It is a common misconception to assume that drug addiction and abuse are one in the same but in fact, there are very different. Both are very damaging to an individual’s life, and they are both connected to the same principle, but each have their own set of characteristics that present different problems for each person.
It is important to know the difference between the two especially when an individual or a family member are trying to find the best way to handle the unique situation.
Characteristics of Drug Abuse
There are many signs that can show that the individual is practicing drug abuse. Many believe that drug abuse is not as severe as an addiction, but it can have just as adverse affects on a person as a drug addiction.
A drug addict will likely withdraw from loved ones in order to continue their use.
Abuse is the body’s way of adapting to that drug by gradually larger use to gain the feeling the person wants in order to achieve the results of what the user felt initially. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, drug abuse plays a large role in the individual’s social problems, such as violence, driving while under the influence of drugs, child abuse, and stress.
Drug abuse can be the cause of legal and/or behavioral issues when the user is under the influence, and can even cause him or her to do physical harm to others around them. It can also cause the individual to be unable to perform daily tasks from household duties to work responsibilities.
Drug abuse is the stage before addiction that requires the individual to take in more of the substance to reach their desired high. In short, if drug abuse is not handled early on, it can lead to an addiction, which will require professional help to fix.
Drug Addiction Characteristics
According to the NIDA, an addiction is different from abuse because an addiction is the use of a drug by an individual that is compulsive in spite of the harmful consequences. Drug addictions can cause a lower interest in hobbies or interests and impede their progress in their career or education.
It can also affect their social lives by causing him or her to withdraw from their friends and family. Their behavior may revolve around their drug with the desire of remaining in their high for as long and as often as possible.
Many addicts will continually attempt to slow down their use of the drug or detoxify themselves without success and continue to use despite their drug-related problems that begin to arise.
There are many differences between drug addiction and drug abuse. While drug abuse can lead to an addiction if it is not treated correctly, each has their own set of characteristics. An addiction is a compulsive behavior to use the drug that is beyond a person’s control whereas the abuse is a gradual increase in use of the drug to attain the same high they received when they initially used it.
If you or a loved one is suffering from drug abuse or addiction and needs help, call 800-442-6158 Who Answers? to speak with a caring specialist that can assist you.
Largely unprecedented, experienced users and novices, alike, are overdosing on heroin at an ever increasing rate with silent dangers that need to be recognized and treatment efforts that need to be expanded.
Heroin Overdose Facts
The CDC reports that from 2000- 2014, “the rate of deaths from drug overdoses has increased 137%, including a 200% increase in the rate of overdose deaths involving opioids (opioid pain relievers and heroin).” No other year on record has shown more people dying from drug overdoses in the United States than in 2014 where 28,647 deaths or 61% of 47,055 drug overdose deaths involved an interrelated trend of “deaths involving prescription opioid pain relievers and a recent surge in illicit opioid overdose deaths, driven largely by heroin.”
Heroin Abuse Contributing Risk Factors
Heroin use is becoming more prevalent among women and the higher income bracket.
There are several contributing factors to the epidemic rise in heroin overdoses with past misuse of prescription opioids being the strongest. These risk factors increase with the availability, potency, and cheaper costs that heroin has to offer for those who are opioid dependents. DEA crackdowns on “pill mills” and unscrupulous overprescribing practices, along with redesigned formulations that make prescription opioids more difficult to inject and slower to release, also play a role in the initiation of heroin abuse and subsequently, overdoses.
When prescription opioids are unavailable or too costly, heroin fills the void and once used, the immediate, euphoric, effects are hard to be re-captured by almost any other opioid drug. Typically snorted or injected, certain heroin molecules are able to cross blood-brain barriers rapidly and according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, there is a direct relation “of this rapid penetration of the blood-brain barrier by heroin to its strongly addictive properties.” It is this rapid and intense effect that depresses the central nervous system to stop breathing and slow down the heart rate leading to death.
Recent Trends
Demographics show that some of the greatest increases in heroin use are occurring with women, the privately insured, and people with higher incomes, a differing trend from the past. Crossing the southern border is black tar heroin that has been, reportedly, some of the more potent and pure form of heroin due to its manufacturing process that increases or retains the psychoactive molecules, 3-MAM (3-monoacetylmorphine) and 6-MAM (6-monoacetylmorphine).
Another alarming trend is the use of illicitly manufactured fentanyl passed off as heroin or mixed in with heroin doses to increase profits for the distributors and dealers. According to the CDC, “Based on reports from states and drug seizure data, however, a substantial portion of the increase in synthetic opioid deaths appears to be related to increased availability of illicit fentanyl.”
What is Fentanyl?
