Call us at 866-238-2178
Drug Addiction
Opium is a very powerful narcotic medication which is made from poppy seeds. Opium is the milky fluid of the unripe seeds of the poppy plant, when the liquid is exposed to the air it changes to a black substance and hardens. Opium is typically ground into a fine powder and can be snorted, smoked, or injected with water into a vein. Each different method of use is accompanied by different side effects and risks.
People who use opium experience a pleasurable and euphoric feeling when using the drug. The body experiences a “high” feeling; however, with prolonged use a person will develop a tolerance and dependence. Once a tolerance is experienced, a user will have to take more and more of the drug to sustain the feelings of pleasure and euphoria. A tolerance is one of the strongest indicators of a person having an opium addiction.
The short-term effects of opium appear after taking a single dose and will disappear within a few hours. After being injected with opium, users report feelings of elation followed by skin flushing, dry mouth and heavy appendages. Following the initial euphoric feeling, a user will experience periods of wakefulness and drowsiness. Other effects of opium use also include mental clouding and central nervous system depression.
There are also other dangers which are associated with opium medications such as respiratory depression, pupil constriction and nausea. If a person consumes a large amount of opium they can experience an overdose which will be evident by a user displaying shallow or slowed breathing, clammy skin, convulsions, coma and if untreated, possibly death.
Opium addiction is associated with serious and oftentimes hazardous health conditions, which include the following:
When people are in the throes of an opium addiction, major withdrawal symptoms can occur if the drug is discontinued abruptly. The symptoms usually set peak within 48-72 hours after the last dose and will subside in approximately one week. For those heavily dependent users who are in poor health, withdrawal symptoms can rapidly turn fatal.
Rates of opium addiction among teenagers have risen considerably since the 1990’s. Additionally, regular users of opium began using the drug at a considerably earlier age than in the past. It is thought the rise in addiction levels is the direct result of the high-purity levels of opium now available in the drug world.
There is a broad range of treatments available for opium addiction, which includes the use of medications and other behavioral therapies. Treatment for an addiction to opium should include an individualized therapy regimen suited to meet the needs of the patient, supervision from a trained staff of rehab and medical professionals, therapy and counseling. An addiction to opium is a treatable illness and with the right treatment, it can be beaten.
If you or someone you love has an addiction to opium, there is help available. Please contact us today for further information.
