What is the Opioid Crisis, and How Does It Affect People?

The word opioid has been in many people's mouths as people talk about the opioid epidemic, also known as the opioid crisis. Opioids are classified as a drug that is derived from a synthetic version of opium.  Morphine is the most abundant natural opioid, which is found in opium, which is commonly used as a pain reliever.

The number of people who continue to get hospitalized due to opioids has been on the rise, which has raised many issues with the effect of this drug on the people. For instance, in the United States, the death rates have taken a trajectory, and drug overdose has been the leading cause of death compared to other causes of death in the country.

The most common opioids include the  following:

• Codeine
• Demerol
• Dilaudid
• Fentanyl
• Heroin
• Methadone
• Oxycodone
• Morphine

 In 2017 there were 130 deaths reported across the U.S each day, and the numbers have continued to rise each day. In total, there were 70,237 drug overdose deaths, which were reported in the country, and this number has raised a lot of concern to many people. There is a lot of misuse of and addiction to opioids, including the prescription of pain relievers and synthetic opioids, which raises a national issue in the country.

In addition to that, 85.4% of the people are suffering from drug dependence or abuse, which has affected most of these people. Also to note is that there are more than 270,000 children who have been placed in foster care, and this number has been on the rise, which is a clear indication that it is great for are great effects of Opioids in the country.

Short terms and long- term effects of Opioids

• Nausea
• Coma
• Unconsciousness
• Drowsiness
• Constipation

 The long-term effects of opioids are significant, and more abuse can result in physical dependence and addiction. For instance, your body will adapt to the drug in the body, and therefore any withdrawal of the drug in the body would lead to symptoms that will be felt in the body. Some of these effects will include muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, and restlessness. Opioid has led to the deaths of many people. Therefore, there is a need to regulate the consumption of drugs in the body to reduce an opioid overdose's negative effects.

Having an opioid disorder in the body would lead to serious issues in the body that could be addressed and avoid death. Something important to note with opioid overdose death can get prevented if the person can receive the basic support needed and timely administration of the drug naloxone. Naloxone is a common antidote to opioids, which can help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose if it can be administered timely.

However, getting access to naloxone is always limited to health professionals, reducing the chances for many people having access to the antidote. It is upon all the American to ensure there is an effective approach which is adopted to help those people who have been affected by opioid and this would reduce the cases of death which are reported in the country as result of opioid overdose.