Adolescent Opioid Abuse

WHAT ARE OPIOIDS? When used as medications, opioids are important but powerful medications for severe pain. They are often used to reduce pain when patients are recovering from surgery or major injuries. Adverse effects of these medications can include feeling sleepy, dizzy, or confused. It is not safe to drive a vehicle after taking this type of medication. Another adverse effect is constipation, as these medications slow the digestive system. One larger concern about these medications is that the body can develop tolerance to them, meaning that the body gets used to them, so the patient may need higher doses to get the same effect. Another major concern is that a patient who takes these medications for a while can develop dependence on them, meaning that the patient feels a need to take the medication, even if they do not need it for pain. Taking large doses of opioids can be fatal, and patients can also become injured or die if driving a car while taking opioids. While opioids are useful and important medications, they can also be abused and used as recreational drugs. In recent years, it is estimated that about 5 million people in the United States have tried opioids as recreational drugs. There are now more deaths each year from prescription opioids than from heroin and cocaine combined.