Effects of Using Opiates - Essay Example

Introduction Drugs made from opium, which is a sap of opium poppy papaver somniferum, are called as ‘opiates Opiates” n.d The analgesic qualityof opium was discovered by human beings centuries ago (“Opiates” n.d.). Opium helps in reducing and modifying the intensity of physical pain in such a way that it becomes more bearable (“Opiates” n.d.). Even today, some of the modern medicines include opiates in it to reduce the effect of pain (“Opiates” n.d.). However, it is a well known fact that excessive use of any drug has a potential to cause harm. If drugs which are made to reduce the pain in the body are consumed excessively, then it harms the body instead of healing it. Sadly, opiates make a person addict by making his brain develop a need to take more drugs in order to create the same effect repeatedly, even when there is no need for the body to have it (“Opiates” n.d.). When a person stops using opiates after its medicinal purpose is achieved, he experiences unpleasant feeling and reaction in the mind and the body (“Opiates” n.d.). This makes a person to turn to drugs again in order to get the relief from the withdrawal symptoms. The opiate addiction has become so widespread now, that it has become one of the major concerns for national and international health community. Biological Effects Opiates are being used by man for centuries to relieve pain and suffering. The analgesic quality of opiates such as morphine and codeine has made it useful in relieving the pain and suffering experienced during pain related illnesses (“Mind Over.” 1997). However, the use of opiates is beneficial only when it is consumed in controlled manner and as directed by physician. If opiates are used excessively, it causes lot of biological effects which affects almost every function of the body. Addiction to opiates affects the digestive and respiratory system in a negative way. People suffering from opiate addiction suffer from constipation and depression in respiration process (“Opiates” n.d.). Opiates affect the brainstem that controls the respiratory functions which leads to decrease in the rate of breathing (“Mind Over.” 1997). Opiate causes the body to go in a sedative state of being by inducing the feeling of calmness in the body (“Opiates” n.d.). This reduces the ability of the mind and the body to carry out its normal functions properly. Opiates also harms the eyes by causes the pupil to constrict (“Opiates” n.d.). These harmful effects of opiates are the result of its effect on the functioning of the brain. The opiates have a strong effect on different organs and functions of the body as it activates the receptors in brain called as the ‘opiate receptors’ (“Mind Over.” 1997). Opiate receptors are found in different parts of the brain and the body (“Mind Over.” 1997). The opiate receptors get quickly activated when they are treated with opiates and affects the different functions of the mind and the body which are associated with it (“Mind Over.” 1997). Hence, opiates affect not only the biological functions but also the psychological functions of a human being. Opiates produce number of positive psychological experiences which makes a person desire to experience it again and again. In fact, it won’t be wrong to say that it is psychological change that human beings experience after having opiates that makes them become addicted to it. Psychological Effects Opiates have a potential to create number of different positive psychological effects in human being which make them want to experience it repeatedly. One of the important psychological experiences created by taking opiates is the experience of euphoria (“Opiates” n.d.). Euphoria is a state of mind where a person feels an exaggerated state of happiness, confidence and well being. The feeling of euphoria is one of the major reasons for people getting addicted to opiates (“Opiates” n.d.). Opiates have a tendency to make people experience the emotional and psychological high which is not possible to achieve easily in normal state of being. The other major psychological experience which is craved by people addicted to opiates is the experience of ‘rewards’ and ‘pleasure’ (“Mind Over.” 1997). The experience of reward and pleasure is produced by opiates as soon as they affect the opiate receptors in brain. As the chemical structure of heroin makes it to penetrate the brain more quickly than other opiates, it is one of the most popular drug with the people who are addicted to opiates (“Mind Over.” 1997). Heroin converts into morphine when it reaches the brain (“Mind Over.” 1997). Morphine activates the opiate receptors in the reward system of the brain which produces the feeling of reward and pleasure in the mind of a person (“Mind Over.” 1997). It gives a person a great ‘rush’ and a feeling of euphoria. Although the feeling of pleasure and ‘rush’ is short lived, this feeling is quite intense and is followed by a feeling of contentment, calmness