Opioid addiction is an incredibly complex issue that causes several negative consequences for everyone involved. If you know anyone that suffers from opioid addiction, then you understand just how devastating this illness can be.
To limit the extent of damage caused by addiction, it is important to help and seek treatment quickly. Solutions like suboxone treatment for opioid addiction, engaging in therapy, and providing a healthy support group are key to helping anyone that struggles with this condition.
To understand how you can help, you’ll need to know what the most significant complications of opioid addiction entail. Let’s take a look at those now.
Social Difficulty
One of the most painful aspects of opioid abuse is the social difficulty involved. When someone is addicted to opioids, they’ll behave in irregular and irrational ways that can directly impair their relationships with others.
Good examples of this include failing to uphold agreements, lying, changes in personality or disposition, and even stealing to buy more drugs. As a result of this, their condition can become apparent to others and lead to isolation.
Unfortunately, those suffering from opioid addiction cannot think rationally as a result of their drug abuse. Their priorities are not clear and this means maintaining relationships falls by the wayside.
This is highly problematic because opioid users often need support and external help to stop. The more isolated they feel, the less it feels worth doing the right thing. This means maintaining key relationships is crucial for tackling addiction.
Financial Struggle
Another hard-hitting impact of opioid addiction is the associated financial struggle.
If opioid users struggle to maintain relationships, then it’s easy to see how that results in difficulties at work. Being unable to consistently attend work and perform at a high level can quickly result in fewer opportunities or being fired entirely.
Not only do those suffering from opioid abuse have issues bringing money in, but they’ll also have a hard time stopping their spending. Opioids are not cheap, especially depending on the legality of how they are acquired.
With money trickling in and streaming out, it is clear that opioid addiction has a significant effect on financial situations. The longer the condition persists, the worse it will get and the higher the likelihood of people close to the situation also being financially impacted.
Poor Health
Poor health is another indication of opioid abuse.
Opioids can be powerful medicinal tools when used properly, but abuse can quickly have the opposite effects. This is why sticking to the proper dosage is crucial to mitigating negative side effects.
Those struggling with opioid addiction do not stick to the proper dose and ingest far more than is safe. Minor effects of this can include nausea, fatigue, and lack of mental clarity. Death is even possible should an overdose occur.
Should the abuse continue, this can lead to greater issues as overall health is neglected in favor of staying high. Users may have a poor diet, refrain from exercise, and indulge in other drugs.
With this in mind, health can only begin to improve once the addiction stops and better habits are formed.
Substance Dependence
Lastly, opioid addiction will result in substance dependence. This is terrible because depending on a substance to function is a precarious situation that can turn badly should the substance become unavailable.
While opioid abusers may be highly functional when they have access to their drug of choice, being restricted can result in the opposite. This usually results in withdrawal symptoms, which can be severe and debilitative.
Making things worse, someone struggling with opioid abuse may turn to other, harder drugs should they not have access to what they need.
Reliance on any foreign substance is extremely dangerous. Prescriptions don’t last forever and it’s only a matter of time until an opioid user runs out.
Closing Thoughts
Opioids are meant to relieve pain and improve a user’s life, but they can easily be abused due to the relief and euphoria associated with them.
Unfortunately, anyone that abuses opioids will experience many negative side effects. This condition isn’t often well-hidden and this directly impacts interactions with others.
Specifically, opioid abuse tends to result in social difficulties, financial struggles, poor overall health, and dependance on substances. This can make life extremely challenging and situations like overdose, homelessness, and incarceration are common.
To help a loved one struggling with opioid addiction, do your best to understand them and let them know you’re on their side. Only they can decide to change, but they’ll need your help to get there and start treatment.
