Friday, March 15, 2024

How To Beat Opiate Addiction

How To Regain Energy After Opiate Addiction

How to Beat Addiction and Withdrawal

Quitting opiates and overcoming the devastating disease of opioid addiction is no small feat. It is a disease that claims over 100 lives a day. Countless others suffer for months, years, and decades. Family members spend countless sleepless nights praying and hoping for their loved one to seek treatment.

Opiates are a category of opioidsdrugs that are derived from the opium poppy plant. Opiates, simply put, are naturally derived opioids, but they have similar effects as synthetic opioids.

Withdrawals from opiates can leave the opioid addict wondering if its worth quitting. Aside from the symptoms of nausea, constipation, sweats, diarrhea, and muscle pain, muscle fatigue and loss of energy can last for weeks or months. Many former addicts are discouraged that they feel worse after getting sober than they did while they were high on opioids.

The good news: there are things you can do to regain your energy and feel the benefits of sobriety. Here is a list of six things you can do daily that will get you feeling better in the early days of recovery.

Seek Heroin Addiction Treatment At Destinations For Teens

Addiction to heroin and the strain it puts on a users body can cause death. That is why it is recommended that teen heroin users undergo detox in a qualified facility such as Destinations for Teens. During withdrawal, the body goes through a stressful time. If an individual has any underlying medical conditions like a weak heart, a high risk for blood clots, or any other medical issue, detoxing can cause that issue to lead to complications.

Medical professionals will monitor your teens health. Mental health professionals will also be present to support their needs of believing that they have the power not to use drugs.

Interventions will ease the worst of their symptoms, making detox more comfortable. Once your teen is sober, they can move into the next phase of rehab, which includes various therapies, giving them a solid foundation for lasting recovery. Learn more by calling .

Protect Your Recovery And Treat It As Your Most Valuable Possession

There is nothing more important in your life than protecting your recovery and maintaining your state of being opioid and opiate free. You must take all reasonable measures to avoid returning to the dangerous state of active addiction.

While having friends in recovery who understand what it means to quit taking opiates and staying opiate free, you must be careful in sharing information about your medical treatment. For example, if you see a Suboxone doctor, this is not information that you should share with anyone, other than possibly your closest family members.

Sometimes, well-meaning friends have their own opinions about medication-assisted treatment and they may start making strong recommendations involving stopping your medication or changing how you take it. Taking medical advice from friends or people on the streets, you are putting yourself in danger.

When it comes to medical treatment, it is critical that you only make changes to your treatment regimen after having a talk with your doctor. Between you and your doctor, you can come to an agreement about what changes are reasonable.

Otherwise, take care to avoid allowing friends, family members, and coworkers to influence your behavior in ways that may put you at risk. For example, avoid the use of any alcohol or drugs that you know may trigger opiate cravings. If you are at an office party and your coworkers pressure you to drink alcohol, do not give in to this peer pressure.

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Overcome Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms At Symetria Recovery

Opioid addiction becomes especially dangerous over time, as this type of addiction can easily result in an overdose or death. The physical and mental toll caused by opioid withdrawal needs to be addressed in a professional treatment setting with addiction treatment specialists.

At Symetria Recovery, our team is dedicated to providing comprehensive addiction treatment that helps people being their recovery journeys. Learn more about how we can help you or a loved one heal from the physical and mental effects of opioid addiction by calling or completing our convenient online form. It may seem as though there is no hope of overcoming opioid addiction, but the truth is that our Symetria Recovery team has the knowledge and experience to help. Reach out to us today and begin the addiction treatment process immediately.

When To Call A Doctor

Chapter 6

Opiate withdrawal can be a frustrating process with symptoms that, while typically not life threatening, are difficult to manage. Your doctor can help you to manage the symptoms you may experience with personalized recommendations and prescription medications to ease the process. They can also run tests like blood work to evaluate any damage to your system caused by the opiates.

