Opiate Addiction: Detox and Withdrawal
Today, opiate addiction is all too common. Both prescription and nonprescription sources, such as online or through unregistered merchants, have made it so easy to purchase these drugs. Regardless of how vital living a healthier life is, using drugs like opiates are more socially accepted in some cultures, especially Western ones. The spread and impact across the US has become an epidemic. And the likelihood is high that you or someone you know has struggled with addiction. That’s why understanding Opiate Addiction: Detox and Withdrawal is so important.
What Are Opiates and Opioids?
Opiates are a class of drugs that act as central nervous system depressants. They are typically derived from opium –a substance that is produce naturally from poppies.Opiates are also referred to as narcotics. They also occur in the form of opioids. Opioids are opiate-like medications that are chemically made.
Opiates and opioids block pain signals that your body sends to your brain. They do so by attaching to structures called receptors. They can target nerve cells in your brain, spinal cord, or other body parts.
How Does a Person Become Addicted?
The opiate stimulates the brain’s reward system in a powerful way. This is a critical reason why people can so quickly become dependent. It is highly addictive, especially in the early phases of misuse. With time,the need for opioids becomes stronger. It goes beyond a basic desire for pleasure.Tolerance and reliance are linked to this high drive.
Opiate addiction occurs as it triggers your brain to release the feel-good chemical, namely dopamine (video). That is why it is simple for anyone to develop a pattern of drug abuse and addiction. It happens to individuals, particularly while seeking to address problems from pain management to emotional worries and stressors. Sometimes innocently enough by way of medical treatment by providers who were ignorant or dismissive of the risks that can lead to numerous mental and physical health issues. There can be short or long term negative-effects from drug addiction.
What Happens If I Stop Using Opiates On My Own?
While opiates can relieve pain and create euphoria, they can produce numerous unwanted side effects as well. They may include sudden withdrawal symptoms, unmanageable agony, and suicidal thoughts. It can all occur when opiate usage is stopped or doses are reduced rapidly. Drastically cutting back or stopping abruptly can easily prompt withdrawal. The body requires time to heal after the addicted person quits using the drug.
Even well into recovery the withdrawal symptoms begin to appear. This is due to something called Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS). You could have detox symptoms like restlessness, tears, cramping, flu like symptoms, etc. And yes, it can happen even when the opioid dosage is progressively reduced.
Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms & How Long Do They Last?
Opiate withdrawal symptoms can be very unpleasant and intense. Medical detox is the safest , least uncomfortable and most efficient method of eliminating opiates or other drugs.
Within 24 hours after the last dose, a person will typically begin to experience a combination of the symptoms. The significant indications are flu-like, fever, sweating, and vomiting.
The symptoms may last from few days to a week or even longer. In any case, they will eventually subside and disappear. After the last opioids intake, opiate withdrawal symptoms often begin 12 to 48 hours later. The worst ones usually manifest between 24 and 96 hours. After discontinuing opiate use for 5 to 7 days, you will start to feel better. However, the detox process can continue longer for some patients.
Opioid Withdrawal varies depending on multiple variables during the medical detox process. It could rely on factors such as the type of painkiller being misused, the individual’s level of drug tolerance, the duration of their addiction if they used several drugs and their mental and medical histories.
Why Is Additional Care Crucial For A Complete Recovery?
People in active addiction typically reject that their drug use is a problem. They are hesitant to get help. In some cases, an intervention might inspire someone to seek or accept help. Professional and appropriate interventions seek to provide an organized opportunity to make adjustments and get treatment before circumstances worsen. In most cases whether with an intervention or not, it can be helpful to involve their closest friends or family to provide physical and mental support.
Keep in mind that addiction is extremely taxing on the mind and body of the person struggling with it. Desperation and feelings of hopelessness can be overpowering and sometimes people attempt to hurt themselves. At the front end of treatment, it is usually the recommendation to only pursue drug detox under the supervision of a medical professional.
Entering Detox and Effects on Family
The strain from detoxing from opiates, or any drug or alcohol, can tear apart happy, loving homes. For example, as relatives battle over how to interact with a child who has been taking opiates, conflict becomes norm. Trust erodes and starts to disappear. If a family member tries to stop using on their, they may be tearful, erratic or act aggressively.
During medical detox is not the time to have deep, constructive conversations. It’s too early for the person seeking recovery and often times it’s too early for the loved ones who are still raw from the chaos, fear and emotional upheaval in the family. Those detailed conversations can wait until the person enters Residential, PHP or IOP level of care. In each of these there will be clinical professionals to facilitate these re-connections in a healthy and safe way.
Rational discussions are hard between the intense emotions and fears of all involved and the biology at play in the struggling addict. A lot fo times there are years of pain, fear and hurt feelings to work through for everyone involved. Addiction affects the whole family. It can help to talk to someone who is professionally trained and experienced in working with families facing addiction.
Leaving Opiate Addiction Detox Too Early
Leaving opiate addiction treatment during detox can bring negative changes. Many people in detox treatment begin to feel physically better long before they have actually even begun the work it will take for sustained recovery. This is why so many people leave treatment after only a handful of days. This is a serious and critical issue because the person is very likely to fall right back into use and may even accidentally overdose without intending to. Leaving treatment early puts the person struggling with addiction is a very dangerous position.
Can People Die from Opiate Withdrawal?
Yes, if left untreated, persistent vomiting and diarrhea can lead to heart failure, hypernatremia (a high blood salt level), and dehydration. A professional, medical detox facility will pay very close attention to this and be monitoring the client day and night. Otherwise, unless you have other complicating medical conditions, opiate withdrawal symptoms, while intense and uncomfortable are typically not life-threatening.
A Few Final Thoughts on Opiate Addiction
Any drug addiction, whether opiates, alcohol, benzos, cocaine or something else puts you at serious risk. Liver, stomach, kidney, heart and brain can all be damaged and a variety of other complicating medical problems can begin. The destruction on relationships and emotional health is no less severe.
It takes courage to look at yourself and admit you have a problem. And even more courage to step into the unknown and allow someone to help you. Stay open-minded. You don’t have to be perfect – you get to be human. Begin by being willing to begin something new.
The first step to a better life than you can imagine is to reach out and get professional help.
Breathe. You CAN do this.
