Opioid Treatment Options & Rehab
People with an opioid use disorder can be treated with medications combined with behavioral counseling. The first step of treatment is dealing with the uncomfortable process of opioid withdrawal. For someone who is physically dependent on opioids, symptoms of withdrawal may appear within 6 hours to a couple of days, depending on what type of opioids have been used.17
Symptoms may include:17, 23
While opioid withdrawal can be painful and uncomfortable, it generally is not life-threatening.23 A medical detox allows medical staff to monitor for potentially dangerous and uncomfortable complications that can develop quickly, lower the risk of relapse, and ensure the safety of the individual during withdrawal.23 In addition, medications can be provided to reduce symptoms of withdrawal. This is known as medication-assisted treatment.23
Opioid withdrawal is generally managed with either methadone or buprenorphine, both of which reduce symptoms of withdrawal and reduce cravings to allow the person to detoxify comfortably and safely.4, 6, 16, 27 Because detox doesnt address the underlying causes of addiction, behavioral counseling is strongly recommended. This may include inpatient or outpatient treatment, where counseling is provided, along with additional medication-assisted treatment if needed.16
What Should You Do If You Or Someone You Know Is Addicted
If you or a loved one is ready to seek help for an addiction, the first step is to find a physician or other health professional who can help. Ask your physician for a referral to a medical professional in addiction medicine. Or search the American Society of Addiction Medicineâs website for addiction specialists in your area. The American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry also has a Patient Referral Program.
Another resource is the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration toll-free help line to find drug treatment near you: 1-800-662-HELP . Or you can visit SAHMSAâs Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator. Thereâs also a State Agencies webpage that helps you find state agencies that might have special programs for you or a loved one.
If you or a loved one is ready to seek assistance for an addiction, the first step is to find a physician or other health professional who can help.
If you are supporting a friend or loved one in overcoming addiction, the National Institute on Drug Abuse offers the following advice: Assure your friend or loved one that addiction can be managed successfully, but acknowledge that it may take several attempts at treatment to find the best approach. If your friend or loved one refuses to seek help, a confrontational âinterventionâ is not recommended. These encounters can escalate into violence or backfire in other ways. Try to convince the person to consult with a physician.
Types Of Addiction Treatment
If youre actively using opiates, youll first need to undergo detoxification. A detox treatment program cleanses your system of opiates and is necessary before your addiction treatment can actually begin.
During this period of withdrawal from opiates, you can take advantage of medically assisted detox services. If your withdrawal symptoms are very uncomfortable, youll be given medications to help relieve your distress and remain calm throughout the time you need to complete detox.
Once your system is cleansed of opiates, there are several program choices for your addiction treatment. Inpatient or residential treatment is usually the most effective option for opiate addiction treatment. Other types of addiction treatment for opiate use disorder also include outpatient, partial hospitalization, and intensive outpatient programs.
An essential part of any opiate addiction treatment program you choose is the array of therapies and the support youll receive. Cognitive-behavioral therapies, support groups like 12-step programs, and other interventions are all well-proven aspects of opiate addiction treatment.
Medications in opiate addiction treatment can also play an essential role in your rehab program. However, utilizing medications alone to help overcome an opiate addiction without the interventions and therapies most treatment programs provide is usually not a practical recovery plan.
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Side Effects Of Methadone
Side effects should be taken seriously, as some of them may indicate an emergency. Patients should stop taking methadone and contact a doctor or emergency services right away if they:
- Experience difficulty breathing or shallow breathing
- Feel lightheaded or faint
- Experience hives or a rash swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
- Feel chest pain
- Experience a fast or pounding heartbeat
- Experience hallucinations or confusion
Approaching A Loved One About Opiate Addiction
Common losses that make an addicted person see the need for treatment are the destruction of important relationships , significant health problems, financial devastation, and loss of freedom . As you talk to your loved one, you can empathetically and non-judgmentally bring up some of the major losses youve seen them endure due to their substance use. Avoid blaming your loved one for these losses and instead place your focus on your concern for them and the need for treatment.
You can also talk about what you and others who love them have lost during their addiction and lay out clear boundaries you expect them to respect from this point forward. Express that youre here for them and that youre on your side, but make it clear you wont be enabling their drug or alcohol abuse anymore, if you have been.
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How Successful Is Opioid Treatment
The success of therapy for substance use disorder varies by patient and by severity of the disorder, and also can be influenced by complications of comorbidities, such as alcohol use or mental illness. Research has shown that there is a higher rate of substance use in patients with diagnoses such as depression and those who use other substances such as alcohol.
