Over the last decade, there has been an increasing awareness of opioid dependence among the general public. Prescription drug abuse is sometimes called an epidemic or crisis.
Given this occurrence please address the following:
- Why are opioid analgesics so widely abused? Discuss what you learned about the basis of drug dependence from this class and your readings. (Please address from a Biopsychological perspective).
- How does opioid dependence affect the nervous system to establish and increase dependence?
- What kind of impact on learning and memory does opioid dependence have?
- Are there societal issues that have contributed, in your opinion, to this growing problem?
- Finally, are there any solutions you can imagine that could help alleviate this epidemic?
