Opiate Articles, Blogs and Resources

What are Opiates?

Opiates for pain managementOpioids are a collection of potent narcotics derived from the poppy plant, and that consists of opium or a natural or synthetic derivative of opium. Normally, opioids are used to induce sleep or relieve pain since they work as a depressant in the central nervous system.

Opiates work in the body by connecting to opioid receptors, which are located in the brain, spinal cord, and gastrointestinal tract. In doing so, opiates are able to prevent the release of pain messages and can change the way a person encounters pain.

Opioids also stimulate the neurotransmitters in the brain’s reward system, the results are euphoric like effects. All medicines that are opiate-based must be prescribed by a physician. Usually, these prescriptions are provided with purposes of controlling pain and alleviating the effects of pain.

Due to the fact that the pain-relieving effects of opioids are short-lived and a strong euphoric experience is encountered, the concern of developing an addiction is greatly increased. Opiates can be derived naturally, or they can be man-made.

Naturally occurring opioids include Morphine, Codeine, heroin and opium. Synthetic opioids, which are man-made drugs that simulate opiates, include medications such as Hydromorphone, Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Hydrocodone, Methadone, Demerol, Darvon, and Vicodin.

These are some of the most common types of natural and synthetic opioids:

  • Codeine
  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone
  • Percocet
  • OxyContin,
  • Percodan
  • Hydromorphone
  • Palladone
  • Dilaudid
  • Hydrocodone
  • Lorcet
  • Forten
  • Vicodin
  • Heroin
  • Methadone

Opioids are accessible in many forms, including capsules, pills, tablets, and liquids. Typically, opiates are ground and snorted or inhaled, swallowed, or injected when used recreationally.

Opiates do offer a lot of benefits as they can provide relief to pain, and therefore enhancing the quality of life for a person enduring bodily illnesses. However, they can quickly be misused. All kinds of opiates and opioids can be addictive, some with greater potential for addiction than others. 

Please continue reading below to see our latest blog posts on opioids. Under the “Substance Abuse Navigation” menu, you can click on the drop-down arrow to see evergreen, general information on abusing opiates.

Fentanyl Test Strips: Where to Get Them and How to Use Them

Fentanyl test strips (FTS) are a cheap, easy, and effective way to prevent a fentanyl overdose. Many people who use illicit drugs like heroin, cocaine, ecstasy (MDMA), and methamphetamine don’t realize their drugs might be cut with the extremely potent and deadly opioid, fentanyl. However, taking a few minutes to use a fentanyl test strip [...]
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The State of the Opioid Epidemic

Contributor: Staff at Blue Ridge Mountain Recovery Center The opioid epidemic has plagued communities across the nation for more than 20 years, with opioid overdose deaths in the United States reaching nearly 600,000 since 1999 [1]. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has put a strain on the public healthcare system while drug overdose deaths are at [...]
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Mental Health Struggles Increase the Chances of Opioid Overdose

Conscious Brain Contributor: Staff at Timberline Knolls Residential Treatment Center The opioid epidemic remains at crisis levels, with nearly 50,000 Americans dying from opioid-related overdoses in 2019 [1]. And while experts often point to powerful synthetic opioids such as fentanyl as the source of this public health emergency, the state of a person’s mental health can also [...]
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