Opioids are a class of drugs that can depress the central nervous system (CNS) and change the way your body responds to pain. Because they offer pain relief, many opioids are prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe and chronic pain. Unfortunately, opioids are also known to be highly addictive, leading to substance use disorders when abused or used long-term.

Sadly, opioid overdoses are incredibly common, with 130 Americans dying every day from them. Opioid overdoses account for two-thirds of all overdoses in the United States.[1]

While addiction and overdose are some of the main long-term risks of opioid abuse, there are some other dangers to be aware of. For example, you could experience injuries, damage to your endocrine system, and a weakened immune system from frequent or chronic opioid misuse. You should always seek professional addiction treatment when you are struggling with opioid abuse.

In this article, you will learn:

  • What are opioids
  • What are the short-term effects of opioids
  • What are the long-term risks of opioid use

What are Opioids?

Opioids are CNS depressants that also attach to opioid receptors found throughout your body. There are both natural and synthetic opioids and many of them are available by prescription to relieve pain. Opioids manage pain by attaching to opioid receptors in your brain, gut, spinal cord, and other areas of the body.

Prescription opioids include medications like:[2]

  • Oxycodone
  • Hydrocodone
  • Morphine
  • Codeine
  • Oxymorphone
  • Fentanyl

Opioid medications are only intended for short-term use because of the risk of abuse and addiction that they carry. You have a higher risk of developing an addiction the longer you take an opioid drug. Prescribed opioids can be helpful when used short-term after an injury, or surgery, or to treat chronic pain from conditions like cancer or arthritis.

There are also illegal opioids out there. For example, heroin and illegally manufactured fentanyl (IMF) are common drugs of abuse that are not approved for medical use in the United States. In other words, they are not used as pain medicines and are illegal to obtain or abuse.

What are the Short-Term Effects of Opioid Drugs?

Opioids can cause side effects even if you are using them as prescribed. For example, you might feel dizzy, drowsy, or sleepy. Some people experience itchy skin when they are taking opioids.

The common short-term effects of opioids include:[3]

  • Dizziness and drowsiness
  • Tiredness or sedation
  • Itchiness
  • Constipation
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Slowed heart rate or breathing

If you take higher doses of opioids than you are prescribed, you could experience toxic effects. Opioid overdoses can occur when you take too much of an opioid at once. This might involve symptoms like stopped breathing, losing consciousness, pale or clammy skin, and a blue tint to the lips or fingernails.

If you believe someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, you should contact 911 immediately. Additionally, administer the opioid reversal medication Narcan if it is available.

Long-Term Risks of Opioid Abuse

There are tons of risks associated with abusing opioids long-term. Whether you are abusing a prescription opioid like morphine or an illegal one like heroin, you should seek help for addiction. Continuing to misuse these drugs can lead to a substance use disorder, immune system issues, damage to the endocrine system, injuries, and life-threatening overdoses.

The long-term risks of abusing opioids include:

Addiction

The first risk of long-term opioid abuse is addiction. Opioids affect the reward and pleasure part of your brain, making your brain associate drugs with happiness. Over time, you will develop a tolerance, dependency, and cravings to misuse opioids.

The main signs of opioid addiction include:

  • Being unable to control how much or how often you abuse opioids
  • Having a hard time fulfilling responsibilities at home, school, or work
  • Continuing to use opioids despite facing adverse physical or mental health effects
  • Dealing with urges or cravings to use more opioids
  • Experiencing social consequences or relationship issues because of your opioid abuse
  • Needing to increase the dose of opioids to experience your desired effect (tolerance)
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using opioids (dependency)

Thankfully, drug rehab programs like Archstone Behavioral Health are here to help you overcome opioid addiction. We offer medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and relapse prevention planning to help you achieve long-term sobriety.

Injuries

Long-term opioid abuse is also associated with increased injuries due to falls or accidents. This is especially common among elderly individuals who use opioids frequently. Because of the drowsiness and coordination issues these medications cause, you are more likely to become severely injured after falling or getting into an accident.

Your risk of experiencing falls and injuries is higher if you take opioids and:[4]

  • Have muscle weakness
  • Are diagnosed with a balance disorder
  • Have a history of low blood pressure
  • Drink alcohol or use marijuana
  • Take medications for anxiety, sleep, depression, or muscle relaxation
  • Have a liver or kidney disease

Endocrine Issues

Long-term abuse of opioids is associated with a host of endocrine issues. You are more likely to experience endocrine problems if you are a woman who is of childbearing age.