Medications that can be used to treat opiate withdrawal include:

  • methadone, which helps to relieve withdrawal symptoms and makes the detoxification period easier
  • buprenorphine, which can shorten the time of the detox period and lessen withdrawal symptoms
  • clonidine, which can treat symptoms like anxiety, agitation, and muscle aches

If you are worried about your symptoms, or know that you wont be able to make it through withdrawal alone, consult your doctor or find a rehab facility for help.

If you experience nausea or vomiting, you may become dehydrated. Its important to seek medical treatment. Dehydration can be a serious problem leading to abnormal heartbeats, which in rare cases can lead to circulatory and heart problems.

Symptoms of dehydration include:

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Physical Dependence And Detox

Opioid addiction leads to changes in certain areas of your brain. Prescription drug addiction alters the circuits that handle mood and reward behavior.

In addition, long-term prescription drug abuse affects almost all of your bodyâs systems. When you cut off the opioid supply, youâre likely to get withdrawal symptoms such as:

  • Craving for drugs
  • Body aches
  • Agitation and severe bad moods

If you have an opioid addiction, you know that a list of these symptoms doesn’t capture the agony of going through them. Itâs very unpleasant, and youâll do almost anything to avoid it.

Opioid withdrawal lasts hours to days — and sometimes weeks. It depends on which drug you were taking, how long you were taking it, and how much. After the intense initial symptoms subside, some physical and mental discomfort may linger for weeks.

Vertava Health Massachusetts Offers Individualized Care For Opiates

All opiate addictions are different, which is why we offer specialized treatment plans. Our inpatient opiate treatment program examines addiction, assesses its origin, and works hard to eliminate its influences.

The first step is medical detoxification, also known as drug detox. We have a state-of-the-art painless detox program that includes a multi-dimensional medication taper. This carefully decreases doses of medications, like methadone and suboxone, to get opiates out of the body in a safe and controlled manner. This process is also known as medication-assisted treatment.

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Late Stage: Gradually Improving Symptoms

For most people, symptoms gradually reduce within a week of their last use of the drug. Physical withdrawal should disappear in a week or less, and psychological cravings will be much less intense.

However, addiction is a chronic medical condition, and without treatment, a person may still experience mild withdrawal symptoms for months or years after stopping opioid use. This may increase their risk of relapse.

It is important for a person to seek ongoing support and to address any factors that initially caused them to misuse opioids. Such factors might include chronic pain, depression, anxiety, or trauma.

Is Methadone A Good Option

How Can I Beat Opiate Addiction?

Some people become so dependent on these drugs that the very idea of having to quit creates a great deal of anxiety. Others may try to recover from these drugs and find themselves in a cycle of relapse. Medications like methadone and suboxone can help some people. Methadone is used with some treatment programs to lessen the symptoms of withdrawal and also to block the effects of opiate drugs

Everyone is different and there is a debate in the recovery community: Is using methadone simply substituting one addiction for another? The answers vary, but the important thing to know is that addiction recovery is not always one-size-fits-all. It is important to discuss your options with a trusted medical provider or licensed rehab program.

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Medication For Opioid Addiction

The symptoms of withdrawal are a major reason for relapse and further prescription drug abuse. But medications can help you through opioid withdrawal and prevent symptoms. After the initial detox, youâre at risk for relapse. Experts say psychological and social factors are the main drivers that could push you back to using. Stress and situations that remind your brain of the pleasure the drug can bring are common triggers. Successful, lifelong therapy to stay opioid-free usually involves long-term medication as well as counseling or talk therapy programs.

Methadone is a long-acting opioid that affects the same parts of your brain as the drug youâre having a problem with, but it doesnât get you high. You can take it every day, but you have to go to a special clinic to get it. The correct dose prevents withdrawal symptoms and eases drug cravings.

Buprenorphine is another medication that is approved for the treatment of opioid dependence. It hits the same receptors in your brain, but not as strongly. It has less risk of lethal overdose, so experts often favor it. It is also available in combination with naloxone.

