How Opioids Affect Dopamine in Addicts When it comes to dangerous drugs, they always have a negative effect on the body. Opioids are drugs that bind to the opioid receptors in the body. This includes illegal and prescribed drugs such as heroin, fentanyl, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine. According to a chart published on HHS , more than 130 people die from an opioid-related drug overdose every single day. Opioid overdoses accounted for more than 42,000 deaths in 2016. Addiction doesn’t just take a toll on your physical health; it also takes a huge toll on your mental health. Addiction affects your brain, and ultimately your mental well being, more than you think. Dopamine Levels and Opioid Abuse There are many factors that go into whether a person who experiments with opioid drugs will continue to take them long enough to become addicted. For people who do continue on that path, they do so because opioids provide intense feelings of pleasure and euphoria.