Tag: Endorphins

In 2022, an estimated 9.3 million U.S. adults needed treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), but only 25.1% received medications for it [1.5.4]. Methadone, a key medication in OUD treatment, works because of what it mimics in the body: other opioids and natural pain-relieving chemicals [1.2.2, 1.2.4].

The discovery of endogenous opioid peptides in 1975 revolutionized our understanding of pain and pleasure [1.2.1]. So, **what are opioid like peptides**? They are the body's own morphine-like substances, playing crucial roles in analgesia, mood, and stress responses [1.2.2, 1.4.2].