Painkillers and Addiction

 

Painkiller addiction spans all ages and walks of life.  The face of drug addiction in the United States and around the world is changing. You can not gauge who is an addict by looks or occupation. In fact, many professionals from lawyers to medical professionals become addicted to painkillers.

 

Painkillers like morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl are one of the most commonly abused drug classes. These drugs are not only addictive, they can lead to slowed breathing, long term heart damage and death if too much is taken.  It is a common cause of cardivascular failure.  The risks are compounded if you add alcohol to the equation, and many do.  This is a deadly combination.

 

Many are not aware that pain-killing drugs like fentanyl are actually 100 times more potent than natural opioids like morphine, making the addictive potential and side effects associated with prescription drug use much higher.