Addiction is a complex psychiatric disorder made up of social and psychological factors, but at its most basic level it is a biological process. Addiction can come in many forms, but the main substance it chooses is drugs. In particular, prescription drugs in the form of pills have become a serious health problem, not only for drug users but also for the doctors who prescribe them. To fully understand this disorder, considering what mechanisms and brain functions are involved in addiction, the next area to examine are the factors that make prescription drugs so addictive, along with the long-term effects, and discover any new treatment options. in practice today, whether through medicine and/or counseling. According to Nutt (1997), mats are used to produce alterations in brain function that act “on brain receptors and neurotransmitters” (p. 53). The areas of the brain where most drug action takes place have begun to be better understood over the past decade, especially in the sense that drug abuse works through multiple mechanisms depending on the drug. Looking specifically at opioid abuse, the neurochemical action that occurs is that of mu (μ) opioid receptor agonists. Agonists mimic or enhance the effects of a natural neurotransmitter. It often does this by binding to the receptor site, activating the same signals as the natural neurotransmitter. The more an opioid interacts with its designated receptor; the more efficient the agonist becomes (Nutt, 1997, p. 53). Simply put, athletes work with maximum efficiency. Two main mechanisms that mediate drug addiction have been found in the brain: the dopamine system and the endogenous opioid system. Dopamine release from… middle of paper… could be medically reduced, but cannot be done due to their addictive behavior. Long-term use in prescription drug addicts has long-term effects on brain function and neuronal connections within the brain. This is due to the rapid activation of opioid receptors that are mimicked by the opioid drug of choice, and eventually these connections will die. It is necessary to create new treatments realizing that drug addiction coexists with habits that need to be changed. This must, and can happen, with long-term health support both with clinical practices and with treatments based on new evidence such as Buprenorphine/naloxone rather than Methadone. This type of intervention will work amazingly with drug addicts and their sobriety. Intervention by both doctors and opioid abusers would change the course of a deadly prescription.