It comes in several forms:

Lofexidine hydrochloride is not an opioid, but you can use it to ease symptoms for a rapid detoxification. It has been approved for use for up to 14 days.

Clonidine is similar to lofexadine and alsoused to treat symptoms of opioid withdrawal.

Opioid Tolerance Dependence And Withdrawal

From a clinical standpoint, opioid withdrawal is one of the most powerful factors driving opioid dependence and addictive behaviors. Treatment of the patients withdrawal symptoms is based on understanding how withdrawal is related to the brains adjustment to opioids.

Repeated exposure to escalating dosages of opioids alters the brain so that it functions more or less normally when the drugs are present and abnormally when they are not. Two clinically important results of this alteration are opioid tolerance and drug dependence . Withdrawal symptoms occur only in patients who have developed tolerance.

Opioid tolerance occurs because the brain cells that have opioid receptors on them gradually become less responsive to the opioid stimulation. For example, more opioid is needed to stimulate the VTA brain cells of the mesolimbic reward system to release the same amount of DA in the NAc. Therefore, more opioid is needed to produce pleasure comparable to that provided in previous drug-taking episodes.

The Neurobiological Basis of Dependence and Withdrawal

The locus ceruleus is an area of the brain that is critically involved in the production of opioid dependence and withdrawal. The diagrams show how opioid drugs affect processes in the LC that control the release of noradrenaline , a brain chemical that stimulates wakefulness, muscle tone, and respiration, among other functions.

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How Does Withdrawal Work

If you use opiates for an extended period of time, your body becomes desensitized to the drug. This means youll need more of it to feel its effects.

Extended use of opiates changes the structure of nerve cells in your brain. These cells will begin to need the drug just to function properly. When you stop using opiates abruptly, your body will react, leading to symptoms of withdrawal.

Opiate withdrawal occurs in two phases. The first phase includes a number of symptoms, such as:

  • rapid heartbeat
  • goose bumps

These initial phases, which can last anywhere from a week to a month, can be followed by long-term withdrawal symptoms. Long-term symptoms are often less physical in nature and may involve emotional or behavioral issues.

Dealing With Opiate Withdrawal

Soothedrawal : How To Beat Opiate Withdrawal (877

Opiate withdrawal or dependence are serious and difficult health issues that take time, hard work, and should be addressed with help from a medical professional. Sometimes people will consider a dietary supplement in the hope of getting faster, cheaper help and there are opiate withdrawal or detox supplements on the market that promise fast results and a path to being drug-free. But, based on the FTCs past experience, such promises cant be taken at face value.

In fact, the FTC just announced today that it stopped Catlin Enterprises, Inc., and the companys owner and CEO George Catlin, from misleading consumers with deceptive claims. They said that their dietary supplement products, Withdrawal Ease and Recovery Ease, helped symptoms of opiate withdrawal and increased the chances that someone could overcome opiate dependency. But they didn’t have the required scientific evidence to back up their claims that either Withdrawal Ease or Recovery Ease did any of those things.

Under their settlement with the FTC, the defendants cannot make any claims that their products treat or cure any disease unless they have the evidence to back that up. The order also imposes a $6 million judgment, which is suspended due to the defendants inability to pay.

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Here Is How To Deal With Opiate Cravings With A Little Help From Your Friends

When patients ask what else they can do to improve their chances of success in remaining in recovery successfully, I typically recommend that they build and maintain a support network. What is a recovery support network?

A recovery support network is a form of social support network made up of people. These people may be family, friends, professionals, and people whom you meet in the setting of recovery support meetings.

Examples of such meetings are Alcoholics Anonymous meetings or Narcotics Anonymous meetings. Other groups, which are not 12-step programs, include Celebrate Recovery, SMART Recovery, and LifeRing.

