If you sustain severe car accident injuries, you may be prescribed opiate medications to control the pain. These potent painkillers are certainly useful for some people on a short-term basis. However, over time, they can create more problems than they resolve. Substance abuse in Marietta GA and the Greater Atlanta area may be partially attributed to individuals who began using opiates for legitimate purposes. In addition to the problem of opiate addiction , the long-term use of these drugs may disrupt the endocrine system.
Opiates are powerful chemicals that can disrupt the levels of thyroid hormones. Cortisol and testosterone are other hormones that may develop imbalances due to long-term opiate use. The result can be chronic fatigue, depression, emotional instability, sleep disturbances, metabolic changes, and sexual dysfunction. When seeking treatment for opiate addiction, it may be necessary to consider hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy can help restore wellness and quality of life while you’re working to beat your addiction to opioids.