The endocrine issues associated with long-term opioid abuse include:[5]

  • Amenorrhea or loss of menstrual period
  • Reduced libido in both men and women
  • Erectile dysfunction in men
  • Infertility
  • Depression and fatigue related to hormonal changes

Immune System Risks

Abusing opioids frequently can cause your immune system to weaken. According to Oregon Health Science University, opioids can “suppress the immune response and thereby increase the vulnerability to infections.”[6]

If you have been taking opioids for a long time or in high doses, you could experience immune system issues. Unfortunately, this puts you at risk of developing infections. With a weakened immune system, your body might not be able to fight even common colds, leading to emergency room visits.

Overdoses

Lastly, long-term opioid abuse makes you more likely to use larger doses of the drugs. This occurs because you build up a tolerance. Unfortunately, tolerance does not always protect you from experiencing an overdose.

In other words, long-term opioid use can lead to life-threatening overdoses. The symptoms of an opioid overdose include:[7]

  • Loss of consciousness and not responding to stimuli
  • Limpness of the body
  • Slowed breathing and heart rate
  • Choking or gurgling noises
  • Small, constricted pupils
  • Pale and clammy skin
  • Blue color to the lips and fingernails

If you or a loved one displays the signs of an opioid overdose, contact 911 and administer naloxone (Narcan) immediately.

Find Help for Opioid Addiction

If you or a loved one suffers from an opioid use disorder, it’s time to seek professional help. At Archstone Behavioral Health, we can provide you with all of the tools and support you need to achieve long-lasting sobriety.

Contact us today for more information on our opioid addiction treatment center.

References:

  1. Maricopa County Attorney’s Office: Opioid Epidemic
  2. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Prescription Opioids DrugFacts
  3. The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Side effects of opioids during short-term administration: Effect of age, gender, and race
  4. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences: Adults who take Prescription Opioid Pain Medication May be More at Risk for FALLS!
  5. Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM): Long-term harms of opioids
  6. The Oregon Health Science University (OHSU): Opioids and the immune system – friend or foe
  7. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Opioid Overdose

Opioids are a class of drugs that can depress the central nervous system (CNS) and change the way your body responds to pain. Because they offer pain relief, many opioids are prescribed by doctors to treat moderate to severe and chronic pain. Unfortunately, opioids are also known to be highly addictive, leading to substance use disorders when abused or used long-term.

Sadly, opioid overdoses are incredibly common, with 130 Americans dying every day from them. Opioid overdoses account for two-thirds of all overdoses in the United States.[1]

While addiction and overdose are some of the main long-term risks of opioid abuse, there are some other dangers to be aware of. For example, you could experience injuries, damage to your endocrine system, and a weakened immune system from frequent or chronic opioid misuse. You should always seek professional addiction treatment when you are struggling with opioid abuse.

In this article, you will learn:

  • What are opioids
  • What are the short-term effects of opioids
  • What are the long-term risks of opioid use

What are Opioids?

Opioids are CNS depressants that also attach to opioid receptors found throughout your body. There are both natural and synthetic opioids and many of them are available by prescription to relieve pain. Opioids manage pain by attaching to opioid receptors in your brain, gut, spinal cord, and other areas of the body.

Prescription opioids include medications like:[2]

  • Oxycodone
  • Hydrocodone
  • Morphine
  • Codeine
  • Oxymorphone
  • Fentanyl

Opioid medications are only intended for short-term use because of the risk of abuse and addiction that they carry. You have a higher risk of developing an addiction the longer you take an opioid drug. Prescribed opioids can be helpful when used short-term after an injury, or surgery, or to treat chronic pain from conditions like cancer or arthritis.

There are also illegal opioids out there. For example, heroin and illegally manufactured fentanyl (IMF) are common drugs of abuse that are not approved for medical use in the United States. In other words, they are not used as pain medicines and are illegal to obtain or abuse.

What are the Short-Term Effects of Opioid Drugs?

Opioids can cause side effects even if you are using them as prescribed. For example, you might feel dizzy, drowsy, or sleepy. Some people experience itchy skin when they are taking opioids.

The common short-term effects of opioids include:[3]

  • Dizziness and drowsiness
  • Tiredness or sedation
  • Itchiness
  • Constipation
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Slowed heart rate or breathing

If you take higher doses of opioids than you are prescribed, you could experience toxic effects. Opioid overdoses can occur when you take too much of an opioid at once. This might involve symptoms like stopped breathing, losing consciousness, pale or clammy skin, and a blue tint to the lips or fingernails.

