OPIOIDS: What You Need to Know

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DETERMINING IF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM EXISTS OPIOIDS: Answering “yes” to any of the following questions may indicate a problem with the use of pain medication: What You Need  Are you using someone’s else’s prescription? to Know  Are you obtaining drugs from an illicit source or by illegal means?

 Are you no longer using the drugs for the symptoms POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF for which it was originally prescribed? OPIOID MISUSE OR ABUSE  Are you lying about or hiding your use? Chronic use of opioids can result in tolerance for the drugs, which means that users must take higher doses  Are you obtaining medications from multiple to achieve the same initial effects. Long-term use, if physicians. not taken as prescribed, can lead to physical dependence and addiction — the body adapts to the  Have your friends, family members, or co-workers presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur expressed concern? if use is reduced DETERMININGor stopped. IF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM EXISTS OPIOIDS:  Are you preoccupied about your medication, Symptoms of withdrawalAnswering “yes” to any of the followinginclude questions may restlessness, muscle focused on the next dose, and concerned about how indicate a problem with the use of pain medication: What You Need and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold you will obtain more drugs? Growing Threat of flashes with goose• Are youbumps using someone’s else’s ("cold prescription? turkey"),to Know and • Are you obtaining drugs from an illicit source or by  involuntary leg movements.illegal means? Finally, taking a large Do you fill your prescription sooner than would be Prescription Drug POSSIBLEsingle CONSEQUENCES dose OFof an• opioidAre you no longer using could the drugs for the symptoms cause severe respiratory expected and make excuses for why? OPIOIDdepression MISUSE OR ABUSE that canfor which lead it was originally to prescribed? death. However, many Chronic use of opioids can result in tolerance for the • Are you lying about or hiding your use? Abuse drugs,studies which means that users have must take higher showndoses that properly managed medical • Are you obtaining medications from multiple to achieve the same initial effects. Long-term use, if not physicians. takenuse as prescribed, of can leadopioid to physical dependence analgesic drugs is safe and rarely causes Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection andclinical addiction — the body adapts addiction. to the presence of the • Have your friends, family members, or co-workers Prescription Monitoring Program drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced expressed concern? or stopped. • Are you preoccupied about your medication, focused 165 Capitol Avenue, Room 145 SymptomsMIXING of withdrawal include restlessness, OPIOIDon the next dose, and concerned DRUGS about how you will WITH muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, obtain more drugs? Growing Threat of Hartford, CT 06106 coldOTHER flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), MEDICATIONS and involuntary leg movements. Finally, taking a large • Do you fill your prescription sooner than would be Prescription Drug (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp single dose of an opioid could cause severe respiratory expected and make excuses for why? depressionOnly that can lead under to death. However, manya physician's supervision can opioids be studies have shown that properly managed medical Abuse useused of opioid analgesic safely drugs is safe and rarely with causes otherConnecticut Department drugs. of Consumer ProtectionTypically, they should clinical addiction. Prescription Monitoring Program MIXINGnot OPIOID be DRUGSused WITH with other450 Columbus substances Blvd, Suite 901 that depress the Hartford, CT 06103 M. Jodi Rell Jerry Farrell, Jr. OTHERcentral MEDICATIONS nervous system,(860) 713-6073 such • www.ct.gov/dcp as alcohol, Onlyantihistamines, under a physician's supervision can opioids be barbiturates, benzodiazepines, or Governor Commissioner used safely with other drugs. Typically, they should Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection not generalbe used with other substances anesthetics, that depress the because these combinations central nervous system, such as alcohol, antihistamines, Prescription Monitoring Program barbiturates,increase benzodiazepines, or generalthe anesthetics, risk of life-threatening respiratory Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection because these combinations increase the risk of life- depression. Prescription Monitoring Program This brochure was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp threatening respiratory depression. This brochure was funded in part by the U.S. Department of Justice, Office (860) 713-6073 • www.ct.gov/dcp of Justice Programs - Award # 2006-FO531-CT-PM BX-0016. Source: National Institute on Drugof Justice Abuse Programs - Award # 2006-FO531-CT-PM BX-0016. DETERMINING IF A PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE PROBLEM EXISTS OPIOIDS: Answering “yes” to any of the following questions may indicate a problem with the use of pain medication: What You Need  Are you using someone’s else’s prescription? to Know  Are you obtaining drugs from an illicit source or by illegal means?

PRESCRIPTION DRUG ABUSE

In an alarming new trend the National Institute on Drug Abuse has determined that while the majority of drug use is down, prescription drug and medicine abuse is rising. The statistics are particularly alarming for young people, 20 percent of whom have reported abusing medication.

Accessibility is assumed to be a major cause for the rise in medication abuse. There is also the common The three classes of prescription drugs that are most excess of dopamine in the body and causes users to misconception that professionally manufactured drugs commonly abused are: need an opiate continuously occupying the opioid are safer than “street drugs” like cocaine and heroin. receptor in the brain. • Opioids, which are most often prescribed to treat While users might think that these drugs are safe, the pain; Methadone occupies this receptor and is the stabilizing risks of improperly taking prescription medication factor that permits addicts on methadone to change their include overdose, drug interactions, • Central nervous system (CNS) depressants, which behavior and to discontinue heroin use. accidents resulting from drowsiness are used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders; and and death. HOW DO OPIOIDS EFFECT THE • Stimulants, which are prescribed to treat the BRAIN AND BODY? In 2005, more than six million sleep disorder narcolepsy and attention-deficit Americans reported non-medical hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). use of prescription drugs, Opioids act on the brain and body by attaching to specific proteins called opioid receptors, which are according to the WHAT ARE OPIOIDS? National Survey on found in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. Drug Use and Health. Opioids are a family of drugs that have morphine-like effects. Their primary medical use is to relieve pain. When these drugs attach to certain opioid receptors, That’s more than the number of Other medical uses include control of coughs and they can block the perception of pain. Opioids can people who used cocaine, heroin, diarrhea, and the treatment of addiction to other opioids. produce drowsiness, nausea, constipation, and, hallucinogens, and inhalants combined. And nearly depending upon the amount of drug taken, depress half (48%) of all emergency room visits resulting from For example, methadone is used to treat addiction to respiration. controlled substance drug abuse were by youth 12–20 other opioids, such as heroin. Methadone is a rigorously years of age. well-tested medication that is safe and effective for the Opioid drugs also can induce euphoria by affecting COMMONLY ABUSED DRUGS treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence. the brain regions that mediate what we perceive as pleasure. This feeling is often intensified for those who This synthetic narcotic has been used to treat opioid abuse opioids when administered by routes other than Although many prescription drugs can be abused, addiction for more than 30 years. Heroin releases an those recommended. there are several classifications of medications that are commonly abused.