(Newswire.net — September 26, 2016) — There is no doubt that painkillers are useful drugs. Thousands of people use them for pain management and pain control. Without these pills, these individuals will feel intense pain making their lives unbearable. However, these pills can sometimes lead to addiction. According to some statistics, more than 36 million people in the United States and other developed countries are affected by painkiller addiction. In addition, about 10% of all students have developed some form of painkiller addiction. What is even worse is the fact that the use of prescription painkillers for recreational purposes is growing every year. In other words, many people, both young and old, are abusing painkiller. Obviously, this is a serious problem that won’t go away in the future.
The science behind painkillers
Painkillers are a special type of drugs that are often classified as opiates. They act in a specific way by affecting the work of the brain and central nervous system. Painkillers are inhibiting the opioid receptors in the brain and these receptors signal the body and make it feel and experience pain. Instead of feeling pain, painkiller users feel mild euphoria. When it comes to painkiller addiction, it is good to point out that this negative effect develops when the person taking these drugs uses them for a long time. This long-term intake leads to tolerance to these drugs. As a result of that, the user starts taking larger amounts of painkiller in an effort to experience a similar level of euphoria. Of course, this increased dosage is not prescribed by a doctor; people are doing this on their own.
Warning signs
There are a few warning signs and symptoms that suggest that a person is probably dealing with painkiller addiction. In cases like this, it is highly recommended to seek help. Now let’s highlight some of these signs.
The most obvious sign is increasing the dosage of painkillers without doctor’s consent. Next, recreational use or use of painkillers even when the pain is gone is another sign of painkiller addiction. There are many people who are addicted to these drugs who visit the doctor’s office frequently in order to get more prescriptions. It is good to know that people who are abusing painkillers usually react aggressively when someone asks them about the amount of painkillers they are using. Painkiller abuse and addiction lead to mood swings, problems with concentration and low energy levels. Most people who are addicted to painkillers tend to isolate themselves from their friends and family. Finally, in some cases, they lose interest in ordinary daily activities.
Using more painkillers than necessary can lead to different side effects including fatigue, headache, nausea, constipation, vomiting, and symptoms similar to the ones created by flu, seizures, blackouts, dizziness and even coma.
There is a way to stop this addiction
In case you are dealing with painkiller abuse, you should know that this problem is solvable. Medical detox is usually the first step in this process. The need for medical detox and the intensity of this activity depends on the amount of drugs you’ve used, the frequency of use and the period of time in which you have used painkillers. Thanks to medical detoxification, your system will be completely cleansed of all the toxins that have accumulated in your body due to painkiller addiction and abuse.