Depression - A High Risk Factor For Opioid Abuse

1. Depression Depression - - A High Risk Factor for Opioid Abuse A High Risk Factor for Opioid Abuse Prescription opioids are classified under the group of medications that treat moderate-to- severe pain. They are customarily prescribed to patients after a surgery to cope with the discomfort caused due to pain. Some diseases, such as cancer and other chronic conditions, also meet the criterion for prescription medication that inflict chronic pain on patients. Despite the multiple benefits of prescription medication, such as the ability to abate the sensation of pain and cause euphoria, it also has a high potential for abuse. This increases the risk of abuse, addiction, and overdose, as well as a number of side effects, especially if used in a nonmedical manner. Prescription opioids heroin) are the driving force behind the opioid epidemic affecting the United States. With more than six out of 10 drug overdose deaths involving an opioid, the number of overdose deaths has quadrupled since 1999. (including The period from 2000 to 2015 witnessed more than half a million drug overdose deaths, while in the same period the overall prevalence of pain reported by Americans has remained consistent. Today, approximately 91 Americans die due to an opioid overdose every day. Despite the efforts of the federal government to stem the tide of opioid abuse, the nonmedical use of prescription drugs continues to pose a threat across the world. Unlike before, several clinicians and researchers now believe that several other factors, such as psychological, cultural, social and demographical determinants, may contribute to the consistent rise in opioid abuse in the U.S. In fact, some have also pointed out that mental disorders are also some of the underlying causes that force people to resort to prescription medications as a self-medication measure. Depression, one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S., aggravates pain symptoms and elongates the recovery process following a surgery or an injury. As depression complicates the management of pain, this clearly explains the reasons behind the growing menace of prescription drug abuse. Depression inflicts sensitivity to pain Depression is a mental disorder that negatively affects the way a person feels, thinks and acts. It also displays irregularities in the release of endogenous opioid chemicals within a person’s body. Depressed individuals are not only comparatively more receptive to pain, but can also www.sovcal.com

2. fall prey to the effects of opioids, primarily the ones that have antidepressant properties. Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist has antidepressant properties that can provide the temporary effects of relief and sedation in depressed individuals that may present as a viable option for self-medication. Considering the findings of the earlier studies, depression as a risk factor for the various forms of substances abuse does not come as a major surprise. Prior studies on depression and illicit use of substances have warned of this risk, some of which are highlighted below: A 2012 study found that depressed individuals were twice as likely as mentally sound individuals to misuse prescription drugs for purposes other than managing pain. It also reported depressed individuals were two to three times more likely to increases their prescription dosages. A 2015 study found that adolescents were more likely to abuse prescription painkillers for nonmedical purposes and more likely to develop an addiction. Another 2015 study reported depressed individuals were likely to continue using prescription drugs, even when their pain has abated and after recovery. A 2016 study reported that mood disorders that share the similar symptoms of depression almost doubled the risk of the long-term use of prescription opioids among the American adults. Lastly, a study reported that prescription opioids can exacerbate the symptoms of depression, increasing the risk of developing co-occurring disorders or dual diagnosis. The stigma around mental disorders can also influence depressed individuals who seek treatment to misinterpret their mental health symptoms as pain symptoms that can result in the avoidable prescription of opioids. For many, this is also like an entry into the vicious cycle of opioid abuse. Being a highly underdiagnosed and unaddressed mental disorder, especially in the rural areas, depression has the increased tendency to exacerbate due to the stigma surrounding mental illness and the deficit of mental health providers. These are the potential factors that also contribute to the opioid epidemic and the increasing reports of comorbid disorders throughout the U.S. Try addressing comorbid disorders holistically Depression not only accounts 3.7 percent of all the U.S. disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), but also poses a risk for substance abuse. Various painful symptoms of depression in a person create an environment where substance use becomes a high risk. It is advisable to seek treatment to avoid aggravation of both the conditions. If you or your loved one is battling co-occurring disorders, such as depression and drug abuse, you can reach out to the dual diagnosis treatment centers of Sovereign Health of California. We understand the plight of individuals challenged by comorbid disorders. Our customized dual diagnosis treatment programs are tailored to meet the individualistic needs of each patient to treat him or her holistically. Call us at our 24/7 helpline number (866) 819-0427 to know more about the viable treatment options near you. www.sovcal.com