Opioid Addiction

What Sets Opioid Addictions Apart From Other Drug Addictions?

Of all the drug addictions that affect individuals today, opioid addictions have greatly surpassed all other counterparts. In recent years, the United States has been affected by what is now widely known as The Opioid Crisis. This is the umbrella term for the swift rise in overdose deaths in which opioids were the culprit. 

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website, during 2018, opioids were responsible for 69.5% of all overdose deaths. 

Opioid addictions usually begin differently than other types of addictions. When an individual first becomes addicted to opioids, it is usually brought on by the use of a prescription medication to address a health issue. With opioid medications, individuals are usually taking the prescription to manage pain. While the term opioid is used to explain this type of addiction as a whole, there are several different drugs that fall into this category.

Frequently Abused Opioids

Most of the drugs under the opioid classification are prescription medications, however there are a couple of illegal drugs that make the cut as well. Examples of these drugs include:

Prescription Medications

  • Morphine
  • Codeine
  • Hydrocodone
  • Oxycodone
  • Fentanyl

Illegal Drugs

  • Heroin
  • Opium

*stats above taken from Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website

Are You or a Loved One Struggling with Opioid Addiction?

Our team at Red River Healthcare understands that addiction is complicated and ugly and that overcoming it is far from being an easy task. Call us today and give our team the opportunity to help you or your loved one get on the road to recovery.

The Opioid Crisis and opioid addictions have affected people from every walk of life, wreaking havoc on every person and family that they touch. As we do more research, we are learning how to better protect individuals from becoming addicted to these medications.

Doctors are becoming stricter and refraining from prescribing opioid medications when something else is available. People are being encouraged to request less addictive options for pain management medications.

If you or someone you know is ready to start on the road to recovery from an opioid addiction, contact us today. Our team at Red River Healthcare is eager to help you along every step of the journey.