Opium addiction may conjure up images of 19th century snake-oil salesmen or luxurious opium dens as portrayed in movies, but in reality addiction to opium is a problem that still plagues society today. Opium is one of the oldest known drugs, and its therapeutic and intoxicating effect has been felt for centuries, having been fist cultivated as far back as 3400 B.C. Opium is formed from the latex released by seeds of the opium poppy, and while its medicinal use has become increasingly obsolete with the advent of synthetic opioids, it still retains a major presence on the world stage. Afghanistan’s opium production has increased exponentially during US occupation, and today Afghanistan is reported to produce up to 82% of the world’s opium. Although the voluminous history and folklore associated with the drug may make the drug somewhat appealing, opium is an incredibly dangerous drug that can and will consume an addict’s entire existence.
Opium contains narcotic chemicals including codeine and morphine, and as such the drug is a very effective pain reliever – so effective that it is essentially impossible to take the drug without becoming physically addicted. This is because the chemical receptor that morphine interacts with, the mu opioid receptor, is associated with analgesia as well as addiction. Chemically speaking, therefore, any non-synthetic opium prescription is a prescription for long term dependence. In many cases, such as end of life care, this ‘addiction’ is not problematic, as continued use is the expected outcome of prescription. However, this also explains why single non-medical use is so dangerous. There is no such thing as a casual opium user, and once the floodgates of opium use are opened there is usually little standing in the way of the drug taking over one’s life. In these cases, drug rehab is the only option for recovery.
This powerful physical dependence is accompanied by a quick rise in tolerance, with an addict requiring more and more opium in order to get the same euphoric sensations. This makes withdrawal symptoms more intense and contributes to continued use. Because of the strong aversion to withdrawal and the biological imperative that is created to take more opium, many users will not seek treatment until they have hit rock bottom or are involuntary committed by family or authorities.
Dealing with an opium addiction is an incredibly difficult process both from a patient’s point of view as well as a medical one. As quitting cold turkey frequently results in convulsions, insomnia, and in some cases psychosis, a gradual reduction in dosage is more commonly attempted. In many cases, a substitute drug such as methadone is used. Methadone acts on the same receptors as opium does and produces a similar effect, thus stabilizing the patient’s opium withdrawals without exacerbating the physical side effects. Methadone is not an opioid, and if properly administered can be tapered off with less difficulty and thus end the addicts dependence completely. Although inpatient treatment is necessary for initial detoxification, methadone treatments can be administered on an outpatient basis.
Although the long history and folklore associated with the drug may make the drug somewhat appealing, opium is an incredibly dangerous drug that can and will consume an addict’s entire existence.
