The opioid crisis has profoundly impacted many communities across our nation, leading to implications that touch families, friends, and loved ones. Families witness loved ones struggle with addiction, going powerless as it changes them. Commonly, it starts with prescription pain drugs but can then lead to the use of more dangerous drugs like heroin or fentanyl.
The line between drug use and addiction is very thin and can strike quickly, surprising many people and their families. Opioid use affects every aspect of life; like physical health tends to decline, relationships start to suffer, work also gets impacted, and keeping with finances gets overwhelmed. The ripple effect of opioid use can profoundly impact families, often creating challenges and strains that are felt deeply by everyone involved in communities. Being aware of the consequences and recognizing signs of substance abuse is key to seeking help or assisting others.
At DeNovo Recovery, we understand that each person’s recovery journey is unique and often is shaped by their past experiences and needs. Overcoming addiction may feel like an overwhelming challenge, but recovery is doable with the right support and treatment. Whether you recognize the symptoms early or struggle for an extended period of time with them, taking treatment, our programs can help you toward a happy, healthy life.
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are powerful substances, including prescription painkillers like oxycodone (OxyContin) and hydrocodone (Vicodin), along with morphine, fentanyl, and heroin. These drugs block pain signals at opioid receptors in the brain and spinal cord for significant relief.When engaged, the brain releases dopamine, which can bring feelings of pleasure, sometimes leading to euphoria or a lovely sense of deep relaxation.
Opioids, when prescribed by a doctor, are effective in relieving intense pain, particularly following surgery or injury. Misuse can lead to serious risks, including physical dependence and tolerance. People are prone to take larger doses to achieve the same relief from pain or the feeling of euphoria they initially experienced.
As the brain adjusts to opioids, this can lead to addiction, so when you stop using, it begins to feel a bit more challenging. When people try to quit, they may face severe or dangerous withdrawal symptoms, complicating recovery.
Physical Effects of Opioid Use
Opioid use affects the body right away and changes with prolonged use. They offer both pain relief and a sense of euphoria, encouraging you to keep using.
Users often feel drowsy as bodily functions slow, making driving hazardous. It’s pretty normal to feel a bit off sometimes, even when you’re on short-term medications. First-time users may experience nausea and vomiting during adjustment. Most concerning, opioids can slow breathing, with high doses dangerously suppressing respiration.
Short-term effects can lead to serious, lasting consequences, including respiratory depression, which increases the risk of a fatal overdose, and heart issues such as irregular heartbeats and a higher risk of valve infections, while prolonged use may result in liver and kidney damage.
Opioids also create hormonal imbalances, lowering testosterone and estrogen, resulting in reproductive issues and reduced sex drive. Tolerance and dependence can develop, requiring larger doses for the same effects and causing painful withdrawal upon cessation.
Mental and Emotional Effects of Opioid Use
Opioids modify physical sensations and significantly affect brain function, impacting mental health, especially mood and decision-making. Users often experience depression and anxiety due to chemical changes in the brain and the negative consequences of addiction.
As opioid use disorder grows, cognitive deficits such as concentration issues, memory loss, and slower processing can manifest. Individuals may experience dramatic mood swings and unpredictable emotions
These changes in our brains can truly shape the way we feel and act. Activities and relationships that once brought joy may decrease in significance as opioids control the brain’s reward system. The pleasure from these experiences becomes muted as substances affect pleasure perception.
Drug use increasingly overshadows the need for meaningful connections with family and friends, resulting in heightened social isolation and loneliness. Non-use can cause irritability and agitation during withdrawal, creating a challenging cycle break.
It’s important to remember that decisions that are made become more challenging as time goes on, which might lead to less favorable choices that could have legal, financial, or social impacts. Users may engage in behaviors they once avoided, highlighting the severe impact of opioid use disorder on life choices and relationships.
Social and Lifestyle Consequences of Opioid Use
Opioid use disorder affects every part of life, harming relationships and stability. Trust breaks down as lies are told to hide drug use. Family conflicts increase, with rising tensions, arguments, or even disconnections. When children or those who rely on people going through the addiction are involved, their needs are often neglected as the addicted person prioritizes getting and using opioids.
Both professional and educational journeys can be significantly affected in similar ways. Work performance suffers from missed deadlines and increased absences. This often leads to job loss, whether from behavioral problems, failed drug tests, or an inability to sustain essential functioning. Financial hardship becomes inevitable as income sources dry up while drug expenses remain constant or increase. The resulting economic pressure often leads to desperate measures to fund the addiction.
