Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder, occurs when the compulsion to use these drugs becomes overpowering despite the harmful consequences.
Opioids, whether prescription medications or illicit drugs like heroin, interact with the brain’s reward system. They stimulate a surge of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward, which can lead individuals to chase that same “high” repeatedly.
Regular opioid use can then decrease the brain’s ability to produce dopamine naturally, leading to a state where the individual feels unable to experience any pleasure at all without opioids. This process, known as tolerance, means that more opioids are needed to get high or sedate yourself, escalating the cycle of use.
As dependency grows, the body becomes physically reliant on opioids to function normally. Withdrawal symptoms – such as nausea, sweating, anxiety and intense cravings – can be severe and drive continued use, making it difficult and scary to quit.
There is also a powerful psychological aspect to opioid addiction. High-achieving individuals and busy professionals, in particular, may begin to rely on opioids to cope with the pressures of their demanding lives, inadvertently falling into a cycle of opioid abuse and addiction.
