Addiction to opioids—not only illegal heroin, but also prescription
drugs like morphine and Vicodin that trigger opioid receptors to relieve
pain—is more common than you may know. In fact, it's so prevalent
throughout the country that the U.S. Food & Drug Administration is taking steps toward declaring the problem a national emergency. And when it comes to the highest rates of addiction, a new report suggests middle-aged and Generation X women are particularly at risk.
[post_ads_2]
In an analysis of opioid prescriptions, The United States for Non-Dependence
researchers noted that people undergoing surgery have high rates of
persistent opioid use, and that women are 40% more likely to become
dependent than men.
Because they are prescribed more opioids than any other age group,
women aged 40 to 59 have a higher risk of persistent use—defined as
taking the drugs for six months or more after surgery—and those aged 45
to 54 have the highest death rate from opioids compared to women of
other age groups. This appears to be a new trend of addiction among
today's middle-aged women, due to growing opioid prescription rates,
though there isn't enough past research to compare it with addiction
rates of generations' past.
[post_ads_2]
Part of the difficulty with opioid use among those who are taking
them for legitimate pain relief is that they may not be aware of how
high addiction risk may be, according to William Jacobs, MD, medical
director at Georgia-based treatment program Bluff Plantation.
“We all have a different genetic makeup, and some people are at
greater risk of developing addiction, just like you can be more or less
prone to heart disease or cancer,” he says. (These 6 conditions can increase your risk of heart disease.)
Also, if pain is chronic, it may require a higher dosage over time to
control it, and that can lead to dependency, notes Monique Tello, MD,
MPH, a primary care physician at Massachusetts General Hospital.
[post_ads]“You may be using opioids appropriately, but then you take them a
little more often than you did before, and pretty soon you’re taking
them regularly just to feel normal,” she says.
For those undergoing surgery or dealing with pain issues, Tello
suggests creating a schedule with your doctor to address how long you’ll
be on opioids, and strategies for tapering down. If you’re in the
high-risk group of middle-aged women, you may also want to talk about
non-opioid pain management options, Jacobs adds.
Fortunately, there's increasing research
to support alternative methods for controlling pain, from taking
non-narcotic medication to using mindfulness strategies like deep
breathing, yoga, and guided meditation. (Try these 3 quick meditations absolutely anyone can do.)
"Talk to your doctor about what's available, and what's a right fit
for you," says Jacobs. "There are many alternatives, and you may find
one that's perfect for what you need, without ever having to take
opioids."
