Opiates or opioids are a type of painkillers and they are known to provide relief from acute pain. However, a prolonged usage of such painkillers can lead to addiction. This is termed as opioid addiction. This is often regarded as the leading cause of deaths.

Opioid addiction is a deep-rooted and chronic disease that is likely to last for a long time along with causing major health, economic and social problems.

Opioids are a type of medication that affects the nervous system directly. As a result, a person experiences a sense of pleasure and this is when there is less pain. These are sometimes prescribed by the physicians as per need. But when someone starts to depend on these medications even when they are not in pain or have got cured of the reason, for which they were prescribed, that stage is called addiction.

Although there is no proper cure for this addiction, only a rehabilitation center can be of immense help in cases of extreme addiction.

Causes of opioid addiction
The exact reason is yet to be found, as to why a person develops such addiction towards opioids. Usually, people get used to the idea of feeling euphoric and lightweight and stress relieved after they intake opioids, and hence, become addicted. The reasons can be broadly divided into the categories mentioned below:

• Biological
  Sometimes, it is found that people are born without a neurotransmitter called endorphins. Thus, this leads to self-medication, wherein people tend to fulfill the deficiency by taking in painkillers and as a result become addicted.
• Genetic
  An immediate relative or family member, who is already addicted to something is likely to be a reason behind one’s opioid addiction. Although, everyone might not develop addiction in this way it can be a probable cause of the same.
• Surroundings
  Often, it is found that individuals, especially children, grow up in a disturbed environment which later causes them to become an addict. They are likely to have other family members who are already into such abusive behaviors of painkillers.
• Psychological
  As already mentioned above, that people tend to self-medicate themselves, suspecting of an unknown disease, it is very likely that they are exposing themselves to unwanted medications. The self-diagnosis is sometimes the result of a mental disorder.

Symptoms of opioid addiction
There are a large number of symptoms that can be found when someone has been addicted to opioids. The common signs are mood swings, depression, and anxiety. They are certain to feel ecstatic immediately after having taken the medication, but other than those times, they will remain in a state of irritability and agitation along with hallucinations, memory problems, and paranoia.

Other symptoms include exhaustion, sedation, itching, nausea, frequent seizures, incessant sweating, muscle spasms, respiratory depressions, and coma. All of these may even lead to death.

Treatment for opioid addiction
Various medicines, such as Buprenorphine and Methadone are available that are used by individuals in order to get rid of this addiction. The initial treatment is usually done with these two medicines.

Along with the medications, an individual might also need a counseling session that will help in eradicating the addiction without causing any damage or relapses.

There are as well new vaccines that are used for treating opioid addiction. These vaccines will help the opioids from reaching the brain and causing potential damage. Researchers are also working on the health care system of human beings to find new and innovative medicines that are effective for patients.