According to Addictions.com’s study, the brain can be severely impacted by the long-term use or abuse of painkillers. While many people believe that taking these drugs is safe—even harmless—when they have been prescribed these medications by a doctor, the truth is problems can occur even if you are taking the drug exactly as you were told. Prescription opioids can cause real issues for the human brain when taken over a long period of time. Also, the longer you take them, the more likely you are to experience serious side effects.
For example, those who take painkillers for 180 days or longer have an increased likelihood of experiencing depression at some point in their lives. A recent study found that this chance increases by 53 percent when a person takes these medications for longer 180 days, even when they take them as prescribed. If a person becomes addicted to or dependent on these drugs, however, the chances increase even more, as comorbid mental disorders are extremely likely to occur when someone experiences a substance use disorder.
Painkillers can also disrupt the brain’s ability to produce its own neurotransmitters. In this instance, the brain becomes so adapted to the opioids handling issues like pain and stress that it comes to rely on the medication to regulate all of these necessities. This can be a serious problem, and though it can often be reversed with treatment, it sometimes takes years for a full reversal.
People who take opioids can also experience problems with cognition, learning, and memory. Taking these drugs can actually interrupt blood flow to the brain, which can cause temporary memory loss. However, when this happens over a prolonged period of time, it can cause serious cognitive problems that cannot be resolved quickly. Some people even see an increase in their risk of cognitive disorders like dementia.
Finally, the brain can be critically affected when a person takes these drugs over a long period of time because of the increased possibility of dependence and addiction. People who take opioids for longer than 7 days are already at an increased risk for addiction, and those who take these medications for more than 30 days will become dependent in most cases. Unfortunately, even if you are taking your medications the way your doctor prescribed, there is a considerable risk that they can cause problems for your brain functions the longer you continue to take them.
The best way to avoid these potential outcomes is to limit your use of prescription opioids as much as you possibly can. Talk to your doctor and make sure you are taking the drug(s) correctly and also determine the shortest amount of time you can stay on them. Avoid any unnecessary use of painkillers and consider some of the alternative treatment options you may be able to utilize, especially if you are likely to need pain relief for a long period of time. Being aware of these potential risks can save you from many serious problems in the long-term when it comes to painkillers.
