How Long Does It Take To Become Addicted To Opioids?

Sadly, the answer is not long – and a much shorter time than most people would expect.  According to a recent study, the transition from being a short-term user to a long-term, potentially problematic user can be as short as a few days. 

In a large scale study that included medical records for over 1 million patients, startling statistics emerge:

• For patients prescribed at least 1 day of opioids, there was a 6% probability of continued use at 1 year and 2.9% at 3 years
• For patients whose initial prescription was for ≥8 days, the probability of continued use at 1 year rose to 13.5%.
• For patients whose initial prescription was for ≥31 days, the probability of continued use at 1 year rose to 29.9%. 
• Approximately 7.3% of the patients were initially prescribed opioids for more than 31 days.
• Approximately 1 in 7 (14%) persons who received a refill or had a second opioid prescription authorized were on opioids 1 year later

 The greatest increases in probability for continued usage were seen:

• When the initial prescription exceeded 10 or 30 days
• When a patient was given a 3^rd prescription
• When the cumulative dose was ≥700 morphine milligram equivalents

The transition from acute to long-term medication usage can occur very quickly.  Risks of becoming a chronic user literally increase with each day a patient is on the medication.    If medication is necessary, it should be closely monitored, reduced and then discontinued as quickly as is possible.  Non-drug options such as chiropractic are a much safer alternative!  See your local chiropractor to see how your back pain can be treated naturally and with very low risk.

 

SOURCE:   Shah A, Hayes CJ, Martin BC. Characteristics of Initial Prescription Episodes and Likelihood of Long-Term Opioid Use — United States, 2006–2015. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2017;66:265–269. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.mm6610a1.