Researchers
from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health just recently did a
study and found that individuals suffering from mood and anxiety disorders such
as bipolar, panic disorder and major depressive disorder may be more likely to
abuse opioid. In this study they found
that mood and anxiety disorders are highly associated with non-medical
prescription Opioid use.
Drug rehabs in New Orleans and other major cities would benefit from greater scientific understanding of the addictive qualities of opioids.
The
way that chronic pain was being treated is with prescriptions opiods like
Oxycontin. It has been noted that
non-medical use of prescription opiods has increased. The Substance Abuse and mental health
Services Administration is reporting that prescription opiods are the second
most frequently used illegal drug in the United States. The first is marijuana. Prescription opiods can produce neurological
changes and physiological dependence when they are used on a long term basis. For this study the researchers looked at the
association between individuals with mood and anxiety disorders with
non-medical prescription opioid use and opioid disorder.
Louisiana inpatient drug rehabs, as well as rehabs in other states, look forward to seeing the findings of this study.
Non-medical
prescription is meant that these drugs are not actually prescribed for the
patient but the patient is getting them from other sources. Now they are calling this non-medical
prescription opiods use and opiods disorder. Carla Storr, ScD, author of the
study and an adjunct professor with the Bloomberg School’s Department of Mental
Health stated, “With the current increased use of non-medical prescription drugs,
especially among adolescents, the association with future psychopathology is of
great concern. Using Opiods, or even
withdrawal from opioids, might precipitate anxiety disorders, suggesting that
there is a subgroup of people who are vulnerable to future development of
anxiety disorders”. People who use
prescription opioids need to be closely monitored. There may be a possibility that they engage
in non-medical use of an opioid.
