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Studies indicate that older adults are at a higher risk of becoming addicted to prescription painkillers.

What is Opioid Dependence and Tolerance?

You will hear the words “dependency,” “tolerance,” and “addiction” when people talk about opioids. Opioid dependency and addiction are not the same. Everyone who takes opioids for longer than a few days will become dependent on them, but not everyone who is dependent on opioids will become addicted. Dependence means that the body has adjusted to the drug and the person needs to take the drug order to feel “normal.” People who use opioids for a long period of time also develop tolerance. Tolerance means that they require more and more of the drug to feel pain relief or in the case of illicit opioids, experience a “high” feeling. When people who’ve taken opioids for a long time stop taking them, they will suffer physical withdrawal symptoms.

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Who Needs Treatment For Opioid Addiction?