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid designed for slow release pain management and comparably more than 80 times stronger than morphine. Typically used to treat chronic and severe pain, prescription fentanyl (Actiq, Duragesic, and Sublimaze) may be administered via trans-dermal patches, injection, or lozenges. On the street, fentanyl may be called China white, China girl, Apache”, goodfella, TNT, Tango and Cash, and others.
What too many heroin abusers are unaware of is the presence and potency of this variant mixture in every possible dose of heroin they consume. According to the CDC, “Toxicology tests used by coroners and medical examiners are unable to distinguish between prescription and illicit fentanyl”, but, it is this silent danger that is making waves in society as one of the most problematic contributors to the epidemic rises in heroin overdose deaths, today.
Expanding Needs for Heroin Addiction Treatment
The longest running histories of treatment for heroin addictions involve methadone and buprenorphine detox and maintenance programs. Heroin users are most often involved in the combination use of other opioids and drugs that amplify the effects and cause many of the overdoses witnessed in both fatal and non-fatal cases. Non-fatal overdoses have their own implicated dangers in causing hypoxia (lack of oxygen to the brain), lung, heart, and other vital organ damages, as well as the premature deaths resulting from diseases and infections.
Naloxone is an antagonist medication that is able to reverse opioid effects in a person who is overdosing, but, addicts are usually alone when they inject and therefore, an overdose may go unrecognized. In their desperations to get the fix quickly, they also tend to disregard any possible dangers so, treatments must be expanded to reach the broad range of users who are naïve to the costs of their heroin use and above all prevent the onslaught of damages as a result. To learn more about the dangers of heroin or for help finding treatment, call 800-442-6158 Who Answers? today.
Stress is everywhere. Whether it is a traffic jam on the freeway, an impossible deadline at work, or financial problems at home, stress seems nearly inescapable. For many, opiates become their way of coping with all of the stresses of everyday life. However, this is a very dangerous practice. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over 40 people die every day from overdosing on prescription painkillers. Not only that, but opiates are highly addictive, and can cause a myriad of health, financial, and personal problems. Fortunately, there are ways to manage stress without turning to opiates.
Avoidance
One method of managing stress is to avoid it in the first place. Learning what stresses you out the most, and then doing everything in your power to stay away from it can greatly reduce the urge to use opiates as a coping mechanism. Some examples of this are:
- staying off of the freeway while driving,
- staying away from people that increase your stress levels,
- taking a low-stress job, and
- being careful to live within your financial needs.
Doing all of these things can help reduce stress. However, this is not always possible, and trying to avoid stress may cause stress, in and of itself.
Distraction
Listening to music can help you relax.
Another method of managing stress is distracting yourself with a pleasurable activity whenever you get stressed out. Often times, doing something you enjoy can make you forget about your stress, and replace it with the calm that comes from enjoyment. There are as many activities as there are people, but some of the more popular ones include:
- exercise,
- martial arts,
- listening to or playing music,
- cooking,
- reading,
- watching a movie, and
- spending time with family and friends.
Participating in these activities whenever stress starts getting out of control can help reduce that stress, and prevent the urges to use an escape method like opiates.
Relaxation
The most widely accepted method of managing stress is relaxation. Structured relaxation has been shown to reduce stress, and make it much easier to put things in perspective. This, in turn, makes it easier to resist the urge to take opiates. According to the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, there are a number of relaxation techniques that can combat stress. These include:
- yoga,
- meditation,
- deep breathing,
- progressive muscle relaxation, and
- self-hypnosis.
All of these techniques lead to a relaxed body and mind, thus reducing stress.
Getting Help
There are times when, no matter what you do, the stress of everyday life just becomes overwhelming. It is at these times that resisting the urge to take opiates feels like an impossibility. If this happens, get help. Whether it is from a doctor, counselor, or rehab center, the most important thing is getting the help you need to ensure that you do not continue down the path of opiate abuse and addiction. For more information on managing stress without getting addicted to opiates, call us at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? .
Anyone who’s been in recovery for any length of time well knows the ups and downs that come with managing drug addiction and the need to remain focused on the task. For someone recovering from opiate addiction, the ups and downs of everyday life can pale in comparison to the energy and expectations that come with the holiday season.
Not surprisingly, managing relapse risks during the holidays can be an especially dicey task. Spending extended amounts of time with family and old friends, not to mention the parties and celebrations that characterize the season can wear away at a person’s resolve to maintain abstinence.
Knowing what to watch out for in terms of situations that threaten your recovery efforts can go a long way towards making it through the holidays relatively unscathed. Knowing when you’re about to reach the breaking point and should seriously consider opiate addiction treatment is equally important.
The Recovery Process
It’s not uncommon for someone entering drug rehab to expect to be “cured” or in control of an addiction problem once treatment ends. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Recovering from opiate addiction, in particular, entails a process of ups and downs, and sometimes relapse episodes, according to the University of Pennsylvania Health System.
