Signs of Opiate Use

Opiates, or narcotics, are used by the medical community to relieve pain. They relax patients so they won't concentrate so heavily on the pain they are experiencing. Opiates are highly addictive substances. Opiates come in a variety of forms that include heroin, which is made from the resin found in the seeds of Asian poppies. Morphine, opium and codeine are in the opiate family. Synthetic opiates, such as Demerol, OxyContin and Vicoden, also can be very addictive.

Physical

• People under the influence of opiates have very tiny, constricted pupils, even in the dark. The condition is referred to as "pinned" by drug addicts. The pupils can be so small as to be hardly detectable. Speech becomes blurred and addicts high on opiates may have trouble keeping their balance. They will grab onto rails and chairs to help them walk and stand up.

Sociability

• Opiates give users a sense of well being that makes them very unsociable because they usually don't care about anything going on around them. They will account for their behavior by saying they are tired and just want to be left alone. The fatigue that results from the drug is real, and opiate-addicted people have trouble staying awake and will nod off at inappropriate times.

Behavior

• With continued use, drug addicts can learn to mask many of the signs of their drug use. They may combine drugs to offset certain physical signs or avoid situations that may call for their participation during peak times of their high. Friends and family watching for signs of addiction should note these behavior patterns. Drastic changes in behavior will emerge and often are unexplainable. Personality changes develop over time and people who were once easy going may start fights, or previously energetic people may refuse to participate in activities they once enjoyed.

Cosmetic

• People may notice unusual cosmetic changes a person makes when opiate addiction is present. Addicts may start wearing sunglasses, even when indoors, to hide the pin pupils. Long sleeves may be worn in hot weather to cover up the track marks left from needle use. They may carry pouches to hold the paraphernalia needed to fix the drugs, such as syringes, cotton balls and spoons.

Withdrawal

• Withdrawal symptoms can begin within 12 hours of the last dose, or when the amount of opiates the user is taking is reduced. The addict may present with severe flu-like symptoms, which can be a clue that the person is abusing opiates. Pupils become dilated during withdrawal and the person may experience hot and cold sweats, vomiting, diarrhea and nausea. The addict will appear very agitated for no apparent reason and make excuses to leave to find more drugs.