If you believe someone is experiencing an opioid overdose, you should contact 911 immediately. Additionally, administer the opioid reversal medication Narcan if it is available.

Long-Term Risks of Opioid Abuse

There are tons of risks associated with abusing opioids long-term. Whether you are abusing a prescription opioid like morphine or an illegal one like heroin, you should seek help for addiction. Continuing to misuse these drugs can lead to a substance use disorder, immune system issues, damage to the endocrine system, injuries, and life-threatening overdoses.

The long-term risks of abusing opioids include:

Addiction

The first risk of long-term opioid abuse is addiction. Opioids affect the reward and pleasure part of your brain, making your brain associate drugs with happiness. Over time, you will develop a tolerance, dependency, and cravings to misuse opioids.

The main signs of opioid addiction include:

  • Being unable to control how much or how often you abuse opioids
  • Having a hard time fulfilling responsibilities at home, school, or work
  • Continuing to use opioids despite facing adverse physical or mental health effects
  • Dealing with urges or cravings to use more opioids
  • Experiencing social consequences or relationship issues because of your opioid abuse
  • Needing to increase the dose of opioids to experience your desired effect (tolerance)
  • Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you stop using opioids (dependency)

Thankfully, drug rehab programs like Archstone Behavioral Health are here to help you overcome opioid addiction. We offer medical detox, evidence-based therapies, and relapse prevention planning to help you achieve long-term sobriety.

Injuries

Long-term opioid abuse is also associated with increased injuries due to falls or accidents. This is especially common among elderly individuals who use opioids frequently. Because of the drowsiness and coordination issues these medications cause, you are more likely to become severely injured after falling or getting into an accident.

Your risk of experiencing falls and injuries is higher if you take opioids and:[4]

  • Have muscle weakness
  • Are diagnosed with a balance disorder
  • Have a history of low blood pressure
  • Drink alcohol or use marijuana
  • Take medications for anxiety, sleep, depression, or muscle relaxation
  • Have a liver or kidney disease

Endocrine Issues

Long-term abuse of opioids is associated with a host of endocrine issues. You are more likely to experience endocrine problems if you are a woman who is of childbearing age.

The endocrine issues associated with long-term opioid abuse include:[5]

  • Amenorrhea or loss of menstrual period
  • Reduced libido in both men and women
  • Erectile dysfunction in men
  • Infertility
  • Depression and fatigue related to hormonal changes

Immune System Risks

Abusing opioids frequently can cause your immune system to weaken. According to Oregon Health Science University, opioids can “suppress the immune response and thereby increase the vulnerability to infections.”[6]

If you have been taking opioids for a long time or in high doses, you could experience immune system issues. Unfortunately, this puts you at risk of developing infections. With a weakened immune system, your body might not be able to fight even common colds, leading to emergency room visits.

Overdoses

Lastly, long-term opioid abuse makes you more likely to use larger doses of the drugs. This occurs because you build up a tolerance. Unfortunately, tolerance does not always protect you from experiencing an overdose.

In other words, long-term opioid use can lead to life-threatening overdoses. The symptoms of an opioid overdose include:[7]

  • Loss of consciousness and not responding to stimuli
  • Limpness of the body
  • Slowed breathing and heart rate
  • Choking or gurgling noises
  • Small, constricted pupils
  • Pale and clammy skin
  • Blue color to the lips and fingernails

If you or a loved one displays the signs of an opioid overdose, contact 911 and administer naloxone (Narcan) immediately.

Find Help for Opioid Addiction

If you or a loved one suffers from an opioid use disorder, it’s time to seek professional help. At Archstone Behavioral Health, we can provide you with all of the tools and support you need to achieve long-lasting sobriety.

Contact us today for more information on our opioid addiction treatment center.

References:

  1. Maricopa County Attorney’s Office: Opioid Epidemic
  2. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): Prescription Opioids DrugFacts
  3. The American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics: Side effects of opioids during short-term administration: Effect of age, gender, and race
  4. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences: Adults who take Prescription Opioid Pain Medication May be More at Risk for FALLS!
  5. Faculty of Pain Medicine (FPM): Long-term harms of opioids
  6. The Oregon Health Science University (OHSU): Opioids and the immune system – friend or foe
  7. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA): Opioid Overdose

Medically Reviewed: July 18, 2024

Medical Reviewer

Chief Editor

medically-verified

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

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