Opioid addiction is a chronic medical condition involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, and an individual’s life experiences. It typically involves an overpowering drive to use opioids despite the consequences, increased opioid tolerance and withdrawal symptoms when you stop.

Addiction can develop quickly if you start using opioids, especially when they’re prescribed by a doctor for pain management. If you or a family member is addicted to opioids, there are medications you can take to treat the withdrawal symptoms and cravings that can be so strong that it’s difficult to quit.

Overdose

An overdose is a serious, sometimes fatal, problem. It happens when a person ingests more than the normal, safe or recommended dose of any drug, including prescription medications, illegal drugs, and alcohol.

Whether the overdose is accidental or intentional, it can be life-threatening and requires immediate emergency help. Naloxone, an opioid antagonist, can reverse an overdose and prevent death.

If you have a friend or loved one with an addiction, it’s important to know the symptoms of opioid overdose so you can help them get the treatment they need. Overdose symptoms vary depending on the type of opioid used and how much it is taken.

Often, the signs of an overdose are subtle, but they can be life-threatening. It’s important to act quickly and take the person to a hospital immediately. If possible, you should try to get the person’s medical history and any psychiatric medication they are taking.

Tolerance

Tolerance is the body’s ability to adapt to certain substances. It occurs when a person continues to use a drug over time, and it makes them need higher doses in order to feel the same effects they used to experience.

Tolerance can be a warning sign of opioid addiction, especially when it happens together with dependence. Dependence is the physical need for a drug, and it causes withdrawal symptoms if someone stops using it suddenly.

Addiction, on the other hand, is a mental health disease that causes people to seek and use drugs despite negative consequences. It involves changes to brain circuitry, and it’s characterized by compulsive substance abuse.

Tolerance and dependence can be confusing, so it’s important to understand what they mean and how they relate to one another. Understanding tolerance and dependence can help you identify if a loved one is suffering from opioid addiction, and it may also encourage you to seek treatment for them sooner than later.

Addiction

Taking opioids, whether prescribed by a doctor or abused by taking them without medical supervision, can cause a person to become addicted. This is because opioids can change the chemistry of the brain and lead to drug tolerance, or a physical dependence.

Those who become addicted have an intense need to keep taking the opioid, even if it causes harm. They also experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop using the drug, resulting in a strong craving to take it again.

These symptoms often start with behavioral changes: a person might begin to avoid eye contact with others or become nervous or anxious, or have mood swings. They might also seem more spaced out than usual, become irritable or aggressive without a reason, or be very sleepy.

If you see any of these signs, it is essential to seek professional help. A treatment center that offers a comprehensive approach can be most effective, with the right combination of medications, counseling, and other interventions.

Treatment

Whether your addiction is to prescription painkillers or heroin, there are several treatment options available. These include behavioral therapy, counseling, medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and support groups.

Behavioral therapy can help you recognize the patterns that lead to opioid use disorder and teach you new ways of thinking and behaving. It can also help you learn coping strategies for stress and other triggers that may cause relapse.

Another type of behavioral therapy is cognitive behavior therapy, or CBT. This type of therapy is effective for many psychiatric conditions and substance abuse disorders, including opioid addiction.

MAT programs combine medications, like methadone or buprenorphine, with counseling and other forms of treatment to reduce withdrawal symptoms and prevent relapse. Medications can be taken by mouth or injected under the skin, depending on the program.