Integrated treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders are needed in cases where these occur together. The environment and family or friend relationships can also play an important role. Some patients will repeat therapy and relapse many times before having success.
How Should You Store And Dispose Of Opioids To Protect Family Members
If you are taking opioids, you are not the only one in your household who is in danger of misuse, addiction, and overdose. Other members of your household, including children, are also vulnerable. Hereâs how to protect them:
- Always store opioids in a safe and secure place. Do not leave prescription bottles in the medicine cabinet, and keep the medication away from others, particularly young children. Children sometimes confuse medications with candy and end up swallowing them, which can lead to overdose. Other family members and visitors could also find prescription medications in the house and use them inappropriately.
- Never share your prescriptions. More than half of people who misuse prescribed opioids get them from a friend or relative, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
- Donât throw unused opioids in the trash. Improper disposal of prescription medicines can lead to other people finding and taking them.
If you have leftover or expired prescription medications, follow these drug disposal tips:
Physician anesthesiologists are the most highly skilled medical experts in anesthesia care, pain management, and critical care medicine, with the education and training that can mean the difference between life and death.
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What Is The Difference Between Drug Tolerance Dependence And Addiction
Drug tolerance and dependence are a normal part of taking any opioid drug for a long time. You can be tolerant to, or dependent on, a drug and not yet be addicted to it.
Addiction, however, is not normal. It is a disease. You are addicted to a drug when it seems that neither your body nor your mind can function without the drug. Addiction causes you to obsessively seek out the drug, even when the drug use causes behavior, health, or relationship problems.
Treatment For Opiate Addiction
There are many treatment options to choose from, but research suggests the most effective form of treatment for Opiate addiction is inpatient detox followed by inpatient rehab. Inpatient rehab centers have specialized programs for individuals suffering from this type of substance use disorder. These programs help patients dig deep within themselves to uncover the root cause of their drug use. Knowing what caused patients to use drugs or alcohol in the first place will help prevent future triggers while in recovery.
Many individuals quickly find that the rewards of progressing through a treatment program far outweigh the high they formerly gained from drug use.
Effective forms of therapy used during treatment often include cognitive behavioral therapy, individual and group counseling, and 12-step programs.
Featured Centers Offering Opiate Addiction Treatment
Reviewed by Certified Addiction Professional: February 14, 2019
Theresa Parisi
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Recovery Is Possible: Treatment For Opioid Addiction
Addiction is a medical condition. Treatment can help. Recovery is possible.
Opioid addiction, also known as opioid use disorder , is a chronic and relapsing disease that can affect anyone. In fact, millions of Americans suffer from opioid addiction.
As with most other chronic diseases, addiction is treatable. If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for opioid addiction.
Preventing overdose death and finding treatment options are the first steps to recovery. Treatment may save a life and can help people struggling with opioid addiction get their lives back on track by allowing them to counteract addictions powerful effects on their brain and behavior. The overall goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in their family, workplace, and community.
Opioid addiction treatment can vary depending the patients individual needs, occur in a variety of settings, take many different forms, and last for varying lengths of time.
Evidence-based approaches to treating opioid addiction include medications and combining medications with behavioral therapy. A recovery plan that includes medication for opioid addiction increases the chance of success.
SAMHSAs National Helpline is a great resource to share with someone who may have a substance use disorder.
Call 1-800-662-HELP .
Buprenorphine Is Taken Alone Or Combination Buprenorphine & Naloxone
It is the latest kind of drug that helps in detoxification from the addiction to opioids. It activates the opioid receptors which reduce the craving for drugs preventing withdrawal.
Naloxone prevents medication misuse. Subutex is generally used for detoxification of acute opiate while the use of Suboxone is either for acute detoxification or for maintenance and prevention of opioid relapse.
One of the studies published in JAMA Psychiatry , the results found that the use of buprenorphine taper in combination with naltrexone for 4 weeks maintenance treatment enhanced abstinence rates
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What Is Samhsa’s National Helpline
SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Also visit the online treatment locator, or send your zip code via text message: 435748 to find help near you. Read more about the HELP4U text messaging service.
How To Help With Opiate Addiction
If you are reading this article, you most likely are close to someone who is abusing opiates or opioids. Perhaps you are an opiate user yourself. When you want to help with opiate addiction, its important to understand what recovery from opiate addiction is like.
Most centers and people who are involved in recovery from opiate addiction talk about the high levels of relapse after a person gets clean. At Narconon centers around the world, however, it is known that a person can recover from this addiction. Five decades of providing rehab for all types of addiction show that problems with opioids can be overcome.
