Symptoms of an Addiction to Narcotics

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Prescription narcotics have long been the go-to treatment for most conditions involving pain symptoms. Back pain, accidents, chronic disease, injuries and surgeries all present opportunities for prescription narcotic opiates to be administered.

While symptoms of an addiction to narcotics usually develop from excess and/or long-term use, even someone who takes these drugs as prescribed can start to show signs of a physical dependency. The way the drugs affect the brain can create unstable and potentially harmful conditions, regardless of the reason for their use.

Narcotic addiction traps individuals in a repeating cycle of temporary highs followed by withdrawal, a pattern that tends to intensify over time. Early symptoms may seem manageable, but they often progress quickly into a powerful, persistent urge to use more frequently and in larger amounts.

Narcotic Effects on the Brain

A narcotics addiction is progressive, and the sooner you get help the better off you will be!

The effects of narcotics on the brain closely resemble how the brain’s own natural pain-relieving chemicals (also known as endorphins) work. In fact, narcotic opiates have a similar chemical structure to the brain’s endorphins, which accounts for how addiction to narcotics develops.

While the brain produces endorphins on an as-needed basis, the abuse of narcotics works to weaken brain chemical functions over time.  As brain functions grow weaker, symptoms of addiction become more pronounced.

Symptoms of Withdrawal

Withdrawal symptoms occur because the brain and body have become dependent on the drug to function normally.

Symptoms of withdrawal may include –

• Aches and pain
• Anxiety
• Chills and fever
• Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea
• Elevated heart rate and blood pressure
• Profuse sweating
• Insomnia
• Dilated pupils and watery eyes
• Intense cravings

Over time, symptoms of withdrawal intensify as brain functions continue to deteriorate.

Impaired Cognitive Functions

Narcotics not only interfere with the brain’s endorphin levels but also with the neurotransmitters that regulate overall brain function.

Symptoms of impaired cognitive function take the form of –

• Confused thinking processes
• Fluctuations in mood states
• Diminished reasoning and decision-making abilities
• Lapses in Consciousness

Narcotic opioids slow down brain and body functions. Over time, the brain adapts to these effects by developing tolerance, which drives users to take increasingly larger doses to achieve the same results. At higher doses, these drugs can depress brain activity to the point of significant sedation, causing repeated lapses in consciousness, which is commonly referred to as “nodding out.”

Lifestyle Symptoms

Lifestyle symptoms of an addiction to narcotics are fairly hard to miss, as users have reached a point where their worlds tend to revolve around drug-seeking and drug using priorities. At this point, an addiction to narcotics has gone from being a physical dependency to a psychological dependency.

Lifestyle symptoms may take the form of –

• Isolating from friends and family
• Financial problems
• Legal problems
• Missed days at work
• Disregard for personal appearance

Ultimately, narcotic addiction can destroy a person’s health and quality of life unless he or she seeks out professional support and treatment.

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