Alcohol And Opioids: How This Addiction Can Occur
Alcohol and Opioids are 2 of the most dangerous classifications of drugs. Alcohol though widely used, is extremely addictive. The social acceptance of binge drinking and heavy drinking contributes to society’s relaxed attitude towards the substance. Still, long-term alcohol use wreaks havoc on the body by damaging vital organs like the liver and kidney. Drinking can even change the chemical structure of the brain. As a result, many who abuse alcohol may find it extremely difficult to stop using due to physical and emotional cravings. The body’s battle with alcohol withdrawal symptoms is one reason why quitting drinking is associated with the inability to control one’s intake.
The Opioid crisis has claimed the lives of millions of Americans. For many, their dependence stemmed from doctors prescribing medicine for chronic pain. Unfortunately, some have abused Opioids like OxyContin for non-medical purposes. For example, because of the medication’s ability to create euphoria, patients using it for back pain may find the effects useful for alleviating irritability or bad moods. Once they decide to use it for this purpose, it can be very easy to develop a tolerance, needing more pills or a higher dose to feel the effects. A dependence or addiction can occur, illustrating the individual’s need or craving for the substance to feel normal.
Combining Alcohol And Opioids: The Facts
Opioid abuse is not uncommon, and adding alcohol can seem like the logical thing to do when someone suffers daily chronic pain. The Centers For Disease Control And Prevention (CDC) noticed a combination of Opiate abuse and binge drinking. The results noted 4.2 million people who “misuse prescription Opioids in the US also binge drink.” Interestingly enough, younger people who binge drank having higher rates of prescription Opioid abuse, “2 out of 3 people who binge drank and misused prescription Opioids were 26 and older” and “prescription Opioid abuse misuse increased with the frequency of binge drinking.”
Lastly, “over 50% of teens who misuse Opioids” combined them with alcohol during one year. The teens who abused alcohol and Opioids and the adults who did the same make up 18% of ER visits that resulted from this combination in 2010. Out of these target groups, older individuals experienced more risks associated with respiratory complications.
The Effects Of Combining Alcohol And Opioids
Similar to alcohol abuse, once the body becomes used to Opioids, the individual can experience highly uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms that disrupt everyday life. To avoid worsening such conditions and side effects, they can feel motivated to continue using and not feel “dopesick.” Dopesickness is very much like a severe flu. When combined, these 2 substances can create a powerful but fatal combination. However, “dopesickness” is extremely uncomfortable; it’s important to note that alcohol withdrawal, with or without opioids, in addition to being painful, can be fatal.
The effect of both substances creates a depressive impact on the respiratory system. Opioids work to ease pain while also decreasing the heart rate and pace of breathing. Comparatively, alcohol functions to slow reflexes, lower blood pressure, and reduce breathing rates. When these 2 chemicals are combined, the effect increases respiratory depression or a fatal overdose.
Elderly Populations, Alcohol, And Opioid Abuse
A study published in the journal Anesthesiology recorded the connection between alcohol and OxyCodone, citing an increased risk of respiratory depression, particularly in the elderly population. An examination focused on binge drinking with OxyContin revealed that participants struggled with breathing compared to those who took placebos.
Some enduring depression due to painful health conditions and physical limitations may cause sufferers to abuse Opiates for their ability to enhance moods and reduce pain. Furthermore, some may believe alcohol can further numb physical and emotional distress caused by chronic pain and isolation; as a resul