Legal consequences frequently follow, beginning with arrests for possession, theft, driving under the influence, or other drug-related offenses. Incarceration may result in long-term consequences that persist far beyond the addiction itself. For parents, the ultimate price may be loss of custody as authorities determine they can no longer safely care for their children.
Opioid Overdose
Opioid overdose represents one of the most serious and immediate risks of misuse, claiming thousands of lives annually in the United States. When the drugs overpower the body’s systems, breathing can significantly slow or cease altogether, depriving the brain and other essential organs of oxygen. Signs include slowed or stopped breathing, bluish discoloration of skin or lips due to oxygen deprivation, complete unresponsiveness to stimulation, and choking or gurgling sounds indicating airway obstruction.
In life-or-death situations, immediate action is critical, and emergency services like the parametric or 911 should be called. If you have it on hand, naloxone, often called Narcan, can be a lifesaver. This medication works by temporarily reversing the effects of opioids, giving you just enough time for medics to arrive.
In cases like this, no one should ever be left alone until professional help arrives. At DeNovo Recovery, we view overdose prevention education as a primary essential tool. We train our patients and their families to recognize the warning signs to respond effectively, including the correct methods for applying naloxone.
Co-Occurring Disorders and Opioid Use
Substance abuse disorder and mental health issues are closely interconnected with one another, both influencing each other significantly. Opioid addiction patients mostly also experience different kinds of mental illnesses like depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, or bipolar disorder.
Addiction can be a challenging companion to mental health disorders, as people might turn to opioids in an attempt to soothe their emotional pain. Unfortunately, this pattern of chronic drug use can intensify these struggles, leading to a problematic cycle that makes it hard to escape recovery.
At DeNovo Recovery, we offer an integrated treatment model that addresses the interconnected dynamics of co-occurring disorders. We believe that effective recovery is a complete strategy for treating addiction and mental illness simultaneously, not separately. This integrated treatment model is structured to provide long-term outcomes and improve the quality of life for those who receive our care.
How DeNovo Recovery Can Help
DeNovo Recovery understands that opioid addiction touches every individual differently. We offer a holistic continuum of care individually suited to support each person at any level of recovery, with focused attention to their particular needs and situations experience.
We begin with medical detoxification, in which healthcare providers closely observe withdrawal symptoms around the clock. Such oversight assures safety and comfort during opioid withdrawal, facilitating easier transition recovery.
After detox, our inpatient treatment program provides clients 24/7 care in a highly structured environment. They receive therapy and educational classes and build peer relationships to improve community and recovery healing.
Our Day Treatment Program offers daily treatment for individuals needing assistance without overnight stays. It provides a structured environment for those transitioning home evenings.
Our Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP) offers flexible scheduling, allowing clients to balance recovery with school, work, and home. Clients can engage with the outside world while focusing on the healing process.
Our Sober Living Program provides a safe, substance-free environment for transitioning to independent living. It bridges the gap between treatment and community reintegration, giving clients a strong foundation for daily life.
Addiction impacts not just the individual but also loved ones. Our Family Support Program aids loved ones in healing from trauma by providing tools for supporting recovery while avoiding enabling addiction and fostering the healing of broken relationships.
DeNovo Recovery is committed to empowering families and individuals through these comprehensive programs. Its goal is to restore hope and enhance the quality of life for all involved.
Take the First Step Toward Healing
Opioid use affects life but doesn’t define your future. If you or a loved one faces opioid addiction, support is available, and recovery is possible with the right resources. At DeNovo Recovery, we are dedicated to being by your side every step, starting from that brave first phone call, guiding you through treatment, and supporting your long-term recovery journey.
Our caring team is here to listen to your questions, discuss personalized treatment options, and assist you in taking that critical step toward healing. Contact us today or complete our confidential online form to kickstart your recovery journey. Hope and help are waiting for you.
FAQs
1. How do opioids affect the brain?
Opioids attach to receptors in the brain and spinal cord, blocking pain and producing euphoria. Over time, this can lead to dependence and changes in brain chemistry.
2. What are the most common signs of opioid addiction?
Signs include frequent drowsiness, mood changes, isolation, declining work or school performance, and continued use despite negative consequences.
3. Can opioid addiction be treated?
Yes. Evidence-based treatments such as medication-assisted treatment (MAT), therapy, and supportive care can help individuals recover and stay sober.
4. What is the difference between dependence and addiction?
Dependence refers to physical withdrawal symptoms when stopping the drug, while addiction involves compulsive use despite harm.
5. How does DeNovo Recovery treat opioid use disorder?
We offer a full continuum of care, from detox to outpatient support, and address both addiction and any co-occurring mental health disorders.