Causes of Opioid Addiction

B2 – Upper Intermediate

Imagine a pill that can both induce pleasure and reduce pain. Would you take it only to relieve your pain or would you take it even in the absence of pain?

Let’s watch the video and learn more about the history and the current usage of opioid.

Discussion Questions:

  1. What do you know about opium?
  2. According to the video, how do opioid drugs affect the human body?
  3. What factors can lead to opioid addiction?
  4. Do you think substance abuse in general is a problem in your country? What measures are being done in your country to fight against addiction?
  5. What is your opinion on pharmaceutical companies producing and benefitting from opioid-like synthetic substances?
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2 replies on “Causes of Opioid Addiction”

1. What do you know about opium?
It is extracted from the poppy flower, making cuts in them and draining the sap. I know it has been used for centuries as a drug and it has a long record of abuse in different civilisations. Even the famous opium wars were fought between Great Britain and China over the rights to sell opium and its addictive potential.

2. According to the video, how do opioid drugs affect the human body?
They contain a chemical compound that binds to the opioid receptors in the brain, to which endorphin normally binds to calm pain. Opioid drugs bind more strongly and for longer than endorphin, so they produce a stronger sedative effect.

3. What factors can lead to opioid addiction?
When an opioid drug binds to the opioid receptors, it triggers the production of dopamine, which produces an euphoric sensation, and supresses the release of noradrenaline, which regulates different bodily functions.

When someone regularly uses opioid drugs, his body gets used to smaller amounts of noradrenaline and becomes more sensitive to it. This means that it becomes dependent on the drug to keep functioning normally. Combined with the increasing tolerance to the drug and the need for a higher dose, it makes the user become addicted.

4. Do you think substance abuse in general is a problem in your country? What measures are being done in your country to fight against addiction?
As far as I know, substance abuse is not a major concern in Spain. Nontheless, there are detoxification programs and therapy groups for people in need.

5. What is your opinion on pharmaceutical companies producing and benefitting from opioid-like synthetic substances?
Being aware of the potential risks of opioids, its use is necessary for people with severe pain and it is necessary for pharmaceutical companies to produce them. It’s doctors who prescribe them who should control the dose and that the patients are not abusing the drug, and, if they have neglected that control, they should be accountable.

What a very comprehensive way of answering our questions. Excellent work!

See how you can improve this sentence a bit more:

It’s doctors who prescribe them who should control the dose and that the patients are not abusing the drug, and, if they have neglected that control, they should be accountable.

It’s the doctors who prescribe them who should control the dosage and make sure that the patients are not abusing the drug. Now, if they failed to control this, then they should be the ones held accountable.

Keep honing your writing skills through this exercise.

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