12 Risk Factors for Opioid Addiction
It’s more important than ever to understand the potential dangers of opioid use. Why? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the United States is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. Knowing when opioid overdose risk is the greatest and which treatment approaches are most effective can help you or a loved one avoid or recover from opioid addiction. Studies have found that many factors increase the risk of opioid dependence among patients taking prescription painkillers. For example, pain impairment, psychotropic medication, depression and age — when present together — increased the risk of opioid dependence eight-fold. Genetic, Environmental and Psychological Factors Can Play a Role in Opioid Addiction Other research points to the fact that genetic, environmental and psychological factors play a role in opioid addiction. Addiction to opioids can happen suddenly or after many years of use. Known risk factors for opioid addiction include: Stress Prio...