Understanding the Opioid Epidemic: Addiction, Healthcare, and Society

This essay provides a comprehensive analysis of the opioid epidemic, focusing on the factors contributing to addiction, the loopholes and problems within the healthcare system that exacerbate the crisis, and the impact of societal attitudes on treatment and recovery efforts. It discusses how the over-prescription of opioids, influenced by pharmaceutical companies and a healthcare system prioritizing quick fixes, led to widespread addiction. The essay also examines the neurological effects of long-term opioid use and the challenges faced by addicts due to societal stigma and lack of support for effective treatment and rehabilitation. The conclusion emphasizes the dramatic and far-reaching effects of the opioid epidemic, highlighting the need for improved healthcare practices and a more compassionate societal approach towards drug addiction.

Running Head: OPIOID EPIDEMIC 0
Opioid Epidemic

OPIOIDS EPIDEMIC
1
Table of Contents
Introduction................................................................................................................................2
Why some people become addicted to opioids?........................................................................2
To what extent are loopholes and other problems within the healthcare system driving the
Epidemic?...................................................................................................................................2
How does society’s attitude towards addicts affect efforts at treatment and recovery?............3
Conclusion..................................................................................................................................3
References..................................................................................................................................4

OPIOIDS EPIDEMIC
2
Introduction
The opioid epidemic or the opioid crisis is an event which lead to the utilisation of the
directions and non-directions of the opioid drugs in the United States and Canada in the early
1990’s and continued to progress for the next two decades. Opioids are a wide range of the
painkillers, which includes oxycodone usually sold under the brand names OxyContin,
hydrocodone (Vicodin), and Percocet, and a highly strong painkiller fentanyl, which is used
to synthesize to resemble other drugs such as opium derived morphine and heroine.
Despite the high degree of risk of addiction and overdose, the potential and
availability of these substances have made them marketable for both the purposes such as
formal medical treatment and as diversion through drugs. Due to their calmative effects the
brain gets affected which is to regulate the breathing respiratory centre (Nilsemn, 2018).
Though the America’s opioid epidemic initiate din the year 1990’s and early 2000s when the
opioids were prescribed by the doctors to provide the relief to the patient from the pain. Due
to the combination of the factors and the pills pushed by the pharmaceuticals company the
doctors believed that the option of the drugs were safe and the process of the incentives are
fast with proper health care system whose priority is to quick fix and the opioid prescriptions
doubled in the number. The US is one of the maximum manufacturers of the opioids in the
world. As the addictive opioids like OxyContin became difficult to be made available, people
turned towards the heroin. The high amount of opioids may cause respiratory failure and
death.
Why some people become addicted to opioids?
The answer to why people are addicted to opioids depends upon the choices more.
Around 10-15% per cent of the population is actively engage in the consumption of the

OPIOIDS EPIDEMIC
3
opioids. The way the nerve cells perform in the brain with the use of the long term opioid.
The addiction increases as the level of the opioids intake increases (Fair view, 2018). Those
people also suffer from the addictions who are taking the opioids from the long time as
prescribed by the doctor. There are certain withdrawal symptoms such as nerve cells grow in
such a manner that when the opioids are not received there is an unpleasant feeling and
reactions. The person keeps on taking the drug has harmful effects, there are cravings and the
person no longer feels satisfied by natural methods (National Institute on Drug Abuse for
teachers, 2018).
To what extent are loopholes and other problems within the healthcare system driving
the Epidemic?
The loopholes and the other problems within the healthcare system are driving the
epidemic due to certain factors such as assessment of the other treatments is not done and the
opioids are prescribed. Physicians were asked to improve the skills to manage the patient as
the number of patients was escalating and the errors made by the hospital staff lead to an
increase in the level of the epidemic (Kasarla, 2017). In order to relive the pain the opioids
were given even for the acute pain which can be controlled through other sources.
How does society’s attitude towards addicts affect efforts at treatment and recovery?
People generally suffer from the mood and sensitive emotional disorders. The brain of
the person changes significantly. In addition to these the society is affected to a greater
extent. The society is never a supporter of the person involved in the drugs and also they do
not support the insurance, housing, employment policies for those who are dependent on the
drugs (Hilary, 2014). The people likely to have negative impact towards the people dealing
with the drugs and henceforth, the recovery of the patients is slow with respect to the

OPIOIDS EPIDEMIC
4
medications (Alvarez, Foley, Zebley & Fassler, 2015). The attitude and support towards the
effective treatment is significantly average and they are in favour of the opposition policies
which aim to help the addicts.
Conclusion
From the above analysis it can be concluded that the opioids created a dramatic
change and the drastic effects can be observed. The health of the individuals is affected, the
health care system lack in providing the treatment and even if they do the society’s attitude
towards the drug addicts is discriminatory in nature. A negative response is received in case
of the drug addicts. Henceforth, a single epidemic can create a greater disaster in lives.

OPIOIDS EPIDEMIC
5
References
Alvarez, M. P., Foley, K. E., Zebley, D. M., & Fassler, S. A. (2015). Comprehensive
enhanced recovery pathway significantly reduces postoperative length of stay and
opioid usage in elective laparoscopic colectomy. Surgical endoscopy, 29(9), 2506-
2511.
Fair view, (2018). Why some people become addicted to opioids while others don’t?.
Retrieved from https://www.fairview.org/blog/Why-Some-People-Become-Addicted-
to-Opioids-While-Others-Dont
Hilary, S. (2014). Society’s perception of addiction: Addicts have a moral failing. Retrieved
from https://www.cliffsidemalibu.com/addiction-recovery/societys-perception-
addiction-addicts-moral-failing/
Kasarla, M. (2017). The opioid epidemic and its impact on the health care system. Retrieved
from https://www.the-hospitalist.org/hospitalist/article/149858/mental-health/opioid-
epidemic-and-its-impact-health-care-system
National Institute on Drug Abuse for teachers, (2018). How does someone become addicted
to Opioids? Retrieved from
https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers/mind-over-matter/opioids/how-does-someone-
become-addicted
Nilsemn, E. (2018). America’s opioid crises has become an epidemic of epidemics”.
Retrieved from https://www.vox.com/2018/3/6/16453530/america-opioid-crisis-
epidemic-bacterial-endocarditis-hepatitis-c