Finally, the article asks “Should opioids be used to treat addiction?” That is definitely not the way to go about it. If a person had an addiction to smoking, would one treat it by telling them to just go smoke a different type of cigarette? No, that’s why doctors should treat opioid addiction by other therapy that is not addictive
And why do they have to ban just opioids when many other common drugs could have the same drug effects on people? To answer the first question, I would say the government has looked through this whole thing and just want to get rid of the opioids for the sake of them looking good. It was just all about getting rid of them to decrease the amount of opioid abuse and just giving the people who really need it other alternatives that look like they work because the alternatives they give are un-called for like a massage and therapy every day (seemingly impossible to do with the problem of having to go to work). To answer the second question, I believe they would say that opioids have the strongest effect on people other than all the other prescription drugs out
While participating in the “Deteriorating Patient” simulation, learning to complete a Situation, Background, Assessment, and Recommendation (SBAR) report while caring for a deteriorating patient was the most challenging task to complete. After receiving report and beginning the initial interaction with the patient, my confidence level was on a steady rise. Everything seemed to flow well and initiating conversation while building a rapport with the patient was also very easy to complete. Once the patient started to deteriorate, I found myself becoming unorganized and my thoughts were racing. Though I was managing the situation very well, I called for a charge nurse because I realized I needed help. After calling for the Charge Nurse and asking for assistance, my racing thoughts slowed down some. I used this moment to notify the provider of the patient’s status and request a visit to the patient’s room. Completing the SBAR with a provider in a moment where the situation was hectic is not something I do very well. My
For less dosage of the painkillers, patients would decrease the number of opioid addiction that being said that could lead to death. As to cutting back on opioid prescriptions, there will be less of inappropriate distributing to those who would abuse it improperly. Doctors have found other medical treatments to their patients without providing opioids.
If not treated or treated ineffectively, this could progress to impaction or perforation of the bowel which can be lethal. Another series of serious side effects and current epidemics across the world is drug tolerance and addiction. If opioid consumption continues for extended periods of time, such is with chronic pain, a tolerance can develop; requiring higher and higher dose to obtain the same effect. These combined factors, chronic use and tolerance, as well as the feelings of euphoria resulting from opioid ingestion and, or uncontrolled pain has the potential to lead to addiction; the physical and psychological need for a drug or substance. In a report released by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), between 2000 and 2014 prescription opioid induced overdose deaths have risen from 300,000 to 900,000 in the United States. Consistently outweighing those related to natural and semisynthetic opioids, synthetic opioids, methadone, and heroin (Dal Pan, 2016). On the other hand, nonopioid analgesics or NSAID’s like Naproxen or Ibuprofen tend to be the norm for treating mild to moderate nonspecific lower back pain due to anti-inflammatory properties and analgesic properties (Adams
Underlying Causes: The increase in the sale of opioids is considered to be the root of the opioid crisis, as the drugs have been proven to be highly addictive. An addiction to prescriptive opioids, however, can lead to an addiction to synthetic, illegal opioids, such as heroine or fentanyl, which are less expensive and easier to acquire. In fact, in their journal article, “Associations of nonmedical pain reliever use and initiation of heroin use in the United States” Pradip Muhuri and associates discovered that “the recent (12 months preceding interview) heroin incidence rate was 19 times higher among those who reported prior nonmedical prescription pain reliever (NMPR) use than among those who did not (0.39 vs. 0.02 percent)” (Muhuri et. al). In other words, abusing prescription opioids significantly raises the chances of abusing illicit drugs, such as heroin. Thus, the increased prescription of addictive opiates has also helped cause the increase in addiction to illegal
