Nobody wants to see their childhood heroes as broken humans. People expect professional athletes to show superhuman strength.
No matter what professional sport you are watching, the incredible is bound to happen at any given moment. Whether it is a highlight reel dunk in basketball, an aggressive maul in rugby, a hat trick in cricket, or an amazing goal in hockey, sports fanatics live for these moments.
If the best of the best weren’t able to play because of injuries, though, sports would be far less exciting. That’s when the world of science enters. But could treating these injuries lead to too much of a good thing?
In several sports, opioid painkiller abuse is rampant among players. These painkillers might be having an everlasting effect on players and even be leading to the abuse of more dangerous drugs. Our world is suffering from an opioid epidemic and the first way to combat it is to expose it.
What are Opioid painkillers?
Opiate/opioid painkillers are drugs that have similar effects to opium. The drugs work by stimulating the receptors in the brain and nervous system. Prescription opiate/opioids include codeine, morphine, dihydrocodeine, methadone, buprenonorphine, diamorphine, and fentanyl.
Illegal opioids include heroin. Opioids can be highly addictive and very dangerous. Opioid and methadone addiction signs include: sleepiness or disorientation, constipation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, itching, mood swings, and feelings of lethargy, addiction, overdose and
death.
A major problem in the sports world
Australia, the United States, and other countries are experiencing opioid epidemics that are currently plaguing the countries. There is no exception for athletes. Recently, many pro athletes from many major sports have come clean about drug abuse in sports.
After U.S. football player Calvin Johnson retired, he exposed the National Football League (NFL). In a E60 interview, he stated that the NFL and team staffs were handing painkillers “out like candy.” In a recent article in Rugby World, former players unite and discuss the opioid problem.
One former player states, “Our doc used to walk around with a frisbee full of painkillers before the game.” It’s no surprise, then, that many current and former players have displayed methadone addiction signs and other symptoms of substance abuse.
Alcohol and drug abuse has affected many athletes. The point is, athletes are people too, and if someone is suffering from a drug addiction, it’s never too late to offer or receive help.
Solutions
There are solutions for opioid addiction and other forms of substance abuse. More people are supporting the use of marijuana instead of potentially addictive opioids. Studies have found marijuana effective in relieving pain, with few dangerous side effects.
Marijuana, however, may produce some side effects.
While people are not likely to die from a marijuana overdose, it seems that some people may become dependent on the drug. On paper, marijuana seems like it might be a good solution to treat pain, because its side effects are less dangerous than opioids.
Marijuana, though, is sometimes controversial because some governments still classify it as illegal.
Substance abuse is at an all-time high around the world. Thankfully, many people receive help and have completely changed their lives. Former basketball player Chris Herren is a prime example of how one can make a change. He started as a great college basketball player and transitioned into a decent professional player, but fell into the dark grip of addiction. He even admitted to using drugs behind a dumpster right before he was supposed to play.
At thirty-two years old, Herren was a full-blown addict when he sought treatment. He became sober in 2008 and has been sober ever since. He is now a motivational speaker and making a difference in many lives.
There is nothing heroic about being a substance abuser. When basketball superstar Michael Jordan played the ‘flu game,’ it was a legendary moment in sports history. In 1997, a visibly ill Jordan helped his lead his team to a victory during a game of the championship series.
However, when players abuse painkillers after combating injuries, it is only worsening the problem and setting a horrible example. The effects of painkillers in professional sports need to be researched, because they often create more problems for the athletes after their careers are over.
Professional athletes are role models. If they start to speak up about this epidemic, maybe the world will start listening.