People who suffer from chronic pain have a difficult time in addiction treatment, because many of the drugs used to treat pain are highly addictive. Here’s some information on two of the more common pain relieving drugs that are also more commonly abused.
Morphine (Narcotics):
Morphine is an opioid receptor direct agonist. Its main effect is direct binding and activation of the mu-opioid receptor in the Central Nervous System. Morphine has a higher pain relief effect than many other opioids and can cause higher euphoria, respiratory depression, and drug sedation compared to other opioids. The half-life of Morphine is 2 to 3 hours. There are many commonly prescribed drugs that contain a morphine derivative. These drugs include Methylmorphine (Codeine), Dihydromorphine (Paramorphan), Hydromorphine (Dilaudid), and Diacetylmorphine (Heroin).
Heroin (Diacetylmorphine):
Heroin is an intense drug with a half-life of only 3 to 5 minutes! Compare that to the half-life of morphine. When injected heroin produces an immediate tingling sensation and a sudden orgasmic feeling that lasts for 1 to 2 minutes. The 1 to 2 minute euphoria experience is commonly referred to the RUSH. After the RUSH of heroin people experience a state of tranquil drowsiness.
Heroin has a very narrow therapeutic ratio between Lethal Dose and an Effective Dose, which results in many accidental overdoses.
Pain Relief can be accomplished using many other drugs that are less addictive. Please call us for more information about Pain Management Treatment.
Author
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Paul Alexander is the CEO, President & Founder of Northbound Treatment Network in Newport Beach, California. He believes wholeheartedly in transformational leadership, organizational health and effective, fully integrated substance use disorder and mental health treatment. With over 27 years of experience in behavioral healthcare, Paul has extensive knowledge of “in vivo” treatment modalities, clinical development, operations, strategy, marketing and financial planning. He has been widely recognized for his development of collegiate-based residential treatment programs for students in recovery and authored a research study at The University of California confirming this modality’s effectiveness.
Paul’s comprehensive professional experience, willingness to innovate, and emphasis on organizational health are vital factors in Northbound’s continued success. Paul received his Certified Addiction Treatment Specialist training at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, CA, and was awarded Outstanding Alumni Service Award in 2002. Paul holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminology, Law and Society, Summa Cum Laude, from University of California, Irvine, and a Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. Paul currently serves on The National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP) board. In addition, he serves on The Family Recovery Foundation board and The CarePossible board in Orange County; both organizations are committed to raising funds for family recovery and treatment for former military personnel. Paul is in recovery himself and lives in Orange County with his wife Silvana and his two young sons, Noah and Dean.
