Final answer:
Opioid abuse primarily begins through prescription misuse or illicit drug use (option a). The crisis escalated in the 1990s due to increased prescriptions and the availability of heroin. Treatment for addiction often includes psychotherapy and medication-assisted treatments.
Step-by-step explanation:
Opioid Abuse and its Origins
Opioid abuse can start in a number of ways, most notably through prescription misuse or the use of illicit drugs. The crisis began in the 1990s when pharmaceutical companies aggressively marketed pain-relieving opioid drugs like OxyContin. Despite the assurance that these medications were non-addictive, a surge in prescriptions led to increased rates of misuse and addiction. As patients began misusing prescribed medications, or when those individuals who used drugs as prescribed became addicted, the epidemic grew more severe. The physiological nature of opioids can lead to addiction in less than a week, including when taken as prescribed. Withdrawal symptoms can include severe pain, often leading to a continuation of drug use.
During the same time that prescription rates skyrocketed, heroin became more accessible and affordable, due in part to Mexican drug cartels. Many who became addicted to prescription opioids transitioned to heroin—about 80 percent of new heroin users in 2014 reported having started out misusing prescription painkillers. This ease of access, coupled with the potent addictiveness of opioids, has made them a focus of public health concern. The issue is compounded by the side effects of prescription opioids, which include not just a high potential for addiction and abuse, but also an increased risk of overdose and death.
The treatment for opioid addiction can involve psychotherapy, support groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, and sometimes the use of medications like methadone, which reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms without causing addiction themselves.
Hence, the answer is option a.