get high.
Opioid abuse, addiction, and overdoses are serious public health problems in the United States. Another problem is that more women are abusing opioids during pregnancy. This can lead to babies being addicted and going through withdrawal, known as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). Opioid abuse may sometimes also lead to heroin use, because some people switch from prescription opioids to heroin.
The main treatment for prescription opioid addiction is medication-assisted treatment (MAT). It includes medicines, counseling, and support from family and friends. MAT can help you stop using the drug, get through withdrawal, and cope with cravings. There is also a medicine called naloxone which can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose and prevent death, if it is given in time.
To prevent problems with prescription opioids, be sure to follow your doctor's instructions when taking them. Do not share your medicines with anyone else. Contact your doctor if you have any concerns about taking the medicines.
NIH: National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Innovative Programs Help Addicts Get Off Opioids (12/21/2016, HealthDay)
- Opioid Overdoses Burden U.S. Hospitals: Report (12/15/2016, HealthDay)
- Rural Hospitals See Surge in Opioid-Dependent Babies (12/12/2016, HealthDay)
- More News on Opioid Abuse and Addiction
- Signs of Painkiller Abuse and Addiction
(National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
- Opioid Overdose Prevention: Safety Advice for Patients & Family Members (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Safer, More Effective Pain Management (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- What to Ask Your Doctor Before Taking Opioids (Food and Drug Administration)Also in Spanish
- Facts about Buprenorphine for Treatment of Opioid Addiction (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Facts about Naltrexone for Treatment of Opioid Addiction (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Medication for Opioid Overdose: Naloxone (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction: Facts for Families and Friends (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Medications to Treat Opioid Addiction: Methadone (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Naloxone (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Recovering from Opioid Overdose: Resources for Overdose Survivors & Family Members (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) - PDF
- Safe Use, Storage, and Disposal of Opioid Drugs (American Academy of Family Physicians)Also in Spanish
- Treating Pain with Opioids (National Center for Farmworker Health, Consumers Union of U.S.) - PDFAlso in Spanish
- Fentanyl (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Heroin: MedlinePlus Health Topic (National Library of Medicine)Also in Spanish
- Hydrocodone (Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
- Hydromorphone (Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
- Narcotics (Drug Enforcement Administration) - PDF
- Opioid Basics: Fentanyl (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Opioid Basics: Prescription Opioids (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- OxyContin (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
- Painkiller (Oxy, Vike) Facts (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
- Prescription Pain Medications (Opioids) (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- What Are the Possible Consequences of Opioid Use and Abuse? (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
- Narcotics (Drug Enforcement Administration)
- Abuse of Prescription Pain Medications Risks Heroin Use
(National Institute on Drug Abuse) - PDF - Although Relatively Few, "Doctor Shoppers" Skew Opioid Prescribing (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- CDC Vital Signs: Opioid Painkiller Prescribing (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)Also in Spanish
- CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses (Methadone) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- CDC Vital Signs: Prescription Painkiller Overdoses (Opioids) (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Dramatic Increases in Maternal Opioid Use and Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Gene Variants Reduce Opioid Risks (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- Teens Mix Prescription Opioids with Other Substances (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
- The Opioid Epidemic: By the Numbers (Department of Health and Human Services)
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Opioid Dependence and Addiction (National Institutes of Health)
- How do Opioids Affect the Brain and Body (National Institute on Drug Abuse)Also in Spanish
- Behavioral Health and Substance Abuse Treatment Services Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Also in Spanish
- Drug Enforcement Administration
- Food and Drug Administration
- National Institute on Drug Abuse Also in Spanish
- Opioid Treatment Program Directory (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Partnership at Drugfree.org (Partnership for a Drug-Free America)
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- Substance Abuse Treatment Facility Locator (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration)
- Fentanyl Patch Can Be Deadly to Children (Food and Drug Administration)Also in Spanish
- Misuse of Prescription Pain Relievers: The Buzz Takes Your Breath Away. Permanently. (Food and Drug Administration)
- Opioid Use and Neural Tube Defects (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
- Prescription Opioids during Pregnancy (March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation)Also in Spanish
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