Opiates are among the strongest prescribed medications available. They are also the most addicting. Opiates are best known for their ability to relieve pain. Morphine, Vicodin, oxycodone and Dilaudid are all forms of opiate medications. Heroin is also an opiate, but it is mostly found on the street. Opiates cause a feeling of euphoria. As a person becomes addicted to the drugs, the "high" becomes harder and harder to achieve. Larger doses are craved more frequently and dependence develops.
Physical Symptoms
Opiate addiction can cause physical symptoms that range in severity depending on the type of opiate, the dosage taken and length of use. Opiates such as heroin and morphine can cause the severest of reactions because the drug is injected directly into the bloodstream.
Physical signs of addiction are usually present when a person has been without the drug for an extended period of time. Sweating, chills, tremors, vomiting, nausea and diarrhea are all possible signs of addiction that occur if the user has missed a dose.
Changes in appearance can also be an indicator of addiction. Weight loss, poor hygiene and disheveled clothing are noticeable signs that a person's priorities may have changed for the worse.
Behavioral Symptoms
Behavioral symptoms associated with opiate addiction include changes in attitude and personality. Depression, anger and becoming easily agitated may be signs of an addiction. When a person experiences withdrawal they may become anxious, fearful and paranoid. In some cases, the user may seem desperate to get their next dose. Some people may hallucinate or feel physical sensations like their skin is crawling.
Relapse After Treatment
Rehabilitation is sometimes needed to get a person off of prescription or street opiates. Once a person leaves a rehabilitation facility, further counseling is needed to make sure the person does not have a relapse. With relapses, symptoms may become more severe with each occurrence. Withdrawal is a painful and emotional process, and the drug abuser may need constant support and reassurance.
Methadone
Addictions can be so severe in some cases, that withdrawal is almost impossible without the assistance of other medications. Methadone offers a more gradual withdrawal without the extreme highs and lows that some people experience while on opiates. Agitation and anxiety may still be present but to lesser degrees.
Overdose
Overdoses can occur easily when a person misuses opiates. With each use, an abuser must use more of the drug more frequently to achieve the previous high. According to Drugs.com, a person who has gone through a recent detox program may be at higher risk of overdosing during a relapse. Because the body's resistance to the drug decreases after rehab, less of the drug is needed to cause an overdose.
