Depression - A High Risk Factor for Opioid Abuse

Prescription opioids are classified under the group of medications that treat moderate-to-
severe pain. They are customarily prescribed to patients after a surgery to cope with the
discomfort caused due to pain. Some diseases, such as cancer and other chronic conditions,
also meet the criterion for prescription medication that inflict chronic pain on patients.
Despite the multiple benefits of
prescription medication, such as
the ability to abate the sensation of
pain and cause euphoria, it also has
a high potential for abuse. This
increases the risk of abuse,
addiction, and overdose, as well as
a number of side effects, especially
if used in a nonmedical manner.
Prescription opioids (including
heroin) are the driving force behind
the opioid epidemic affecting the
United States. With more than six
out of 10 drug overdose deaths involving an opioid, the number of overdose deaths has
quadrupled since 1999.
The period from 2000 to 2015 witnessed more than half a million drug overdose deaths, while
in the same period the overall prevalence of pain reported by Americans has remained
consistent. Today, approximately 91 Americans die due to an opioid overdose every day.
Despite the efforts of the federal government to stem the tide of opioid abuse, the
nonmedical use of prescription drugs continues to pose a threat across the world. Unlike
before, several clinicians and researchers now believe that several other factors, such as
psychological, cultural, social and demographical determinants, may contribute to the
consistent rise in opioid abuse in the U.S.
In fact, some have also pointed out that mental disorders are also some of the underlying
causes that force people to resort to prescription medications as a self-medication measure.
Depression, one of the most common mental disorders in the U.S., aggravates pain symptoms
and elongates the recovery process following a surgery or an injury. As depression
complicates the management of pain, this clearly explains the reasons behind the growing
menace of prescription drug abuse.
Depression inflicts sensitivity to pain
Depression is a mental disorder that negatively affects the way a person feels, thinks and acts.
It also displays irregularities in the release of endogenous opioid chemicals within a persons
body. Depressed individuals are not only comparatively more receptive to pain, but can also

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fall prey to the effects of opioids, primarily the ones that have antidepressant properties.
Buprenorphine, a partial opioid agonist has antidepressant properties that can provide the
temporary effects of relief and sedation in depressed individuals that may present as a viable
option for self-medication.
Considering the findings of the earlier studies, depression as a risk factor for the various forms
of substances abuse does not come as a major surprise. Prior studies on depression and illicit
use of substances have warned of this risk, some of which are highlighted below:
A 2012 study found that depressed individuals were twice as likely as mentally sound
individuals to misuse prescription drugs for purposes other than managing pain. It also
reported depressed individuals were two to three times more likely to increases their
prescription dosages.
A 2015 study found that adolescents were more likely to abuse prescription painkillers
for nonmedical purposes and more likely to develop an addiction. Another 2015 study
reported depressed individuals were likely to continue using prescription drugs, even
when their pain has abated and after recovery.
A 2016 study reported that mood disorders that share the similar symptoms of
depression almost doubled the risk of the long-term use of prescription opioids among
the American adults. Lastly, a study reported that prescription opioids can exacerbate
the symptoms of depression, increasing the risk of developing co-occurring disorders
or dual diagnosis.
The stigma around mental disorders can also influence depressed individuals who seek
treatment to misinterpret their mental health symptoms as pain symptoms that can result in
the avoidable prescription of opioids.
For many, this is also like an entry into the vicious cycle of opioid abuse. Being a highly
underdiagnosed and unaddressed mental disorder, especially in the rural areas, depression
has the increased tendency to exacerbate due to the stigma surrounding mental illness and
the deficit of mental health providers. These are the potential factors that also contribute to
the opioid epidemic and the increasing reports of comorbid disorders throughout the U.S.
Try addressing comorbid disorders holistically
Depression not only accounts 3.7 percent of all the U.S. disability-adjusted life years (DALYs),
but also poses a risk for substance abuse. Various painful symptoms of depression in a person
create an environment where substance use becomes a high risk. It is advisable to seek
treatment to avoid aggravation of both the conditions.
If you or your loved one is battling co-occurring disorders, such as depression and drug abuse,
you can reach out to the dual diagnosis treatment centers of Sovereign Health of California.
We understand the plight of individuals challenged by comorbid disorders. Our customized
dual diagnosis treatment programs are tailored to meet the individualistic needs of each
patient to treat him or her holistically. Call us at our 24/7 helpline number (866) 819-0427 to
know more about the viable treatment options near you.

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