Opiates are depressants that will slow down a person’s respiratory track and their nervous system. When a person takes an opiate drug they will not feel any pain and they will experience an immensely powerful sedation. Many people feel a euphoria that rushes through their body several minutes after taking an opiate; this feeling is what makes many people abuse the drug.

Opiates are highly addictive and highly dependent. The majority of people who become addicted to opiates also form dependencies to the drug causing them to have an extremely difficult time to stop using when they decide they need to stop.

Although using opiates is highly pleasurable for many people, at some point most people realize that they need to stop. The reason behind this is because opiate addiction tends to destroy a person’s life little by little. Opiates will affect a person’s judgment causing them to act out in ways that they never did before. This leads to many people losing loved ones and committing crimes.

Know the signs of addiction to look for in your loved ones!

Moreover, opiate addiction is expensive and since a person who is addicted to an opiate will feel a compulsion to constantly have the drug, they will continue to spend money, which results in many people losing their assets. In addition, opiate addiction can cause a person to lose their job, whether it is because a person calls in sick to work frequently or because a person cannot concentrate at work when they are using.

The most commonly abused opiates are opioids, which are the prescription painkillers that are contrived of synthetic morphine. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, it is commonly misunderstood by people that it is safer to take prescription painkillers than to use an illegal drug. However, prescription painkillers, when taken illegally, affect a person’s brain the same way as illicit drugs do. Using a prescription drug, other than the way it is prescribed, can lead to numerous adverse health effects, including overdose.

5 Signs of Opiate Addiction That Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

Below is a list of 5 signs that a person abusing opiates will exhibit and that they cannot hide due to effects of the drug:

Dilated Pupils: A person abusing opiates will have dilated pupils and their eyes may have a glossy look to them being that the drug is a powerful sedative.

Constipation: A large portion of people who abuse opiates suffer from constipation and will begin to take laxatives frequently; this is something they cannot control.

Dry Mouth: Opiate usage will cause a person’s mouth to continually dry out.

Consistent Drowsiness and Lack of Concentration: Every person gets drowsy at times, but a person abusing opiates will continually be drowsy throughout the day and will have a very difficult time concentrating.

Rapid Mood Swings: This is typically seen when a person is coming off of opiates or when they run out of the drug and need to get more. This can also cause many calm people to become very violent.

There is a variety of opiate treatment programs available to people who need help and if a person is abusing opiates or has formed an opiate addiction they should consider their options for treatment before their disease becomes worse.