While challenging at times, staying engaged in the recovery process through support group meetings and getting needed counseling help when the urge to use becomes overwhelming can go a long way towards managing an addiction problem. There will also come times when re-entering drug rehab may be necessary to regain a solid footing in the recovery process. The holiday season may well be one of those times.
Holiday Festivities: Cues & Triggers
Anyone who’s gone through drug rehab has likely come to understand how certain cues and triggers within a person’s daily routine can drive drug-using behaviors. During the holiday season, parties take place within most every setting, such as work functions, family get-togethers and celebrations with friends.
Just being exposed to a “party” environment can set off the urge to engage in drug use. Place this within the context of two months (November and December) worth of holiday events and it’s easy to see how a person’s recovery efforts may be compromised.
Underlying Emotional Stressors
Holiday stress can make it hard to manage opiate addiction.
More often than not, underlying emotional turmoil predisposes a person to substance abuse. Likewise, underlying emotional stressors play an active role in driving an opiate addiction, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Traditionally, holidays are a time where families make it a point to spend quality time together. Old friends from days gone by may also make an appearance. These scenarios can bring up memories from times where you’re state of mind was different than where you’re at now. This type of stress, though subtle, can still set the stage for drug-using urges to resurface.
When to Get Opiate Addiction Treatment Help
Much like addiction develops over time, so does a potential relapse episode. Subtle and oftentimes barely noticeable cues, emotions and behaviors can easily pave the way for a relapse episode to occur. With the hustle and bustle that comes with the holiday season, it can be hard to see the relapse process unfold.
If you find yourself experiencing strong, ongoing cravings for opiates, it may be time to consider getting some form of treatment help before things get out of control. Please don’t hesitate to call our toll-free helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? if you have any further questions about opiate addiction or need help finding an opiate addiction treatment program in your area.
Most people share the need to fit in and feel a part of everyday life, especially around the holiday season. Likewise, Christmas, a time of cheer and overall goodwill towards others comes with certain expectations in terms of family, friends and being considerate of others in general.
While Christmas cheer is a good thing, it can nonetheless affect different people in different ways. For someone battling opiate addiction, the pressure to partake in the holiday season can easily aggravate an already problematic drug-using habit.
In effect, any form of stress can set an existing addiction habit into high gear without a person even knowing it. For these reasons, anyone struggling with an addiction problem at the advent of the holiday season may well want to consider opiate addiction treatment before the season kicks into high gear.
Good Stress vs Bad Stress
Stress, in general, typically results from any form of change in a person’s routine or lifestyle. In turn, Christmastime only comes once a year so a certain degree of change and stress can be expected, whether good or bad.
In effect, both good stress and bad stress can be a good thing in cases where the stressor is fleeting or temporary. It’s when stress lasts for extended periods of time that its negative effects start to take a toll, according to Villanova University.
While Christmas may only be the climax of the holiday season, the build-up can start as early as the first day of November. Someone struggling with opiate addiction must undergo two months’ worth of out-of-the ordinary scheduling, shopping and heavy socializing while trying to keep his or her drug using behaviors in check. Ultimately, this situation poses considerable risk to an already addicted individual.
Holiday Pressures
The holidays put added stress on opiate addicts.
Holiday pressures can take any number of forms, such as family get-togethers, party-planning, not to mention shopping for gifts and the extra money that requires. Throughout, the celebratory nature of the season encourages drinking (and “drugging” in some circles), which only works to aggravate an addiction problem.
Like any other form of compulsive drug use, the drug using behaviors that characterize opiate addiction thrive under periods of stress and pressure, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. While a person may think he or she can keep things under control, this belief is but a part of the addiction mindset. In essence, loss of control over one’s ability to manage drug intake most characterizes an addiction problem.
Opiate Addiction’s Pull
With opiate addiction, the drug’s effects all but take over brain chemical processes and essentially reconfigures the brain’s chemical pathways. Once addicted, the drug’s effects have warped the areas that most define a person’s psychological make-up in terms of his or her belief systems and daily motivations.
These changes have far-reaching effects, altering a person’s lifestyle in damaging and sometimes dangerous ways. Ultimately, users reach a point where they can’t cope with daily life without the drug’s effects to get them through. Consequently, this dependence becomes even more so pronounced during the Christmas season as users increase drug-using behaviors in order to cope with mounting pressures and obligations.
If you or someone you know struggles with opiate addiction this holiday season, drug using behaviors will likely intensify without some form of intervention or treatment help. Under these conditions, it’s best to consider your available treatment options to prevent a bad situation from turning worse.
If you have any further questions about opiate addiction or need information on treatment programs in your area, please feel free to call our toll-free helpline at 800-442-6158 Who Answers? .
