How Do You Treat Opiate Addiction?

Opioids are infamous for being one of the most difficult drugs to kick, leaving many wondering how to treat opiate addiction. If you have a loved one trying to quit using opiates, it’s likely they’ve relapsed multiple times during the process. They aren’t an easy drug to stay away from no matter how badly someone wants to get clean.

Opiate addiction is a complex mental and physical disorder. People who don’t understand addiction still insist that addicts “just quit using.” If it were that simple, though, don’t you think they would have stopped by now? Instead, they usually need help to treat their opiate addiction and stay away from drugs for good.

What kinds of treatment for opiate addiction are available? The question is as important as ever since the opiate crisis in the United States shows little signs of slowing down. Continue reading to learn more about opiate addiction treatment and how you can find help for someone you’re concerned about.

Opiates, also called opioids, are drugs made from the seeds in a poppy plant or manufactured in a lab to mimic the same properties. They include drugs you may get from a doctor, such as codeine, Vicodin, Percocet, and morphine. But dangerous street drugs such as heroin and synthetic fentanyl are opiates as well.

Doctors use prescription opiates after medical procedures for their pain-relieving effects. They are highly addictive, sometimes even when used as prescribed, and put everyday people at risk of developing a drug dependence. As people need more and more to achieve the same relief, they find themselves hooked to the drugs.

Many people think of opiate addicts as people who are homeless, living under bridges and scrounging for money to get their next fix. Although there are some addicts who end up in this position, that isn’t the reality of everyone addicted to opiates. Addiction affects people from all walks of life and opioid drugs weasel into the lives of many different people.

Nearly everyone is aware of the opioid crisis affecting the United States. Addiction and overdose rates continue rising each time researchers release new data. 47,600 of the more than 70,000 drug overdoses in 2017 involved opiates in some way. This means opiates play a role in more than two-thirds of deaths due to drug overdose and take 130 lives every single day.

Not everyone realizes how many people need treatment and don’t receive any help, though. About 22.7 million people in the United States needed help to treat opiate addiction or another type of substance or alcohol use disorder. Only 2.5 million of those people, or 11 percent, received the necessary treatment.

Clearly, something needs to be done about this gap. How can people get the help they need to treat opiate addiction? Facilities that treat opiate addiction are the first step for many addicts looking to quit using drugs. There are different types of addiction treatment available depending on the level of care you need.

When someone abuses opiates for a long period of time they put a significant impact on their body. Opiates work by interacting with the receptors in your brain that perceive pain. When you dull these receptors for long enough you experience the opposite effect after you quit using the drugs. Detoxing from opiates is usually an incredibly uncomfortable process.

There are other physical and psychological reactions experienced during the first few weeks after quitting opiates. These reactions, known as withdrawal symptoms, vary between minor discomforts and extreme pain. The most severe symptoms show up within the first few days and residual symptoms last for a couple of weeks.

The medication-assisted treatment uses the aid of different medications to relieve some of the more severe withdrawal symptoms. Clinicians use drugs such as Suboxone and methadone to keep symptoms at bay while the opiates clear from the person’s system. They limit the physical reactions and reduce cravings which helps the person focus on their treatment.

Additionally, there are different levels of care to treat opiate addiction depending on the severity of the addiction. Detox and inpatient rehab programs offer comprehensive residential care for those with severe addictions. Clinicians safely separate addicts from all substances during detox then transfer them to inpatient rehab for longer-term care.

Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) and intensive outpatient programs (IOP) offer a more affordable option to treat opiate addiction. PHP provides similar amounts of treatment time as an inpatient but doesn’t require clients to stay overnight. On the other hand, IOP offers less treatment hours but makes it possible for people with full-time commitments to get help.

There is no right or wrong way to treat opiate addiction as long as it helps someone get clean. The more people have access to treatment the better the chance that rates of abuse and overdose will decline. Seeking treatment might seem overwhelming at first but there are plenty of options for you.

Located in beautiful Kailua-Kona, our rehab center treats all types of addiction, including prescription medication addiction. We provide a home-like, comfortable atmosphere where our clients can begin recovery in peace.

If you want further explanation on the role of addiction treatment, call Hawaii Island Recovery today at 877-721-3556. Our well-rounded, holistic approach is a preferable way to treat opiate addiction on the Big Island of Hawaii. The knowledgeable, compassionate members of our team are here to support you from the moment you walk through the door. Seek help today!