Opioid Use Disorder
What is it? How can you get help?
What is Substance Use Disorder?
What are Opioids?
Opiates: Naturally occurring alkaloids such as morphine and codeine
Opioids: All compounds that attach to opioid receptors
Opioids are used to treat acute pain, but can be highly addictive (Cobaugh, et al, 2014).
Opioids include: Heroin, codeine, methadone
Prescription Opioids
Poppy-Opiods are derived from the poppy
Heroin
How does someone become addicted to Opioids?
Opioid abuse is common among those who are prescribed an opioid to ease chronic non-cancer pain.
History of prescription drug use to treat chronic, non-cancer pain.
Treatment Options:
- Methadone (Agonist): Must be administered at a federally regulated treatment site; used for detoxification
- Buprenorhpine (Partial agonist): Requires a DATA 2000 waiver and a DEA x-number, and is available for office treatment; used for detoxification
- Naltrexone (Antagonist): Office based treatment (Breazing & Besaga, 2015).
*Community based therapy
Criteria for Opioid Use Disorder: Does this describe you?
- Using larger amounts of opioids for longer than intended
- Unsuccessful efforts to cut back on use
- Excessive amounts of time spent in an effort to obtain, use, or recover from opioids
- Craving the use of opioids
- Failure to fulfill major obligations (work, school, home tasks) because of recurrent use
- Recurrent social or interpersonal problems
- Giving up important activities because of opioid use
- Using opioids in dangerous situations
- Continued use despite physical or psychological problems that are likely caused by opioid use
- Tolerance: requiring higher doses to achieve the desired effect; diminished effect
- Withdrawals (Brezing & Besaga, 2014).
How to Get Help; Who You Can Trust
In Michigan, Alcohol and Drug Counselors must meet the following criteria:
- 1,000-4,000 hours of experience credit hours depending on the level of degree
- 270 hours of contact hours of education (180 specific to substance abuse, 90 may be related to substance abuse, 6 face to face MCBAP approved professional or treatment ethics)
- 300 hours direct supervision specific to drug/alcohol use
- Must pass the International Certification and Reciprocity Consortium/Alcohol and Drug Counselor (IC&RC/ADC) written test (mcbap.com).
Ask you physician for referrals.
Psychologists must spend several years in graduate education training and research, as well as complete clinical training before they are awarded a Doctoral degree (apa.org).
References:
Arehart-Triechel, J. (2010, January 15). Depression Predicts Greater Use of Opioid Medications. Retrieved from http://psychnews.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/pn.45.2.psychnews_45_2_011
Brezing, C., & Bisaga, A. (2015). Opioid Use Disorder: Update on Diagnosis and Treatment. Psychiatric Times. Retrieved from EBSCO.
CADC- Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor: Overview Requirements. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.mcbap.com/certifications/cadc/
How to choose a psychologist. (2015). Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/choose-therapist.aspx
Nolen-Hoeksema, S. (2014). Abnormal Psychology (6th ed.). New York, New York: McGraw Hill.