Prescribed to treat pain, narcotics, also called opiates, affect the opiate receptors in the brain. Even though narcotics have medical purposes, people often abuse these drugs and develop an addiction. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration explains that some people define narcotics as all illicit drugs; however, from a legal standpoint, narcotics include opium, semi-synthetic versions of opium and drugs derived from opium. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information points out that narcotics have a high potential for abuse, with many narcotic drugs having high risk of physical and psychological dependence.
Euphoria
The Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes that people abuse narcotics because of the euphoric feeling they cause. Narcotics users experience feelings of well-being because the drug affects the regions of the brain responsible for pleasure. The DEA adds that the euphoria occurs when the narcotics reduce aggression, tension and anxiety in the user.
Tolerance
As a person continues to use narcotics for illicit purposes, he develops a tolerance to the drugs. The DEA explains that signs of tolerance include a decreased intensity of the sedation, pain relief and euphoria from the drugs, or these effects not lasting as long as before. The tolerance of the narcotics leads the user to take more of the drug to get the same high as before.
Dependence
As the person uses more of the narcotics, she develops a physical and psychological dependence to the drug. With the psychological dependence, the person feels that she cannot function without the euphoria produced by the narcotic. With the physical dependence, the user's body needs the drug to function or withdrawal symptoms will occur. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information explains that the withdrawal symptoms are physically noticeable, which include sweating, watery eyes, tremors, a runny nose and yawning. People withdrawing from narcotics can also experience chills, panic attacks, nausea, cramps, a loss of appetite or they become irritable. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America adds that people addicted to narcotics participate in compulsive drug seeking and use, meaning they will do anything to keep the drug in their systems.
Medical Complications
An addiction to narcotics can place people at risk for certain medical problems. For example, the Partnership for a Drug-Free America notes that if a narcotics user also takes a depressant at the same time as a narcotic, like benzodiazepine, he has a risk of life-threatening respiratory depression, which makes it hard for him to breathe. The DEA says that AIDS, hepatitis, endocarditis, and lung, skin or brain abscesses commonly occur in narcotic-addicted people who use unsterilized needles. Endocarditis is an inflammation of the lining in the inner heart, while an abscess is a collection of pus. Since the user does not know the purity of the narcotic when he purchases it off the street, the use of that drug can be fatal if the dosage is too high.
