Long-term opioid use can cause serious health problems that affect your brain, body, and daily life. Having an increased tolerance raises your risk of overdose, dependence, and opioid use disorder (OUD). If you feel sick when you stop taking opioids, that may be a sign of dependence.

Long-term opioid use can lead to heart problems, digestive problems, liver and kidney damage, sexual dysfunction, and other cognitive and mental health conditions. It can slow or stop your breathing, lower your body’s ability to fight infections, and make you more sensitive to pain.

Becoming aware of these risks can help you manage your opioid use and get appropriate treatment when needed. Many of the negative effects of opioids can be improved with treatment.

In this article, we’ll talk about 10 potential effects of long-term opioid use.

10 long-term effects of opioid use you shouldn't ignore

Developing OUD and death by overdose are two of the biggest risks of long-term opioid use. Using opioids can also put you at a higher risk of car accidents and traumatic injuries such as broken bones.

Not everyone wants or needs to stop using opioids entirely, but it’s important to understand the risks and keep yourself as safe as possible. If you continue using, we recommend learning about harm reduction methods like using syringe service programs and never using alone.

The following are 10 long-term effects of opioid use that are important to know about:

• Increased tolerance

Having a high tolerance means it takes a higher dose to make you feel the desired effects. Because so many of the opioids sold on the street contain fentanyl, taking high doses of unregulated opioids is especially risky. And if you abstain for a period of time and your tolerance decreases, you become more vulnerable to overdose.

• Heart and cardiovascular problems

Heart problems related to long-term opioid use may include a slower heart rate, low blood pressure, heart failure, and cardiac arrest. Infections at injection sites are also a risk.

Symptoms of heart problems may include:

• Chest pain or tightness
• Dizziness or light-headedness
• Shortness of breath
• Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper belly or back
• Heart palpitations, racing heartbeat, or fluttering
• Fatigue
• Swelling in the legs, ankles or feet
• Difficulty breathing

Respiratory depression is a sign of opioid overdose, which is when your breath slows or stops. People with COPD, asthma, or other lung conditions may be even more susceptible to respiratory impairment.

• Gastrointestinal problems

Long-term opioid use can lead to digestive problems. These may include constipation, nausea, vomiting, and delayed gastric emptying. This means it takes more time for your stomach contents to move into your small intestine.

• Liver and kidney damage

High doses of opioids can affect kidney and liver function, causing injury, disease, or failure. Combining opioids with acetaminophen (Tylenol) can cause liver damage. People who use needles are at an increased risk to develop hepatitis C.

• Sickness and infection

Using needles to inject opioids can expose you to viruses like HIV. However, that’s not the only reason users are more vulnerable to sickness and infection. Opioid use over time can suppress your immune system. This affects your body’s ability to heal and fight bacteria and viruses.

• Pain sensitivity

Long-term opioid use can make you more sensitive to pain and increase your pain response.

• Sexual dysfunction

Opioid use can decrease your libido, and in people assigned male at birth, it may contribute to erectile dysfunction.

• Brain function and mental health impacts

Long-term opioid use changes your brain chemistry, which is why they cause dependency and OUD. Opioid use may affect your thinking, decision-making, reward processing, sleep, and emotion regulation. It’s also associated with mental health conditions like anxiety and depression.

• Challenges with daily functioning and relationships

OUD can affect your ability to function, your relationships, and other important parts of your life. Aside from strained relationships, OUD may affect your ability to work and provide for yourself and your family.

Get support for opioid use at Groups

Many of the potential health effects related to long-term opioid use are serious. Some people experience heart problems, digestive problems, liver and kidney damage, sexual dysfunction, and other cognitive and mental health conditions. Opioids can slow or stop your breathing, lower your body’s ability to fight infections, and make you more sensitive to pain. Most of these concerns can be prevented or improved with treatment.

There is hope that you can achieve your recovery goals. If you’re not sure what they are yet, that’s OK. We can help you explore what’s possible and learn about your options.

Each person’s path to recovery is unique, and you have options. At Groups, we provide personalized treatment that combines Suboxone, group therapy, and support. You’ll work with a qualified prescriber to determine if medication is right for you and find the right dosage.

You’ll also have weekly support group sessions and access to a Recovery Support Specialist who can connect you with resources for basic needs like food security, transportation, and housing.

Are you looking for help stopping opioid use, or for helping a loved one? Give our Recovery Support Specialists a call today for more information. Let’s talk about your recovery goals and how we can help.

We provide treatment across the country — and we’re always expanding. See if we offer care in your state, either online or at one of our 130+ local offices. If Groups doesn’t offer treatment in your area, you can locate other treatment options here.