Pain Killer Addiction

What Causes Painkiller Addiction?

Painkiller addiction occurs when a person is taking drugs that can imitate the way your brain produces the chemicals that send messages to the brain’s reward center. These types of drugs trick your brain into thinking they are feeling pleasure. Many addictive drugs act by producing chemicals that act like normal brain messenger chemicals and result in pleasurable effects. The body then feels the effects of the positive feelings the painkillers are mimicking through brain signals.

The painkiller addiction results from the body developing a dependence on the pleasurable effects created by the drugs effect on the brain. This shortcut to the natural pleasure felt from normal life rewards takes a front seat to attaining these feelings naturally. A person will begin to rely on the drug instead, and a cycle begins of painkiller addiction. Soon, many aspects of life are affected by the painkiller addiction.

Painkiller Addiction Consuming One’s Life

Painkiller addictions are similar to that of other addictions in the sense that the effects of the drug trick the brain’s pleasure areas into believing that natural events are occurring, consequently causing these feelings of gratification, when in fact it is the drug. When the body becomes accustomed to these feelings of happiness, the physical dependence on the drug is the first part of a painkiller addiction. Second comes the psychological aspect, when you not only physically rely on the painkiller, but mentally as well. The normal daily routines and activities are replaced with new people and places that support a person’s painkiller addiction.

Who is at Risk for Developing a Painkiller Addiction?

Painkiller addiction has been found to affect many Americans, and some concerns remain consistent among older adults, adolescents, and women. Another group of Americans who tend to be at a higher risk of painkiller addictions are physicians, nurses, pharmacists, dentists, anesthesiologists, and veterinarians. This group of people may have a higher risk of painkiller addiction because they have easier access, along with the fact that they are able to self-prescribe drugs. Even though this increased risk of painkiller addictions is present, surveys and research that was done in the early 1990s indicated that there was most likely a high percentage of health care providers who were affected or suffered from substance abuse, including the abuse of alcohol and drugs. It was estimated that they were affected at a similar rate to the rates of society as a whole, which was in the range of 8 to 12 percent.

Painkiller addiction affects more of the population than you would imagine: From everyday people, to the famous stars you see on TV. Some studies suggest that painkiller addictions are more likely to occur among females than males. In some cases, females are up to 48% more likely to develop a painkiller addiction.

Treating Painkiller Addiction

Methods of treatment for painkiller addiction include:

· Reversing the false feelings of pleasure the painkillers created

· Reconnecting with true friends, and friends who don’t have a painkiller addiction

· Redeveloping natural habits of reacting to natural causes of pleasure

· Avoiding and eliminating people, places, and all other triggers associated with the painkiller use