Treating Opioid Addiction

The numbers are bleak. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 60% of overdose deaths involve an opioid, and more than half a million people died from drug overdoses from 2000 to 2015 alone. Every day, 91 Americans die from an opioid overdose. Both opioid prescriptions and opioid-related overdose deaths continue to rise.

It’s easy to read numbers like that and feel hopeless — especially if you or someone you love is currently addicted to opioids. However, there is still reason for hope. With professional help, recovery and freedom is possible. Good health is possible. A life free from the grips of opioid addiction is possible.

Read on to learn more about opioid addiction treatment, and how you can find hope for yourself or your loved one today.

With Kratom now legal in 44 states, many opiate addicts wonder if they can use this herbal supplement to wean themselves off of prescription opiates or heroin. There have been heated debates around the efficacy of this option with staunch supporters and opponents.

However, the truth is that there simply hasn’t been enough research done to know if this is a safe alternative to opiates. This lack of knowledge, combined with a lack of official regulation, makes it impossible for a user to fully understand the risks or how Kratom may interact with other drugs.

An important thing to understand here is that opiate addiction is a result of a chemical dependency and imbalance in the user’s brain. One can’t simply “white knuckle” his or her way through recovery, and attempting to self-medicate or wean one’s self off of opiates without medical supervision can be extremely dangerous.

For these reasons, self-treatment is not recommended for those with opioid addictions.

Because an opiate addict’s brain and body has a chemical dependency on a substance, it is never safe to quit an opiate cold turkey. Doing so only leads to painful withdrawal symptoms. For example, a user in withdrawal may experience insomnia, anxiety, muscle aches, cold sweats, nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, and more. These symptoms often lead users who attempt to quit on their own to turn back to opiates for relief.

Fortunately, detox doesn’t have to be this way. At Hawaiian Island Recovery, we offer medically supervised detoxification. This provides medical support to opiate addicts in withdrawal to monitor their safety and provide pharmaceutical support if necessary to minimize any discomfort.

Medically supervised detox is the first step towards a healthy and successful recovery from addiction with as few painful symptoms as possible.

Although a successful detox is the first step in recovery, it isn’t the only step. Addicts also benefit from therapy, counseling, and 12-step programs to address the root of their addiction and prepare them with the tools they need in order to live a life free of substance abuse.

HIR offers a variety of proven counseling programs, including cognitive-behavioral therapy. We also offer experiential therapies, such as ocean-based therapy and music and art therapy. This varied and holistic approach supports full healing of the body, mind, and spirit.

12-step programs also make up a critical component of a well-rounded treatment plan for opiate addicts. Daily meetings allow our residents to connect with their peers, process what they are experiencing, and learn from one another in a judgment-free zone. This program provides participants with the support they need to prepare for life after rehab.

Here at HIR, we provide opioid addicts with medically supervised detox, proven and experiential therapies, and the support they need for a safe and successful recovery. We also allow our residents the opportunity to explore and enjoy our beautiful island, an opportunity that both contributes to residents’ recoveries and allows them to make memories that will last a lifetime.