Signs and Symptoms of Opiate Addiction

In this post, I’m addressing only prescribed painkillers and addiction. I’ve dealt with other opiates like Heroin in other posts. What are the signs and symptoms physicians and others should look for to detect opiate addiction when a patient is taking painkillers over an extended period of time? Prescription painkiller use has skyrocketed since 2000. More physicians, healthcare workers, family members and concerned others need to understand the signs and symptoms of addiction in order to effectively with this problem.

When someone needs painkillers, it’s usually short term, so there’s no real problem, although physical dependence can happen to anyone. Physical dependence doesn’t equal addiction. A person can become physically dependent on an opiate, yet cooperate to get off the medicine and willingly seek long term pain management solutions that don’t cause physical dependence. Addiction is a chronic brain disease that develops in some people when they take opiates.

Here are some of the signs and symptoms of opiate addiction to look for with someone taking prescription painkillers – this is from the U.S. Dept of Health and Human Services:

1. Multiple episodes of “lost” or stolen prescriptions.
2. Repeatedly running out of medication early.
3. Aggressive complaints about the need for additional prescriptions.
4. Drug hoarding during periods of reduced symptoms.
5. Urgent calls or unscheduled visits.
6. Injecting opioids intended for oral use.
7. Using the opiates to achieve euphoric effects.
8. Unapproved use of prescribed opioid to self-medicate another problem, such as insomnia.
9. Frequently missing appointments unless opioid renewal is expected.
10. Unwilling to try non-opioid treatments.
11. Evidence of withdrawal symptoms visible at appointments.
12. Concurrent alcohol or illicit drug use.
13. Sedation, declining activity, sleep disturbances, or irritability unexplained by the pain or co-occurring conditions.
14. Deterioration of functioning at work, with family, or socially because of medication effects.
15. Forging prescriptions or obtaining prescriptions from nonmedical or multiple medical sources.