5 Opioid Use Disorder Symptoms, and How to Spot Them

Five common signs of opioid use disorder are withdrawal symptoms, signs of drug toxicity, changes in behavior, changes in relationships and changes in mood. None of them is a diagnosis on its own. A clinician diagnoses opioid use disorder by looking at a person's history and the effect of opioid use on daily life. CDC: Diagnosing opioid use disorder

Knowledge is the first step. When you can identify the signs of repeated opioid use in your loved ones, you may be able to help them get care sooner.

Sometimes, knowing the signs can also help you help yourself. If you have concerns about your own opioid use, now is the time to learn the signs and symptoms. Help is out there for those who recognize that they need it.

Below, you'll find five common symptoms of opioid use disorder. Keep reading to become familiar with them so you can spot them in your loved ones, or even in yourself.

1. Withdrawal Symptoms

Opioids are expensive, and a preoccupation with getting them can consume a person's life. Often, a person desperately wants to taper off or quit to improve their quality of life. They may attempt to detox at home, leading to opioid withdrawal and its symptoms.

Both mental and physical symptoms are involved in opioid withdrawal. In the first few hours or days, the symptoms tend to be physical. These can resemble the flu or another illness, and tend to include the following:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Muscle pain
• Fatigue
• Fever
• Insomnia

Psychological symptoms can appear as well. It is often at this point that people resume using opioids. Common mental symptoms include:

• Mood swings
• Depression
• Severe anxiety
• Hyperfixations

Some of these symptoms may also appear when a person has cut back rather than stopped. If you notice that someone is frequently ill or is going through rapid shifts in mood, they may be struggling with opioid use.

Tolerance and withdrawal alone do not establish opioid use disorder when opioids are taken solely under appropriate medical supervision. Clinicians use 11 diagnostic criteria, with at least two occurring within a year. CDC: Diagnosing opioid use disorder

2. Signs of Drug Toxicity

In high doses, opioids become toxic. The body is not built to handle opioids in high quantities. As a person becomes dependent, the amount they take can become physically dangerous.

Often, the signs of drug toxicity are also the first signs of an overdose. Addiction professionals call the signs that you should look for the "overdose triad." Symptoms include:

• Pupillary miosis, or "pinpoint pupils"
• Respiratory depression, or trouble breathing
• Altered mental state, or confusion and delirium

Additionally, you might notice nausea, vomiting, or extreme sleepiness. Inability to wake someone, very slow or absent breathing, or unusual choking or gurgling sounds can indicate an opioid overdose. Do not wait for every sign.

Give naloxone if available, call 911, follow the product and dispatcher's instructions, and stay with the person. Additional naloxone doses may be needed. CDC: Responding to an overdose

3. Changes in Behavior

People with any type of substance use disorder often show overall changes in behavior. If you get the sense that a loved one "isn't acting like their usual self," this can be the first sign of a problem. A few common behavioral patterns tend to emerge, including:

• Failure to engage in self-care
• Chronic lateness or absenteeism
• Excessive energy OR excessive lethargy
• Changes in personal hygiene
• Changes in physical appearance

It is easier to spot these signs in younger populations. If you have concerns about an older friend or relative, don't assume the symptoms are age-related. These changes can also occur with depression, sleep problems, or other illnesses, so a useful assessment considers the whole picture.

4. Changes in Relationships

It can be hard to identify the signs of substance use disorders even in those who are closest to you. Take note of the patterns you've come to expect over time. If you are intimate with a person who is struggling, you might notice a marked change in their libido or sex drive.

Overuse of opioid medication often leads to poor sexual performance and low sex drive. This is because the medication can impair the secretion of certain hormones.

Likewise, opioid use disorder can affect personal relationships on a social level. Your own behavior may even have changed to compensate. You might notice that your relationship has become more codependent, or even that you've taken on the role of an enabler.

Atypical violence and deception can also be signs that a person is struggling with opioid use. If you do not feel safe in your relationship, both partners deserve help.

5. Changes in Mood

When a person begins taking opioids, they may experience euphoria. Over time, they need more of the drug to achieve the same effect. That is called tolerance.

Opioids can change the way a person experiences pleasure. Over time, things that once brought joy may feel less rewarding.

Thus, a depressive mood can be one of the telling signs that someone has an opioid use disorder. Drug use becomes a way to self-medicate for this low mood. It can become a vicious cycle.

Unfortunately, these symptoms can persist even after a person has stopped using. It's important to work with a mental health professional to find relief from drug-related mood changes.

Know Your Opioid Use Disorder Symptoms

If you were struggling, you would want someone to recognize the signs and offer you a way forward. Once you know the most common opioid use disorder symptoms, you can be there for someone when it matters. The more we come to understand opioid use disorder, the better allies and advocates we can become.

Start with a conversation. Describe what you have observed rather than applying a label, for example: "I have noticed you seem unwell and are missing things that matter to you. Can I help you talk with a provider?"

Opioid use disorder is treatable. Buprenorphine, methadone, and naltrexone are medication options, and a clinician can explain which fits the situation. CDC: Treating opioid use disorder

For more detail, read about opioid withdrawal symptoms and medication-assisted treatment.

Start Suboxone treatment online. You can see one of our Suboxone doctors online, by video. The first visit is $89. Follow-up visits are $50 weekly, $75 every two weeks or $89 monthly. Visits are cash pay, and medication is priced separately.