The Challenges of Maintaining Sobriety and Preventing Relapse with Opioids (Smack, Brown Sugar, Powder, Chitta or Heroin)
3rd decades of 21st century
India is one of the young nation with full of “youth and teenagers”. And as compare to any other nation of our present world statistics, India is one of the fastest developing country of the century.
The future of nation is our “youth and teenagers”! This is very important to protect and provide them mental health care awareness and besets mental health care facilities.
The national survey (2005) on substance use in India is reported that somewhere the age group of 12 to 60 years either on use / abuse / dependent on substance like alcohol, cannabis, and opiates. And another recent nationally representative survey on substance use (2019) reported data on alcohol, cannabis, opioids, inhalants, stimulants, and sedatives is in active use by the 10 to 75 age year of peoples in India.
Opioid dependence is one of the complex and challenging issue that is affecting individuals in India specially “youth and teenagers”.
Do you know..?
- What is opioid? And why it is so dangerous?
- What is opioid dependence?
- Is there cure for opioid dependence?
- what are the best treatment approaches?
Understanding Opioids and Opioid Dependence
What is opioid? And why is so dangerous?
Opioid is Illegal substance in India. This is well known street drug in India as Smack, Brown Sugar, Powder, Chita or Heroin.
Opioids are known to affect the brain’s pleasure pathways and increase the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. The pleasure derived from opioids’ activation of the brain’s natural reward system promotes continued drug use during the initial stages of opioid use. Subsequently, repeated exposure to opioid drugs induces the brain mechanisms of dependence, which leads to daily drug use to avert the unpleasant symptoms of drug withdrawal. Further prolonged use produces more long-lasting changes in the brain that may underlie the compulsive drug-seeking behavior and related adverse consequences.
“Repeated use of opioids can cause changes in the brain’s reward system, and make it less responsive to natural rewards and more reliant on opioid use to produce feelings of pleasure. This leads to increase the tolerance and development of dependence, where a person needs opioids to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Opioid use can also cause a neuro-adaptation in the brain’s reward system. Over time, the brain becomes less sensitive to the effects of opioids, and higher doses are needed to achieve the same level of pleasure and reward. This can lead to a cycle of escalating use, as an individual seeks to maintain the same pleasurable effects. Opioids also act on brain areas involved in emotional regulation and stress responses. Chronic opioid use can alter these areas, leading to difficulties in controlling drug use and increased vulnerability to relapse.
“Opioids activates the brain’s pleasure pathways, increase dopamine release, and can alter the brain’s reward system and emotional regulation areas lead to dependence, tolerance, cravings, and increased risk of relapse.”
Opioid dependence is a mental health condition where an individual becomes physically and psychologically dependent on opioids. It is characterized by compulsive drug-seeking behavior, tolerance (needing higher doses for the same effect), and withdrawal symptoms when reducing or stopping opioid use. Dependence can develop from the misuse of prescription opioids or the use of illicit opioids such as Smack, Brown Sugar, Powder, Chita or Heroin.
Opioid dependence can have a wide range of effects on physical and mental health. Physically, it can lead to respiratory depression, constipation, hormonal imbalances, and sexual dysfunction. Psychologically, it can lead to anxiety disorder, depression, mood disorders, cognitive impairment, and can increase the risk of developing other substance use disorders. Socially, opioid dependence can strain relationships, impair work performance, effect on education, and lead to legal and financial troubles.
Treatment
- Pharmacological management to manage the withdrawal symptoms and helps in restoration of brain and body chemistry.
- Psychological management to maintain recovery and prevent relapse.
Substance dependence is a disease of relapse. Awareness and constant conscious efforts can lead an individual to recovery and healthy life.
Opioid dependence is a mental health condition and this is treatable. Consult your mental health professional.
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