Side Effects of Opioid Addiction - Essay Sample

Opioid in synthetic chemicals is construed as the narcotic analgesics which are manufactured or produced in the chemical laboratories and share in characteristics with the chemical structures of drugs found in natural opiate.

Side effects of opioid addiction

Opioid addiction is one of the severe health diseases known to humanity. The situation, therefore, calls for urgent intervention since it can result in death or other more severe health complications. The following are some of the side effects.

The progressive development of a weak immune system owing to the damage caused to most of the body organs charged with the responsibility of boosting the immunity.

The other issue is on the blood infections and borne illnesses which may eventually lead to paralysis and abscesses of the skin.

The third concern is on sexual dysfunction and in some cases impotence

How it works and bind to the receptors in the brain

Limbic system

Most of the opioid receptors get expressed in the limbic system in conjunction with the nociceptive paths along the axis of hypothalamic and the pituitary-adrenal. The opioid through the limbic system, therefore, play the role of regulating the emotional and addictive behavior thus controlling the responses which may result from pain especially those brought by stress.

Brine system

It is equally significant to realize that opioid binds the Brine system through the treatment of labor-intensive, time-consuming and the dangerous water tanks. The brine thus exists as one of the side products of desalination. In human beings, it may get argued from the perspective of the excretory system.

Section Two

The Brain Structures and Functions

The brain exists as one of the most important and complex organs in the human body. It is served with the responsibility of controlling all the senses and functions found within the body. In consideration of the placement area, the brain assumes three division, the forebrain, midbrain and lastly the hindbrain, each charged with different responsibilities and functions.

How drugs damage neurons

Given the complexity and the immense functions of the brain, drugs find their way into it by tapping the communication mechanism and interfering with the ways of the neurons. The common neurons affected are those charged with the role of sending, receiving and processing information. Drugs such as heroin and marijuana may also activate the neurons due to their chemical structures which resembles that of a natural neurotransmitter. The noted similarity end in giving wrong information to the receptors thus allowing the drug to activate the neurons once it is attached to them. Therefore, the primary role played by the drugs is on giving wrong information to the neurons through the established networks in the brain.

Drugs like cocaine and amphetamine may also trigger the neurons to initiate the release of neurotransmitters in a large amount and interfere with the normal recycling of the brain chemicals. The result of the entire process gets noted on the disruption of the communication channels. Lastly, it is important to realize that drugs that bind to receptor sites interfere with the macromolecules roles in the chemical signaling in the brain cells. The kind of drugs plays the antagonistic role where they compete for recognition in the site hence suppressing the roles of the receptors. Their effects may either be viewed on the long-term or short-term basis since every drug has got its strength.