Final answer:
Family members fear addiction and overdose due to the high risk associated with opioid medication. The crisis began with mass-marketing and false advertising in the 1990s, leading to widespread misuse and dependency. Treatment includes psychotherapy, support groups, and medications like methadone.
Step-by-step explanation:
Family members of individuals taking opioids as medication often fear addiction and overdose. With as many as one in four patients on long-term opioid therapy in a primary care setting struggling with addiction, it's a valid concern. The risk becomes even more alarming knowing that taking too many opioids can lead to breathing cessation and death. The opioid crisis that began in the 1990s due to mass-marketing and false non-addictive promises has dramatically increased the misuse and addiction rates, even among those who follow their prescriptions. Unfortunately, physiological dependency can develop in under a week. This, combined with the withdrawal symptoms which include pain, often leads to a cycle of continued use.
Moreover, the recent scarcity of prescription pain pills has pushed individuals toward cheaper but more lethal alternatives such as heroin and fentanyl, increasing overdose deaths. This epidemic has impacted all demographic groups in the U.S., with many individuals transitioning from prescription opioids to heroin due to its lower cost and easier accessibility. Intervention measures like psychotherapy and mutual aid fellowships, along with medications such as methadone, are part of the treatment and recovery process for those facing addiction.