Opioid use disorder is a medical condition in which a person keeps using opioids despite harm to their health, relationships, and daily life. The harm is not limited to dependence. Opioids affect breathing, digestion, hormones, mood, sleep, and thinking, and the effects tend to build the longer and heavier the use.
If you are worried about your own use or a loved one’s, it helps to know what the effects look like and which ones are warning signs. Opioid addiction treatment can address both the dependence and the toll it has taken, and starting sooner tends to limit the damage.
What Is Opioid Use Disorder?
Opioid use disorder, sometimes called opioid addiction, is a chronic condition in which the brain and body come to depend on opioids. It can affect anyone who uses them, whether the drug is a prescription pain medication such as oxycodone or hydrocodone, or an illegal drug such as heroin or illicitly made fentanyl. It is not a lack of willpower. Biology, mental health, and life circumstances all play a part.
How Opioid Use Disorder Develops
Opioids work by attaching to receptors in the brain and body, which eases pain and can create a sense of calm or euphoria. With repeated use, the brain adjusts. The same dose has less effect, so people often need more to feel the same relief, and stopping causes withdrawal. Over time, using can shift from a choice to something that feels necessary, and cravings and loss of control follow. The bottom line is that this is a change in how the brain works, not a character flaw.
Physical Side Effects of Opioid Use Disorder
Opioids affect nearly every system in the body. Some effects show up early, and others tend to appear after months or years of use.
Slowed Breathing
Opioids slow the part of the brain that controls breathing. At higher doses, or when mixed with alcohol or sedatives, breathing can slow to a dangerous level or stop. This is how opioid overdoses happen, and it is the most serious short-term risk.
Digestive Problems
Opioids slow the digestive system. Constipation, nausea, bloating, and stomach pain are common. When constipation is severe and long-lasting, it can lead to hemorrhoids, tears, or a blockage that needs medical care.
Hormone Changes
Opioids can interfere with the hormones that regulate energy, mood, and sexual health. Over time, this may lead to low sex drive, irregular periods, fertility problems, and lower testosterone in men.
Fatigue, Poor Sleep, and Weakened Immunity
Many people on opioids feel drowsy and run down, yet sleep poorly. Long-term use may also weaken the body’s defenses, which can make infections more likely.
Increased Pain Sensitivity
Ironically, long-term opioid use can make some people more sensitive to pain. This is called opioid-induced hyperalgesia, and it can leave people feeling worse even as they use more.
Overdose Risk
As tolerance rises, people tend to take more, which raises the chance of an accidental overdose. The risk is higher with fentanyl, which is far more potent than morphine and is often hidden in other drugs. After a period without opioids, tolerance drops quickly, so returning to a previous dose can be especially dangerous. For more, see our page on fentanyl addiction treatment.
Long-Term Effects of Opioid Use on the Body
Years of opioid use can strain organs beyond the digestive and hormonal systems.
Liver and Kidney Damage
Many prescription pain pills, including some forms of hydrocodone and oxycodone, contain acetaminophen. In large amounts, acetaminophen can injure the liver. Dehydration and reduced blood flow tied to heavy opioid use can also put stress on the kidneys.
Heart and Circulation Problems
Long-term opioid use has been linked to heart rhythm problems and other cardiovascular strain. People who inject opioids face an added risk of heart infections when bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Infections From Injection
Sharing or reusing needles can spread HIV and hepatitis B and C, and injecting can cause skin and soft tissue infections. These illnesses can have lasting effects on health long after drug use stops.
Psychological Side Effects of Opioid Use Disorder
Opioids change brain chemistry, and the effects reach thinking, mood, and behavior.
Memory and Concentration Problems
People with opioid use disorder often report trouble concentrating, remembering, and making decisions. Some of these problems may improve in recovery, though how much varies from person to person.
Depression, Anxiety, and Mood Swings
Opioids alter the brain’s natural mood chemistry. Depression, anxiety, and irritability are common, and mood can swing between relief while using and distress during withdrawal. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of self-harm, call or text 988 right away, or call 911 in an emergency.