These pills, such as xanax and oxycodone allow people for short periods of time to withdraw from the harsh reality faced today. “Between 1997 and 2002, sales of oxycodone and methadone nearly quadrupled” (Okie). Around 15 years later and the prescription pill problem is continuing to skyrocket. Since prescription pills are dispersed out to anyone by doctors, many people do not realize that it is as much of an illicit drug as cocaine and heroin is. “Misinformation about the addictive properties of prescription opioids and the perception that prescription drugs are less harmful than illicit drugs are other possible contributors to the problem” (NIDA). When people take these synthetic heroin pills, they do not feel as though it is a drug addiction as much as it is a way for them to deal with pain, over-stimulation, and as a tranquilizer. Today, we are currently facing an epidemic with drug addiction and continuously trying to solve the problem with a war on drugs. “The U.S. spends about $51 billion a year enforcing the war on drugs, and arrests nearly 1.5 million people for drug violations, according to Drug Policy Alliance, a drug policy reform group” (Ferner). Since the United States spends so much money on this epidemic, the numbers should start to go down, but it is instead doing the opposite. It is easy to figure out the numbers through doctors, “Increases in prescription drug misuse over the last
Sam Quinones’ Dreamland is a commentary about the opioid problem in America. Quinones draws attention to how in the twentieth century opioids were seen as addictive: “[D]octers treating the terminally ill faced attitudes that seemed medieval when it came to opiates” (184). In the 1970s, Purdue Pharma stated that opioids such as morphine were not addictive substances. After this study was released, many doctors began to view opioids as a viable option for pain relief. Throughout the rest of the book, Quinones explains the shift from doctors never prescribing opiates to prescription opiates being used to treat any sort of pain: chronic back pain, arthritis, severe headaches, etc. Pain became the “fifth vital sign” and with everyone wanting to
Opioids is a big issue because Americans are addicted to drugs especially opioids. After a surgery doctors give patients opioids because they are a pain killer. After patients have been taking opioids they soon are not in pain anymore but they keep taking the pills because it makes their body feel relieved. People get addicted to this and can’t function without them.
Opioids are a prescription medication involving various forms of drugs, it can benefit patients as little as a few minutes, however, it can be extremely dangerous to patients without self-control.
Nonetheless, medical professionals are becoming increasingly worried about the risks associated with using these opioid drugs, especially when they’re taken for a longer period of time.
A percentage of the population doesn’t consider prescription drugs very dangerous because they are prescribed by doctors. Unfortunately, that's true and it is very concerning to other people who are aware of the problem. We as a community must help each other and inform each other about the effects prescription drugs have. These types of drugs develop addicts which can be treated effectively depending the type of drug they took. There are two main treatments behavioral treatment and medications. Behavioral treatment helps addicts change unhealthy ways of thinking, counseling and sometimes psychotherapy. Medication treatment might sound wrong, why give them other prescribed drugs?. The addict suffers withdrawals symptoms and to help them stop using opioids, we supply them with other none dangerous drugs which close to the same effect. Treatment is possible, we just gotta reduce the epidemic among our young
The political issue I read about was drug addiction. “Opioid and heroin abuse is so widespread that it stands to unite us across party lines.” There has been an increase on doctors prescribing prescription painkillers and patients have been using them as a substance-usage. Many people have lost family members or friends over addiction. Trump’s older brother passed away from alcoholism. Over decades there has been many different case studies on drug addiction.
Opioids are substances that act on opioid receptors to produce morphine-like effects. Medically they are primarily used for pain relief, including anesthesia. Opioids are also frequently used non-medically for their euphoric effects or to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Examples of opioids are morphine, heroin, oxycodone, and methadone. Opioid overdose is an acute and serious condition due to excessive opioids use. Dependence on prescription opioids can stem from treatment of chronic pain and in recent years is the cause of the increased number of opioid overdoses. Opioids are very addictive substances, having serious life threatening consequences in case of intentional or accidental overdose. The euphoria attracts recreational use, and frequent,
According to Michael Klein, “The most prescription drugs that are commonly misused are opioids, tranquillizers, sedatives, and hypnotics.” Unintentional overdose deaths involving opioid pain relievers have quadrupled since 1999 and have outnumbered those involving heroin and cocaine since 2002. (Klein). The reason some people abuse opioids is just to “get high”. Taking too many of these types of pills can really mess you up. Abusing opioids can really affect your body more than you think. Also getting addicted can tear families apart and you could lose a lot. Some people may think they are safe taking prescription drugs but in reality abusing them is not healthy at all.