Opioid Use Disorder
Opioid addiction, or opioid use disorder, develops when someone has lost control of their use of opioid substances. Like other addictions, opioid use disorder is diagnosed by identifying the presence of several hallmark symptoms such as tolerance, withdrawal, compulsive or uncontrolled use, cravings, and continued use of the opioids in spite of having negative effects from them.
When someone uses an opioid, in the midst of an addiction, it reinforces the ongoing "cycle of addiction" - the repeated pattern of use, leading to satisfaction, then overtime having the effects wane, leading to craving, which ultimately leads to using again.
adapted from McHugh and Slavney 1998
Naltrexone (Vivitrol) is an effective medication that can block the cycle at the point of use, because it works by blocking the effects of opioids in the brain and other parts of the body. This means that someone will not experience all the gratifying feelings from using the opioid and the first place, and ultimately, they will usually have a reduction in there cravings and stop using.
Buprenorphine (Suboxone or Sublocade) is also an effective medication for opioid used disorder. However, this one works by reducing the craving part of the cycle.
Naloxone is another critical intervention to prevent overdose.