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Medications To Help You Quit
Medications for opioid addiction can help with detoxification, the process of allowing the body to rid itself of a drug while helping prevent or ease withdrawal symptoms. These drugs also can help reduce cravings. Detox is not a treatment for addiction itself, but it is a useful first step when followed by treatment with a behavioral-based therapy and/or medication.
Increasing evidence shows that medically assisted treatment a combination of medication and psychosocial treatments is most effective for opioid use disorder. A study of MassHealth patients found that patients on medication treatments like methadone or buprenorphine are 50% less likely to relapse. Other studies have shown that patients treated with these medications are 50% less likely to die.
Although sometimes criticized as replacing one addiction with another, these medications can restore normalcy to peoples lives, stabilize their home and work life, and enhance their motivation to change.
To Reduce Cravings And Withdrawal Symptoms Pharmacologic Therapy For Heroin Addiction Is Made By Substituting Heroin With The Legally Obtained Opioid Agonist
With this therapy, several factors can be mitigated. Methadone maintenance therapy , for one, is offered as a standard care. However, with the existence of buprenorphine maintenance therapy changes, the trend of treatment efficiency amongst opioid-dependent patients have changed.
Methadone can be dosed once per day due to its long-acting synthetic opioid agonist and can be a substitute for the daily heroin doses. It can lower cases of drug-abusing lifestyles, reduce criminal behaviors, and the risk of transferring HIV disease.
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Counseling And Behavioral Therapies For Opioid Addiction Treatment
Your chances of beating narcotic addiction are better with long-term maintenance therapy that includes medications along with some form of counseling or behavioral therapy. This is known as medication-assisted treatment .
Counseling with a qualified health professional helps you deal with any personal or social problems that may be leading to addiction or making it worse. These include:
- Your feelings of self-worth
- Problems at work or home
- People around you who use drugs or alcohol
Your treatment program may involve one or more of these:
- Contingency management uses incentives or rewards to help you meet goals such as sticking with medications or attending treatment.
- Motivational interviewing helps you identify reasons why you might not want to change your behavior.
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy shows you why you might be using drugs, builds your belief that you can address your problems, and teaches you to cope with struggles more effectively.
- Family therapy brings in people who care about you to strengthen your treatment.
- 12-step groups involve defined goals such as attending meetings or getting a sponsor.
- Support groups introduce you to people who know from experience what youâre going through. They can offer their own tips for recovery and help you deal with any setbacks.
What Is Drug Dependence
Drug dependence is when the way your body works changes because you have taken a drug for a long time. These changes cause you to have withdrawal symptoms when you stop using the drug. Withdrawal symptoms can be mild or severe, and may include:
If you have been taking a prescription opioid for a long time, work with your doctor. They can help you avoid withdrawal symptoms by gradually lowering your dose over time until you no longer need the medicine.
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Discontinuation Of Buprenorphine Maintenance
While there is no legal limit to the length of buprenorphine maintenance, many patients ask to be withdrawn a few months after being maintained. The usual reasons are desire to be off all narcotics or the cost. Patients often have an unrealistic expectation of how easy it will be to remain abstinent, and many will relapse within a short period.
Patients should be encouraged to remain on maintenance and, when possible, alternative solutions sought for issues like cost, eg, reducing frequency of visits, or exploring insurance options. There is no adequate data on the optimal length of time each patient must be judged individually using issues such as previous relapses, addiction history, and lifestyle stability. It is not uncommon to need a number of episodes of opioid maintenance or even long-term maintenance.
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How Can You Avoid Addiction To Opioids
If you or a loved one is considering taking opioids to manage pain, it is vital to talk to a physician anesthesiologist or other pain medicine specialist about using them safely and exploring alternative options if needed. Learn how to work with your physician anesthesiologist or another physician to use opioids more wisely and safely and explore what pain management alternatives might work for you.
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Training Authorization And Coordinated Care
Even though most physicians in America can prescribe powerful and dangerous opioid painkillers with few restrictions, doctors must become specially certified in order to prescribe addiction medications.
There are many restrictions on where medications can be offered and who can administer them. And due to these restrictions, many clinicians and facilities have limited capacity for the number of patients they can accept at one time. In many communities, only some medications are available, which limits patients options.
Doctors and patients have to jump through countless administrative hoops.
Some clinicians refuse to administer medicationseven when they are authorized to do sobecause of personal beliefs, the lack of coordinated care with mental health professionals , the additional time commitment required, and the potential threat of raids by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the FBI.
Whats more, its hard to access medications even within traditional addiction treatment centers. Few inpatient treatment facilities offer all three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. While the American Society of Addiction Medicine has defined detailed standards of care, there is no established national accreditation program for treatment facilities in the U.S.
