Literature Review Focused On Problem Formation of Opioid Addiction

Literature Review Focused On Problem Formation of Opioid Addiction

Introduction

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, and printed in the Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) 43 manual for Medication-Assisted Treatment, Heroin addiction is seen by many as a purely social problem of character, and from these premises is generally characterize this substance addicts as morally weak or criminal tendencies. It is often believed, erroneously, that heroin addicts would be able to stop using if they were willing to change their behavior. In 1948, the World Health Organization (WHO) first included alcohol dependence in the International Classification of Diseases, and the American Medical Association (AMA) did not accept the term Addiction as a diagnostic category until 1956.

Opioids are drugs that are either derived from opiates or chemically related to opiates, such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone, methadone and heroin. Opioid addiction is often perceived by society as related only to heroin use, but what treatment facilities, hospital emergency rooms and doctors are seeing frequently are individuals who have become addicted to a variety of pain killers and who now suffer the same negative impact as from the illegal street drug heroin: drug-seeking behavior, criminal behavior associated with use or trying to get money to use, overdoses, death, loss of families and jobs, and high risk sexual and medical behavior (Kirschmayer 2002, pp. 1241).

As opioids are substances that have a high capacity addictive and uncontrolled administration produces a number of changes in the body that causes the appearance of a picture of dependence. These processes are developed as a result of the adaptive changes to cellular and molecular level that occur in various neurochemical systems at central nervous system in response to the repeated presence of the drug, and which persist for a long period of time even after that administration of opioid discontinuation (Herman, 1997).

I have been assigned to intern with Metamorphosis, a clinic that specializes in medication assisted recovery and serves adult men and women who suffer from opiate dependence ("Metamorphosis," 2006). Clinicians at Metamorphosis follow a comprehensive program of counseling and medication services to assist patients in long term recover. Although the use of medications such as Methadone or Suboxone to treat the symptoms of opioid withdrawal is considered a medical intervention, counselors work with the patients to treat the behaviors that relate to psychological addiction. This provides individuals with the much needed skills and tools to remain abstinent long term and to aid in the development of new social skills, activities and relationships that are conducive to recovery ("Medication-assisted treatment: For Opioid Addiction," 2005). Because of the availability of Methadone and Suboxone medications, along with dedicated substance abuse counselors, hundreds of people in the Ogden, Utah area where Metamorphosis is located have been able to stop the vicious cycle of addiction and move forward in their lives (Talimbekova 2011, pp. 24).

Problem Overview

Opioid addiction can lead to drug seeking, and high risk ...