What are Opiates?

Opiates or narcotics are a group of drugs prescribed to relieve pain, which have a high potential for abuse. One group of opiates are derived from the seed pods of an Asian poppy and include opium, morphine, heroin, and codeine. Other opiates are synthetic or manufactured, like Demerol.

The most popular opiate is heroin and accounts for 90 percent of opiate addiction. It is white or light brown powder or a sticky black tar-like substance. Any form can be smoked, snorted or injected.

Other opiates can be found in forms that include liquids or syrup, capsules or pills, or suppositories. Some of these include prescription drugs like morphine, meperidine, and cough syrups that contain codeine or dextromethorphan to name just a few.

What are the Effects of Opiate Addiction?

The effects of opiates vary according to how they are ingested. In general, a feeling of relaxation, physically and mentally, takes hold of the user. Upon injection, an initial rush of euphoria precedes this general relaxed state.

There can also be a number of unpleasant effects as well, including restlessness, nausea and vomiting, shallow breathing, apathy, reduced appetite, vacillation between overwhelming fatigue and alertness. With large doses, the user may lose consciousness, pupils 'pin' or become smaller, and skin becomes clammy and cold. Breathing slows dramatically and death can occur.

What are the Effects of Opiate Withdrawal?

When a user is dependent upon a drug, abrupt detoxification can cause a number of negative effects within as few as four hours. These include:

• Diarrhea, abdominal cramps
• Chills and sweating,
• Nausea and vomiting
• Cramps
• Shaking
• Belligerence
• Insomnia
• Runny nose and eyes
• Extreme fatigue

These symptoms hit hardest between 24 and 72 hours after the last dose and may last up to 10 days.