Opiate Addiction

Use of mind-altering drugs has peaked to an epidemic proportion. In modern society, prescription pain medications are the most widespread legal drugs used on the streets.

Can the human life cycle move on without the experience of pain interruptions? Can pain persevere 24 hours per day or throughout the human life cycle even after the eliciting factor is no longer there? The answers to these types of questions are very complex and sensitive in the judgments of medical societies, patients, and media.

Employment of opiate pain medication is warranted and could even save life in certain acute medical or surgical settings. Can nonopiate pain medications equally be effective for alleviation of pain? Doctors who have worked in third world countries like Africa are familiar with these types of controversial inquiries.

Can humans live pain free? No. Experience of pain is not definitely parallel to the experience of pleasure. The human brain has both pain and pleasure receptors. Pleasure receptors are similar to opiate or Mu receptors. Drugs such as opiates stimulate opiate receptors and will elicit a feeling of heavenly pleasure, distraction from pain and thereafter no pain.

Perception of pain is different in different cultures. In our fast-growing modern society perception of pain is heightened because of several factors. A fast-growing technology predisposes humans to severe stress. Stress may cause disabling pain. Such pains are evidently sequels of muscle tension. Do humans need opiates for such conditions? Evidently the answer is no. Such a strategy will not eliminate the root of the problem, which is stress. Humans cannot escape from the threats of stress. However teachings that address self-management of stress through meditation, muscle-relaxation techniques, and alternative healings would be appropriate and beneficial.