At meetings of these groups, you may meet people before, during, or after the meeting. If you feel comfortable speaking with a particular person and you feel that they may be a positive addition to your support network, you may decide to exchange phone numbers.

Afterwards, for best results, it is advisable that you make phone calls to the people on your support network list on a regular basis. What should you talk about? There is no need to worry about having nothing to say.

You can talk about common issues relating to recovering from addiction. Let the person know how you are feeling today and how things are going. You can ask how they are feeling. Over time, you will get more comfortable with these phone calls and conversations. Practice makes perfect.

Acupuncture Therapy For Heroin Detox

Acupuncture is gaining in popularity in the recovery industry. As an ancient Chinese therapy used to treat stress and relieve pain, it is proven to be exceptionally helpful for opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Acupuncture decreases stress-related muscle pain and discomfort. It regulates brain regions connected to pain and emotion, and most importantly, acupuncture promotes the release of endorphins, which are your bodys own opiates. Many individuals experience a euphoric sensation described as feeling lighter and happier after their first acupuncture session.

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Finding Quality Treatment For Substance Use Disorders

This fact sheet serves as a guide for individuals seeking behavioral health treatment. It provides three necessary steps to complete prior to utilizing a treatment center and the five signs of a quality treatment center, which include a review of the accreditation, medication, evidence-based practices, position on the role of families, and support networks.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy To Overcome Opiates

How To Beat RLS RESTLESS LEG SYNDROME In Opiate Withdrawal with over the counter medication.

Cognitive behavioral therapy works by changing negative patterns of thinking and behavior in a goal-oriented manner. It also helps imprint positive images, beliefs and behaviors in the mind. The idea is to create positivity and make drug use less appealing or seemingly necessary.

It is worth noting that a study titled Treatment For Persons With Heroin Addiction had this to say: used in conjunction with pharmacological therapy, regardless of the kind of psychosocial therapy, reduced patient dropouts, decreased heroin use while in treatment, decreased recidivism to further use, and decreased absences from treatment.7

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Nausea Home Remedy Tips

Additional steps a person can take to reduce their nausea include the following:

  • Eating bland foods, such as bananas, rice, apples, toast, or crackers. These foods are less likely to cause stomach upset.
  • Eating several small meals throughout the day instead of large ones.
  • Drinking small sips of water to stay hydrated, as it is essential to replace fluids lost with diarrhea and nausea. Another option is to drink cooled Pedialyte or other electrolyte-replacement beverages. While sports drinks are also an option, they can be high in sugar, which could further worsen diarrhea.
  • Avoiding foods that are high in fat and greasy, as these can irritate the stomach lining.

A person should drink fluids to prevent dehydration wherever possible, as dehydration can worsen withdrawal symptoms.

Why Is Counseling Important In The Treatment Process

Counseling is extremely important for opiate addiction treatment due to behavior being one of the primary factors of addiction. Although buprenorphine only helps with the physical portion of the cravings, the behavioral part is essential to break the habit mentally. Understanding the importance of beating opiate addiction proves to be more successful than just taking prescribed medication.

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Getting Treatment To Overcome An Addiction

There are many different treatments that can help you during the process of overcoming an addiction, including medical and psychological treatments. There is no one “right” type of treatment, although some approaches are better supported by research than others.

Cognitive behavior therapy helps many people, and research shows it to be very effective in helping people overcome all kinds of addictions. But CBT is not for everyone. Other approaches may be better suited for those who do not relate well to analyzing their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

Mindfulness-based approaches have become very popular and can be easier to relate to for many people. As with CBT, mindfulness is helpful for people with underlying mental health problems, such as anxiety or depression.

A variety of other treatments can be helpful, including couples counseling, family therapy, and neurotherapy. Medications can sometimes be helpful in the short term or the long term. Talk to your doctor about the options that are available to and appropriate for you.

If you or a loved one are struggling with substance use or addiction, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.

For more mental health resources, see our National Helpline Database.

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