People across the United States struggle with opiate addiction. The country is in an ongoing opiate and opioid crisis. Many people may try to stop using opiates at home. Unfortunately, quitting opiates cold turkey can be dangerous and often leads to overdose and opiate-related death. An opiate detox center is the safest, most effective way to detox. Some opiate drug detox centers even help you detox with medically assisted treatment from home.
If you or someone you know is struggling with opiates and opioids, you are not alone. Do not attempt detoxing from opiates on your own or quit cold turkey. Call a local opiate addiction treatment center or national helpline for detox and recovery support.
Opiates are highly addictive drugs made from the opium poppy. Used for centuries for their euphoric effects and painkilling properties, opiates frequently lead to drug abuse and addiction. Opiates change a person’s brain chemistry, quickly leading to chemical dependence and intense withdrawal symptoms. During withdrawal, the brain believes it cannot survive without more opiates. This makes it especially hard to quit using them cold turkey.
Opiate withdrawal symptoms include:
The longer someone is using opiates, the more difficult detox will be. During detox, people may experience delusions, a return and worsening of pain, and other intense effects. They can become a danger to themselves and others. Many will engage in risk-taking behavior in order to get more opiates. Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about opiate withdrawal and detox. It’s important to know that willpower is not enough to keep someone from reusing.
Many people want to try detoxing from opiates at home. While initial withdrawal only lasts a week or two, it can be incredibly difficult to manage drug cravings when detoxing from home. This is the importance of a professional opiate addiction treatment program. Drugs like methadone and Suboxone can help. Some people can develop PAWS, also known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome, during detox. This syndrome causes physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms to reoccur for several months or years after the initial detox. PAWS can be discouraging and lead to reuse as well as other health complications without medical and psychiatric care. For those detoxing at home, PAWS can feel like a never-ending rollercoaster of symptoms.
A drug detox center provides safe, effective, and comprehensive support for opiate detox and recovery. Most use medically-assisted detox to ease withdrawal symptoms and help people get back to their lives. All detox programs include therapy. Individual, group, and family therapy can help people understand the root causes of opiate addiction. They also provide a dual diagnosis for mental health disorders.
Today, at least half of people struggling with addiction have co-occurring mood disorders like anxiety and depression. A lack of mental health care, prolonged stress, unresolved PTSD, and other factors can lead many people to self-medicate with opiates. An opiate detox program can provide the tools to treat mental health and opiate addiction together for optimal healing.
If you or someone in your life is struggling with opiate use, don’t wait. Get help today. A reputable opiate addiction treatment center in your area can provide medical and psychiatric support. Call a local or national helpline to get started with opiate detox. Remember that reputable programs have board-certified therapists and doctors to help clients recover. Any center promising a “quick fix” or “miracle cure” may not be reliable. National and local websites can help you find the right opiate addiction treatment program in your area. If you need immediate support, call a helpline today.
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