and relaxation (“Mind Over.” 1997). People become addict to this feeling as during this period, their worries and tensions about their life disappear. They crave for the tensionless and worriless state of being which is produced by opiates. However, what they forget is that this feeling is not ‘real’ and they will have to face the reality once they come out of the effect of opiates. Unfortunately, the opiates affect the brain and the body so strongly that once a person loses control over its intake, it becomes extremely difficult for him to become free of the opiate abuse (“Opiates” n.d.). It affects the brain in such a way that its reinforcing properties make a person feel like having it again and again (“Mind Over.” 1997). Opiate addiction has become one of the major problems for the society. Thousands of people have become addicted to opiates. Opiate addiction has created great problem for family life and for the society as a whole. Social Effects Opiate addiction has become a major medical and social concern throughout the world (Holmes 2002, p.243). Opiate addiction affects not only those people who are addicted to opiates but also increases the chances of their peers getting addicted to it (Holmes 2002, p.243). People who are psychologically and socially vulnerable become victim of peer pressure and start using opiates to become a part of the group (Holmes 2002, p.243). The prevalence of opiate addiction in the environment makes susceptible individuals get into habit of using opiates (Holmes 2002, p.243). Most importantly, people who inhabit the neighborhood of lower financial income tend to get drawn towards opiate use as the psychic effects of opiates make them to forget the worries, difficulties and problems they encounter at home (Holmes 2002, p.243). The euphoria that they get from injecting or sniffing opiates makes them get into a habit of using opiates (Holmes 2002, p.243). Moreover, easy access of opiates like heroin has attracted new users to it (Holmes 2002, p.243). The chances of young people taking the overdose of opiates are very high. The opiates, if misused in any way, start controlling the mind and the body so strongly that no matter how well acquainted the person is with its harmful effects, he cannot control his addiction to opiates. Research has revealed that people working in the field of medicine (doctors and nurses) are also suffering from addiction to opiates (Holmes 2002, p.243). It shows how widespread is the addiction of opiates. It not only harms the social environment but also causes financial loss to the health and social sectors. Following are the facts which explain the harmful effects of opiate addiction on society: 1.10% of people who are diagnosed with opiate addiction die within five years from drug-related causes like heart attack, AIDS, hepatitis B, overdose of drugs etc (Holmes 2002, p.243). 2. The percentage of people who are addicts to heroin is growing by 20% every year (Holmes 2002, p.244). 3. Number of people dying from seizures caused by Amfetamine has increased from 3000 in 1987 to 18000 in 1997 (Holmes 2002, p.244). 4. The number of injection drug users (IDU) in United States is between 750,000 to 1.2 million (Zaric 2004, p. 335). People suffering from injection drug use tend to become violent and hence, commit more crimes. The increase in crime rate causes the criminal justice and welfare system costs to increase (Zaric 2004, p. 335). Conclusion Opium has a powerful effect on the brain and hence, when used improperly, it makes a person to get strongly addicted to it (“Mind Over.” 1997). Opiates use can be described as a good thing that has gone bad. Opiates were considered as a gift because of its analgesic qualities. However, the pleasurable psychological and the physical effects of opiates have turned people into addicts. The addiction has become so widespread that it has affected not only the individual lives but has affected all the systems of society like medical, criminal, financial, educational, health etc. The only solution to this problem is to find some other means than opiates to relieve the physical pain suffered by people who are ill. It is time to stop the use of opiates in medicine completely. References Holmes, J. (2002). Psychological Medicine. In R.L. Souhami & J.Moxham (Eds.), Textbook of Medicine (pp205-258). (4th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone. “Mind Over Matter: The Brain’s Response to Drugs”. (1997). CONNECTICUT Clearinghouse. Retrieved from http://www.ctclearinghouse.org/topics/customer-files/Opiates-The-Brains-Response-to-Drugs.pdf “Opiates”. (n.d.) eDrugRehab. Retrieved from http://www.edrugrehab.com/drugs/opiates Zaric, G.S. (2004) Modeling the Costs and Effects of Maintenance Treatment for Opiate Addiction. In M.L. Brandeau, F. Sainfort & W.P. Pierskalla (Eds.), Operations Research and Health Care: A Handbook of Methods and Applications (pp.333-362). Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Read More