What Are
Prescription Opioids?
What makes opioids so dangerous and addictive? Watch the video to find out more.
What Are
What Are Opioids?
Opiates are highly addictive substances used for relieving pain. They range from prescription medications like morphine or oxycodone, to dangerous illegal drugs like heroin.
Prescription opioids are highly addictive substances used for relieving pain.
Heroin and prescription opioids are both opioids.
As far as your brain is concerned, they’re the same thing.
Stages of Addiction
Opioid addiction begins in the first week of use.
Opioid use begins
Addiction symptoms can develop in as little as five days
Opioid use begins to affect work, hobbies, and relationships
Opioid use becomes
primary focus in life
The Effects of Opioid Misuse
Misusing prescription opioids can have serious consequences.
What’s hiding in illegal opioids? Find out here.Taking too much, or taking someone else’s, can overwhelm your body and lead to difficulty breathing, loss of consciousness, or overdose.
Mixing with alcohol dramatically increases these risks and puts you at serious risk for overdose.
Mixing Alcohol with Opioids
DRAMATICALLY INCREASES THE RISK OF OVERDOSE
Alcohol and opioids are both depressants that slow your breathing and heart rate. Combining the two magnifies these effects. However, these changes are so subtle that an opioid overdose can look similar to sleeping. Watch the video to learn more.
The Stages Of Overdose
WHAT IS LOOKS LIKE WHEN THE BODY SHUTS DOWN:
- Taking too much of an opioid makes it harder to breathe, depriving your brain and heart of oxygen.
- The lack of oxygen can cause you to lose consciousness.
- Which can lead to overdose and death.
How Prescription Opioids Can Affect You
When my arm stopped hurting, I had leftover pills. I tried selling them but got caught, now I’m being charged for dealing drugs.
The pain has been gone for a while, but my doctor keeps giving me refills, and now I‘m addicted. I keep needing more and more pills, and my risk of overdose keeps increasing.
I figured opioids can’t be THAT dangerous if a doctor gave them to me, so I decided to drink at a party after taking my prescription. While I was asleep, my organs shut down and I stopped breathing.
Do you or someone you know have a substance abuse problem?
Call San Diego County’s Access and Crisis Line at (888) 724-7240 or 2-1-1 San Diego for information and support
