Every individual is different when it comes to substance abuse, and someone’s current stage of drug use can often affect how they are likely to act. But an individual who is addicted to opioid drugs is often likely to abuse any narcotic available to them in order to get the high they crave. If you have been struggling with substance abuse, call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) now to receive immediate help and to learn about your treatment options.

The Steady Development of Addiction

Someone who first begins abusing opioids by taking prescription drugs or cough medicine will not be as likely to abuse whatever narcotics are most available to them. These individuals usually feel they are in control of their substance abuse and will likely prefer certain drugs to others.

However, as a person begins to use narcotics more and more, they will start to crave the effects of these drugs and experience withdrawal symptoms when these effects wear off.

Because of these two effects working simultaneously, someone who makes a conscious choice to misuse narcotics will soon not be able to choose to stop. This is when most individuals begin to seek out whichever drug is most available to them.

Prescription Opioid Abuse Leads to Heroin Abuse

Often, those who begin abusing prescription narcotics and become addicted to them will start to seek out heroin as a cheaper, more available alternative. Heroin is much easier to obtain than prescription opioids and usually much less expensive as well. Coupled with the fact that the former drug causes a much faster high because of its methods of abuse, many users turn to the more available substance.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin.” The accessibility of the drug is a large part of its attractiveness, but this behavior is also extremely dangerous, leading to many overdose deaths and severe addiction symptoms.

Frequent and Dangerous Opioid Misuse

Those who are addicted to a certain type of drug’s effects will often take any substance in that drug class in order to get the high they seek. Some individuals may also attempt to medicate the side effects caused by their substance of choice or to cope with other issues by abusing other substances. In certain cases, prescription sedative use is common among opioid and stimulant addicts to self-treat insomnia and other issues, and this is extremely dangerous as it can also lead to addiction.

Addiction causes a person to seek out a certain drug without considering the consequences of that behavior or without being able to stop. While many addicts have a certain substance they prefer to use, they will often do anything to minimize their withdrawal symptoms or experience the high they crave.

Substance abuse is extremely dangerous, especially the nonmedical use of prescription opioids. This can quickly lead to addiction and the compulsive use of narcotics. If you are an opioid user who has begun to feel your substance abuse is out of your control, call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) immediately to find safe, effective, and beneficial treatment options near you.