Written by:

Nuno Albuquerque – Former UKAT Counsellor

Medically Reviewed by:

Dr Mateen Durrani – MBBS, DPM, MSc, BCPsych

Last Updated:

June 9th, 2025

Opioid Addiction | Types, Symptoms & Effects

Opioid addiction is a growing crisis that demands urgent attention in the UK. While much of the public focus has been on the devastating impact across North America—where overprescribing of opioid pain medications sparked a full-blown epidemic—the UK faces its own serious and rising challenges. Opioids are now responsible for nearly half of all drug-related deaths in the UK, with the consequences felt deeply across families, communities, and the healthcare system. It is a problem that cannot be ignored.

Opioid addiction - opioids on table

What are opioids?

The term “opioids” encompasses a wide range of drugs, from prescription painkillers like hydrocodone to illegal narcotics like heroin. While you might hear “opioids” and “opiates” used as if they’re the same (as they will be here), there is a distinction: opiates are naturally derived from the opium poppy (like morphine and codeine), whereas opioids include these plus synthetic drugs like fentanyl, crafted in labs to emulate the effects of their natural counterparts.

Doctors often prescribe opioids (and opiates) for their unrivalled ability to relieve pain. They do this by latching onto specific receptors (opioid receptors) in your brain and throughout your body, dampening pain and often making you feel relaxed and happy. But it’s this dual effect of pain relief and pleasure that can also make opioids dangerously addictive.

What is an opioid addiction?

Opioid and opiate addiction means you continue to use them despite the harmful impacts on your health and life. This can happen with both doctor-prescribed medications and illegal drugs like heroin.

Opioids hack your brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine, a chemical that creates feelings of pleasure. That rush can make you want to keep using opioids to experience that high again, starting a dangerous cycle of repeated use.

Over time, regular use of opioids dulls your brain’s ability to produce dopamine on its own, making it harder for you to enjoy anything without drugs. This is known as opioid “tolerance”, which means needing higher doses to achieve the same effect, deepening your reliance.

Eventually, this physical dependency becomes so strong that without opioids, withdrawal symptoms kick in, and you experience intense discomfort and cravings.

At the same time, opioids can become something you rely on emotionally for stress, mental health or personal pain. The physical and emotional dependencies that trap you together are what constitute a full-blown opioid or opiate addiction.

Opioid addiction UK factsheet

Between April 2023 and March 2024, a total of 137,965 people received treatment for opioid and opiate addiction.
In 2023, 2,551 drug-poisoning deaths involved opioids and opiates (a 12.8% increase from 2022 – 2,261 deaths)
A 2022 study found that opioid hospitalisations increased by 48.9% in England between 2008 and 2018.
Many of those beginning treatment for opioid addiction were diagnosed with co-existing mental health and addiction needs.

What makes opioids addictive?

Opioid addiction can begin from recreational use, but it is often a prescription drug addiction that begins with a genuine medical need. While opioids’ effects mean that they are inherently habit-forming, addiction doesn’t take hold randomly. Here are some of the personal factors that could increase your vulnerability:

Chronic pain challenges

If you have a condition which causes long-term pain, opioids can be a godsend. However, the longer you take them, the greater your chances of becoming addicted, especially if your doctors aren’t taking the necessary precautions.

Your environment

If you have a stressful job or home life or live in an area where there is a lot of poverty or drug use, the chances of opioid abuse and addiction can increase significantly. This is because you may start using opioids to try and forget about your situation or get through difficult times.

Mental health issues

Another common reason for opioid abuse is using them for coping with mental health problems like anxiety, depression or the effects of trauma. The problem is that when opioid addiction takes hold of you, it just enflames symptoms, causing more opioid abuse and a vicious cycle.

Genetic susceptibility

Genetics play a crucial role in addiction with some people having a higher inherent risk that requires cautious opioid use and close medical monitoring.

Ease of access

If you can get opioids easily, either legally or illegally, it can accelerate your journey to opioid addiction.

Potential opioid addictions

Buprenorphine addiction

Buprenorphine addiction involves compulsive use, leading to dependency and withdrawal. Professional treatment is essential for recovery.

Buprenorphine addiction →

Codeine addiction

Codeine addiction involves compulsive use of the painkiller, leading to dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and serious health issues like liver damage. Professional treatment is crucial for effective recovery.

Codeine addiction →

Dihydrocodeine addiction

Dihydrocodeine addiction involves compulsive use, leading to dependency, withdrawal, and health issues. Treatment is crucial for recovery.

Dihydrocodeine addiction →

Fentanyl addiction

Fentanyl is an extremely powerful opioid with a high risk of addiction. Often cut into other drugs, it can also lead to overdose.

Fentanyl addiction →

Methadone addiction

Methadone is often used to help treat opioid use disorder but can lead to addiction when abused.

Methadone addiction →

Morphine addiction

Morphine is commonly used in hospitals to treat pain. However, addiction can occur when taken too much.

Morphine addiction →

Oxycodone addiction

Oxycodone addiction involves compulsive use of the opioid, leading to dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and severe health issues like respiratory problems.

