Oxycontin, Heroin, Fentanyl Addiction: Similarities And Differences

By Author: Kevin Alvarez
Total Articles: 2
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Here are two numbers that will shock you. Every day, 136 people die from an overdose involving opioids in the United States. Between 1999 and 2009, half a million Americans died from an opioid overdose.

Communities all over the country are fighting an opiate addiction epidemic. If your family has been impacted by these powerful, highly addictive drugs, you will need all the support you can get. You might think “I need help for my son” or “I need help for my daughter,” but not know where to start. A recovery coach can help you get the right treatment and plan long-term aftercare.

Opioid addiction is a challenging condition to overcome, but it is treatable. You or your loved one can stop using drugs and begin leading a productive, happy, healthy life.

The first step in your recovery is to educate yourself about opioids. To this end, today, we’re talking about the similarities and differences between prescription pain pills (OxyContin, Vicodin), heroin, and fentanyl abuse.

Similarities between prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl

Origin

Prescription ...
... pain pills such as OxyContin and Vicodin, heroin, and fentanyl are similar in that they are all opiates. These powerful drugs are extracted from the seeds of the opium poppy plant. Some occur naturally and some are man-made in the laboratory.

Effects on the Brain and Body

The various types of opiates have a slightly different chemical structure but produce similar effects on the brain and body. Opioids suppress pain, reduce anxiety, and produce euphoria at high doses. Many people actively seek opiate-induced euphoria, and this is a major cause of opiate addiction.

Tolerance and Addiction

Another similarity between opioids, including prescription painkillers, heroin, and fentanyl, is that they change the chemistry of the brain and are highly addictive. Over time, a person using opioids needs higher doses of the drug to achieve the same effects, whether it is pain control or euphoria. When someone abuses opioids for a long time, they develop a physical and psychological dependence on the drug. Opioid addiction is characterized by cravings or a powerful urge to use the drug even when there is no medical need. Opioid addicts experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking the drug.

Addiction Treatment

Treatment for opioid addiction, whether it involves prescription pain pills, fentanyl, or heroin, often requires several steps, which are listed below.

An intervention is an event organized by loved ones to encourage or even force a person to safely stop using opioids.
Detox is a controlled and supervised withdrawal from opiates under medical supervision.
Behavioral therapy with a drug counselor helps a recovering opiate addict learn how to manage cravings and temptations.
Opioid replacement medications keep withdrawal symptoms at bay.

But these measures are just the start of a person’s recovery journey. Most people with opioid use disorder relapse to using the drug unless they get further help. The real work begins after completing formal rehab.

An individual recovering from Oxy addiction, Vicodin addiction, fentanyl addiction, or heroin addiction needs long-term monitoring by a case manager to stay sober. A sober companion can help them stay on track. And equally important is getting help for families affected by opioid abuse, because opioid addiction has a distinct effect on every family member.

Differences between narcotic pain pills, heroin, and fentanyl addiction

Type of Opioid

Prescription pain relievers such as oxycodone and hydrocodone are generally safe when used for a short period of time as prescribed by a physician. However, they are available on the street as happy pills, oxy, percs, vikes and are frequently misused because of their euphoric effect in addition to pain relief.

Fentanyl is a synthetic (laboratory-made) opioid that is a powerful pain reliever. It is used medically to relieve severe pain after surgery or in people who do not respond to other painkillers. Fentanyl is similar to the naturally occurring opioid morphine. However, it is up to 100 times more powerful than morphine.

Heroin is an illegal semi-synthetic opioid with no accepted medical uses. It is a fast -acting opioid and is abused for the intense rush it produces.

Prevalence

In the 1990s, there was a push by public health officials in the US to improve pain management. The idea was that pain should be completely relieved with medication. Pharmaceutical companies reassured physicians that opioid pain relievers were not addictive. Narcotic pain pills like OxyContin and Vicodin became the go-to drugs to treat pain. The consequences of this policy are now well recognized. Overuse of prescription pain relievers is a major contributor to the opioid epidemic in the US.

Beginning in 2010, heroin abuse became an increasing problem in the US with a rapid increase in overdose deaths (heroin overdose deaths were almost 5 times higher in 2019 compared to 2010).

The third wave in the opioid epidemic began in 2013 with a significant rise in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids like fentanyl (deaths involving synthetic opioids were 12 times higher in 2019 compared to 2013). These days, illegally made fentanyl is commonly sold on the street for its heroin-like effects. It is often used to cut heroin because its cheaper and more easily available. Fentanyl is also sometimes mixed with cocaine to increase the euphoric effects. Often, the user does not know they are using fentanyl, which is a very powerful opioid with a high risk of overdose and death.

Getting Help for Opioid Addiction

Comprehensive addiction treatment is essential for sustained recovery from opiate abuse. Failure to launch a long-term recovery plan can have devastating consequences. As the numbers at the start of this article indicate, many people go in and out of rehab before ultimately succumbing to an overdose. But opiate addiction does not have to become a tragedy for you or your family. A sober coach or recovery coach can help you successfully navigate addiction treatment for opioid use disorder and regain control of your life.