Freelance writer and in recovery himself, Peter Lang discusses 8 signs that you may have an opioid addiction. To learn more and get help, please visit The Recovery Village.

Opiate addiction is a crisis in America. The proportion of the abusers of pain medication is not just alarming; it has reached critical levels. According to research, about one in every four opioid prescriptions ends up in the hands of abusers. About 35,000 people die every year from this menace. Further studies show that at least 12.5 million people abused opioids in 2015 alone. These pain-relieving medications include methadone, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, fentanyl, and morphine. Some are legal, while others are not.

The symptoms of any addiction can be varied. Usually, you need a set of symptoms for you to confirm that you have a drug problem. If you have any three of the following signs, you have an addiction problem.

#1 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Regular opioid use even when not necessary

Addiction means you are doing something even when you don’t need it. When it comes to addiction to prescription drugs, the same rule applies. If you have suffered some form of chronic pains in the last one year, the chances are that you have an active prescription of opiates.

Once your pain subsides to manageable levels, your body should naturally tell you to stop using medications. However, opiates are highly addictive because of their working modalities. They target opiate receptors in the brain and spinal code inhibiting pain reception to the brain.

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#2 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – A sense of anxiety and nervousness

Uneasiness, when you are not on drugs, is an indicator that you have a drug-dependence problem. Opioids tend to throw people into unexplained anxiousness. Arcane fears followed by sweating are also common among abusers. If you find yourself in this position before taking drugs and you steady yourself up once you take drugs, you are addicted.

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#3 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Irritability and mood swings

Getting worked up unnecessarily or over petty things can also indicate a drug problem. Abusing any drug reduces your ability to function normally. Small things in life such as stressors should not affect your body too much. If they do, it means you are losing your body’s ability to handle them. As a result, most addicts are like a switch ready to light up. Spousal conflicts, low mood, shouting, and extreme mood changes are common.

#4 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Withdrawal from previous self

Keeping up to prior relations and habits is hard when you have a drug problem. Addicts tend to develop new habits and friends out of guilt or out of circumstance. Fellow abusers keep company because they understand each other. New habits, usually contradictory or unrelated to your ordinary life, is a good indicator that you are out of control, and you need help urgently.

The most telling sign is withdrawal from life commitments and responsibilities. Parental support among parents and adults, falling grades among teens, failure to honor pledges, and many other signs of absconding duty can point you in the direction of a user and abuser.

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#5 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Secretive and dishonest life

Change is good in life, but if the change leads to seclusion and antisocial behavior, it would be wise to worry about addiction or abuse. Alcohol and opiates are the most commonly abused drugs globally, and when used together, they make up a very addictive cocktail. Abusers look for ways to hide their newfound habit from people around them. So, you will notice someone spending too much time alone or in secret places that their significant others don’t know about.

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#6 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Lack of concentration and focus

Absentmindedness before using opium-laced drugs is expected when you reach the dependency level.

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#7 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Doctor shopping

Opiate users tend to hope from one doctor to the next hoping to get a prescription. They can visit three or four practices for the same situation. They will exaggerate a mild ache into a full-blown pain. More often than not, they will insist on pain remedies.

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#8 Sign You May Have An Opioid Addiction – Overdosing

About 100 people die every day in America from opiate overdose. That is not just a statistic; it tells you that overdosing is a real problem. If the prescription says, take one at a go, but you take two, that is an overdose. If you find yourself doing that, know that you are on the blink of addiction.

Pain prescriptions are used as prescribed; any other leisure usage is abuse. You should be able to handle certain levels of pain without using painkillers. If every discomfort leads to a doctor’s door, you may be addicted. Get help while you still can.

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Peter Lang is a freelance writer from Atlanta, Georgia. In recovery himself, he is dedicated to helping those who are struggling with drug and alcohol addiction.
 

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