There is more than one path toward opioid misuse. Whether it starts by taking prescription narcotics not as directed or by seeking opioids illicitly to self-medicate, opioid misuse can quickly lead to dependence and addiction. What is an opioid classified as? These Schedule I drugs affect the central nervous system (CNS) and thus are classified as depressants. If you are concerned about a loved one who is misusing opioids, the best way to avoid the risky effects of these powerful drugs is to seek opioid addiction recovery in Arden, NC, at Insight Recovery Center.
Why are opioids depressants?
Opioids interact with specific receptors in the human nervous system known as opioid receptors. When drugs such as heroin, morphine, or oxycodone activate these receptors, they slow down brain activity, classifying opioids as depressants. They significantly impact the entire body by suppressing the brain and the central nervous system functions.
The ways opioids act as depressants extend throughout the body. Opioids:
- Reduce pain signals by interrupting their transmission to the brain—the reason many of these drugs are used medically for pain relief
- Suppress anxiety through the relaxation effects on the CNS
- Cause sedation and drowsiness, sometimes leading to overdose
- Affect the parts of the brain that control breathing, thus depressing respiration, sometimes fatally
- Decrease cardiac action, such as beats per minute and blood pressure
- Lead to sluggish digestion that can result in gastrointestinal issues like constipation, nausea, and vomiting
When mixed with alcohol or other sedative drugs like benzodiazepines, the depressant qualities of opioids can be exacerbated. The initial high of an opioid can tip over into depressed body functions and overdose without much warning.
The effects of opioids on mood
People with anxiety, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, and other mental health challenges often try to self-medicate to ease their symptoms. Many individuals may not have a formal diagnosis, yet they endure the profound impact of mental health imbalances, which can severely affect their quality of life and ability to function.
Are co-occurring mental health issues common?
When you consider that, according to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), slightly more than 31% of adults will suffer from an anxiety disorder in their lifetimes, the overlap between this common mental health disruptor and substance abuse is high.1 The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that co-occurring addiction and mental health concerns are common across the board, with about 21 and a half million people experiencing this double challenge.2
Because opioids mute symptoms that include activated production of adrenaline and cortisol, their depressant qualities seem attractive to those who experience psychic pain as much as those who are in physical pain.
Do opioids make you depressed?
But what about those who don’t have an anxiety mood disorder? Can opioids make you depressed? Yes, they can. If someone experiments with opioids or begins taking them for pain, this powerful depressant drug can lead to clinical depression. Depression is second only to anxiety among common mood disorders in the U.S. NIMH reports that 21 million adults in the U.S. will suffer from a major depressive episode in their lifetimes.3
Some people ask, “Is an opioid an antidepressant?” It is unfortunate and potentially dangerous that some people mistakenly think opioids can act like an antidepressant to lift low moods. Although these drugs do create a feeling of euphoria, they will make a pre-existing depression worse. If you know someone who’s depressed and also using opioids, this is an inauspicious combination.
Other commonly misused depressant drugs
In addition to opioids, there are other common CNS depressants:
- Alcohol slows brain function, impairs thinking and judgment, and impedes motor skills.
- Benzodiazepines (benzos) such as Xanax or Klonopin bind with the receptors for the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and cause sedation and reduce anxiety.
- Barbiturates are prescribed as sedatives and hypnotics and include secobarbital and phenobarbital.
- Insomnia drugs, including Ambien and Lunesta, have a sedative effect as well to bring about feelings of calm and the ability to sleep.
It’s not uncommon for people to combine opioids with these other depressants, most commonly alcohol and benzos. All of these depressant drugs interact in the brain and the CNS. Benzos and opioids bind with different receptors and can greatly increase the risks of overdose when combined. Alcohol increases overdose risks as well by adding to respiratory depression and slowed heart rate.
Seeking professional addiction treatment is the most meaningful way to help someone begin recovery and return to health. At Insight Recovery Center, your loved one will have access to evidence-based therapies and both clinical and peer support provided in a safe, trigger-free setting.
Contact Insight Recovery Center today for opioid addiction recovery help near Asheville, NC
Are opiates essentially the same as depressants? They are depressants. They depress mood, bodily functions, and cognition. The fact is, people who misuse these drugs are not following medical advice, have no control over or awareness of how potent their doses are, and are usually unable to recognize a crisis in time to get help.
If you have a loved one who is on the dangerous path of opioid abuse and addiction, supporting them to start rehab is the safest plan with the best potential outcomes. Insight Recovery Center is ready to take your call at 828.826.1376. You can also use our online form to connect with our helpful staff.
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