Drug Abuse Facts: Surprising Truths about Opiate Use

In April the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) hosted the National Rx Drug Abuse Summit and revealed some surprising drug abuse facts, particularly about painkillers. Did you know that prescription opiate overdose deaths have quintupled since 1980? And that for every death related to prescription painkillers, there are 115 people addicted to painkillers and 4.35 million dollars in health care costs? And yet these dangerous drugs are being used at alarming rates.

Here are some drug abuse facts that you should be aware of if you are considering taking or currently taking prescription opiate painkillers:

1. They aren’t very effective with long-term pain. Opiate painkillers work well to alleviate short-term pain after surgery or a broken bone or with very serious, terminal illnesses like cancer. But studies show they aren’t the most effective option for longer-term pain like arthritis, lower-back pain or nerve pain. In fact other, less addictive medications or non-drug treatments are proving to provide more relief.
2. Left-over pills can be dangerous. We develop tolerance to opiate drugs. So after a period of time, we can take higher doses without any severe side effects. But your tolerance lowers again once you stop taking the drug. So if you hold onto the pills and decide to take one later for a headache, pulled muscle or offer one to a friend in pain, you could be at risk of overdosing.
3. What you mix, matters! People often think they can still have their nightly glass of wine while taking opiate medication. But mixing painkillers with alcohol is a dangerous and sometimes deadly mix. They both affect the nervous system, can increase the severity of each drug, and can depress such things as breathing. It’s also important to let your doctor know all of the medications you are on to avoid negative drug interactions.
4. Extended-release opiates aren’t safer. At first, many people thought that these types of painkillers would be safer and less addictive, but studies aren’t showing that is the case. They stay in the body longer, are stronger, and have been found to cause potentially fatal overdoses, even at recommended doses.
5. Even when used at prescribed doses, opiate drugs can be addicting. Numerous studies regarding drug abuse facts have found that regardless of whether painkillers are used for legitimate pain and under doctor’s supervision, they can still be addicting. This is especially true if you’ve struggled with addictive behavior in the past.

If you are concerned about your opiate use, reach out to a professional to discuss ways to discontinue your use of painkillers and alternative methods to help manage your pain without them.