Emotional Numbness
Long-term use can dull emotions, making it hard to feel joy or connection. This numbness often feeds withdrawal from loved ones.
Paranoia and Hallucinations
In some people, heavy or prolonged use can bring on confusion, paranoia, or hallucinations, and these may worsen during withdrawal. Anyone experiencing them should be seen by a medical professional.
Sleep Problems
Opioids disrupt normal sleep patterns, leading to insomnia and poor-quality rest. Poor sleep, in turn, tends to make mood and thinking problems worse.
Social and Everyday Effects of Opioid Addiction
The effects of opioid addiction reach well beyond health.
- Pulling away from family and friends, which can lead to loneliness
- Strained trust and relationships as cravings and secrecy take over
- Missed work or school, lower performance, or job loss
- Financial strain from the cost of obtaining opioids
- Legal trouble tied to obtaining or using drugs
- Risky behavior that raises the chance of injury or infection
Without help, these pressures tend to build on each other. The good news is that many of them ease as recovery takes hold.
Risk Factors for Opioid Use Disorder
Anyone can develop opioid use disorder, but some things raise the likelihood.
- A family history of addiction
- A personal history of trauma, depression, anxiety, or other mental health conditions
- Easy access to prescription opioids, or long-term prescriptions at higher doses
- Stress, social pressure, or few healthy ways to cope with pain or difficult emotions
- Past substance use
Having one or more risk factors does not mean a person will develop the disorder, and having none does not guarantee they will not.
Signs It May Be Time to Get Help
Many people wait because they are not sure their use has become a problem. Any of these can be a sign it has.
- Needing more of the drug to feel the same effect
- Feeling sick, anxious, or restless when you try to cut back
- Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from opioids
- Using more than you meant to, or failing to cut down when you try
- Continuing to use despite problems with health, work, or relationships
If someone’s breathing is very slow, they cannot be woken, or their lips look blue or gray, call 911 right away.
Opioid Addiction Treatment at Port Charlotte Detox
Recovery from opioid use disorder is possible, and many of the physical and mental effects improve with time and care. Stopping on your own can be difficult and risky, since withdrawal can be intense and tolerance drops quickly. Our guide to opioid withdrawal symptoms and timeline explains what to expect.
Port Charlotte Detox offers a medical detox program for adults, where a clinical team monitors you as your body clears opioids and works to ease symptoms. After detox, many people continue into residential treatment, which provides individual counseling, group therapy, and relapse prevention planning in a setting away from daily triggers.
Frequently Asked Questions About Opioid Use Disorder Side Effects
What are the most common side effects of opioid use disorder?
The most common are slowed breathing, constipation, nausea, drowsiness, hormone changes, trouble sleeping, and problems with memory and mood. Over time, the effects often extend to relationships, work, and finances.
Can long-term opioid use cause permanent damage?
It can cause lasting harm in some cases, including liver, kidney, and heart problems, and infections for people who inject. Some effects, such as mood and thinking problems, may improve after stopping, though this varies by person.
How does opioid addiction affect mental health?
It commonly brings depression, anxiety, mood swings, poor concentration, and sleep problems. People with an existing mental health condition may find it harder to manage while using, and withdrawal can add to the distress.
Why does opioid use make some people more sensitive to pain?
With long-term use, the nervous system can become more reactive to pain, a condition called opioid-induced hyperalgesia. Reducing or stopping opioids under medical guidance often helps, though how quickly varies.
Are the side effects of opioid addiction reversible?
Many improve once a person stops using and has time to recover, including digestion, sleep, energy, and mood. Some changes take longer, and a few may be lasting, so earlier treatment tends to protect more of your health.
How is opioid use disorder treated?
Treatment usually begins with medically supervised detox and continues with residential care that includes counseling, group therapy, and relapse prevention planning. The right path depends on the person, and our admissions team can talk through your situation.
You Do Not Have to Face Opioid Addiction Alone
If opioid use is taking a toll on you or someone you love, help is available. Call (844) 336-2690 to speak confidentially with our admissions team, or verify your insurance online.