Oxycodone addiction →

Tramadol addiction

Tramadol addiction involves compulsive use of the painkiller, leading to dependency, withdrawal, and cognitive issues. Professional treatment is crucial.

Tramadol addiction →

Vicodin addiction

Vicodin addiction involves compulsive use, leading to dependency, withdrawal symptoms, and health issues. Treatment is essential.

Vicodin addiction →

Opioid addiction signs and symptoms

Spotting opioid addiction signs and symptoms can be very hard, especially if you are able to maintain a semblance of normalcy or you were prescribed the drugs for a genuine medical condition. However, early recognition and action are critical for recovery. Here are some symptoms of drug addiction to look out for:

Increasing secrecy about what you’re doing or where you are to conceal opioid abuse.
Facing sudden financial problems or being secretive about money, possibly due to spending so much on opioids.
Avoiding your friends, family or coworkers, possibly to dodge questions about opioid abuse.
Becoming moody or experiencing discomfort or pain when you haven’t been using opioids.
Often being really tired or nodding off unexpectedly.
Pinpoint pupils (a common physical sign of opioid use).
Visible marks from needle injections.

If these signs sound worryingly familiar, you should seriously consider professional rehab treatment and drug detox.

What harm do opioid abuse and addiction cause?

Opioid addiction carries risks that make these drugs some of the most dangerous, even when a doctor prescribes them. Here is a closer look at some of the major risks:

Opioid overdose

The danger of a fatal opioid overdose is a grim reality for all opioid users but the risk escalates with stronger drugs like fentanyl, taking higher doses of opioids or when you take them with alcohol or other substances.

Signs of an opioid overdose include:

Unresponsiveness or unconsciousness
Shallow, slow or stopped breathing
Pinpoint pupils
Pale, clammy skin
Limp body
Choking or gurgling sounds
Slow or irregular heartbeat

You should seek immediate medical help if you spot these signs of an opioid overdose.

Worsening mental health

Opioid addiction can amplify symptoms of depression, anxiety and PTSD and may spark new mental health issues that linger long after drug use ends.

Infectious diseases

The use of shared needles can transmit diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C.

Respiratory issues

Opioids can depress your breathing, leading to hypoxia, a dangerous condition where your brain doesn’t receive enough oxygen, which can cause irreversible harm or death.

Digestive problems

Long-term opioid abuse often results in chronic constipation, which can lead to severe gastrointestinal issues.

Heart risks

Opioids affect the heart, particularly with intravenous use, increasing the risk of infections, heart attacks and strokes.

What are the three stages of treating heroin addiction?

At Linwood House, prescription drug addiction treatment for opioids starts with an expert-managed detox to get all the drugs out of your system. Once you are through withdrawal, you will then begin therapy to break your emotional and psychological reliance. Once you complete the residential part of treatment, we then provide invaluable aftercare and alumni services to support you going forward and prevent any future relapse.

Seek help for opioid addiction today

Is opioid addiction harming you and those you care about? Then, Linwood House can help repair the damage and get you back on track. Contact us and begin your recovery from opioid addiction today. The sooner you get started, the sooner your new life can begin.

Frequently asked questions

How can I help a loved one with an opioid addiction?

Helping someone with an opioid addiction can feel overwhelming, but your support can make all the difference. Start by having an open, non-judgemental conversation about your concerns. Encourage them to seek professional help, perhaps show them this page and offer to attend meetings with them. Crucially, no matter what happens during the early days of treatment, remember that recovery is a journey, and your consistent support and understanding are invaluable.

How can I use opioids safely?

If you are prescribed opioids for pain, it is crucial to use them responsibly to minimise risks. Always follow your doctor’s instructions closely, take the prescribed dose at the recommended times and never share your medication with others. Also, keep your doctor informed about all your medications to avoid dangerous interactions and discuss any concerns or side effects you experience.

Are opioids or opiates more dangerous?

Both opioids and opiates can be dangerous. Both types of drugs affect the brain similarly and carry a high risk of addiction and overdose if not used properly. That is why you should always follow your doctor’s instructions when using opioids or opiates.

(Click here to see works cited)

UK Rehab. “Opioid Addiction | Causes, Symptoms and Diagnosis.” UK Rehab, https://www.uk-rehab.com/prescription-drug-addiction/opioid/. Accessed 23 April 2025.
NCBI. “Opioid Use Disorder – StatPearls.” NCBI, 17 January 2024, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK553166/. Accessed 13 January 2025.
World Health Organization (WHO). “Opioid overdose.” World Health Organization (WHO), 29 August 2023, https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/opioid-overdose. Accessed 23 April 2025.
Friebel, Rocco, and Laia Maynou. “Trends and characteristics of hospitalisations from the harmful use of opioids in England between 2008 and 2018: Population-based retrospective cohort study.” Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine vol. 115,5 (2022): 173-185. doi:10.1177/01410768221077360
Office for National Statistics. “ONS: Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales: 2023 registrations.” Deaths related to drug poisoning in England and Wales – Office for National Statistics, 23 October 2024, https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsrelatedtodrugpoisoninginenglandandwales/2023registrations. Accessed 23 April 2025.