Opiate Detox Program

Opiate Addiction

Opiate addiction is recognized as a central nervous system disorder, caused by continuous opiate use. Extended opiate abuse leads to the nerve cells in the brain to stop functioning as they normally would and stop producing natural endorphins. Because the body is receiving opiates and no longer is producing endorphins the nerve cells start to degenerate and cause a opiate addiction. Sudden opiate withdrawal (quitting cold turkey) leads to a syndrome called opiate withdrawal syndrome. Opiate withdrawal syndrome is a long and painful process and can result in permanent damage to the cardiovascular system and the central nervous system. Untreated and unmonitored, opiate withdrawal can result in death for unhealthy patients. For these reasons, opiate addiction requires appropriate and responsible medical care in an opiate detox program.

Many drug detox centers report that as much as 65% of their patients are addicted to pain medication, overtaking heroin addiction as the country’s biggest drug addiction problem. Tragically, many of the people suffering from Percocet addiction, OxyContin addiction, Lortab addiction and Vicodin addiction developed their dependency accidentally.

Opiate Addiction and Pain Management

Both Percocet and Vicodin are commonly prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain. In fact, many of the people who enrolled in an opiate detox program reported that they had been given the Percoset, Vicodin, Lortab, Hydrocodone and OxyContin by their physicians. Some were athletes who had suffered injuries on the courts; others had pulled a muscle at the gym, some were victims of car accidents, or had been recovering from surgery.  They had been told to take Percocet, OxyContin, Lortab and Vicodin to manage the pain—but did not fully realize how addictive the drug could be. Unconsciously, they began taking larger doses, taking it more frequently than perscribed, or even longer than the doctor had advised, creating an opiate addiction.

Percocet, OxyContin, Lortab, Hydrocodone and Vicodin are effective in treating pain because they contain chemicals that bind the brain’s pain receptors and numb our ability to feel pain. But once the drug wears off, the opiate withdrawal symptoms create such pain and discomfort that it pulls the user into taking greater quantities of the drug more frequently. It becomes a vicious cycle: they take the drug to stop the pain, but the drug itself causes pain. Thus, an opiate addiction!

Opiates suppress pain, reduce anxiety, and at sufficiently high doses produce euphoria. Most can be taken by mouth, smoked, or snorted, although addicts often prefer intravenous injection, which gives the strongest, quickest pleasure. The use of intravenous needles can lead to infectious disease, and an overdose, especially taken intravenously, often causes respiratory arrest and death.

The opiate addiction cannot, as some people believe, simply be a matter of “just saying no”. The drugs cause a very intricate chemical imbalance, and discontinuing opiate use abruptly would not only be difficult, but physically debilitating. Heroin addiction, Percocet addiction, OxyContin addiction, Hydrocodone addiction and Vicodin addiction require expert medical opiate addiction treatment, in an opiate detox program. The opiate detox program should be managed by addiction specialists who understand the physiological implications of opiate addiction.

If you reqire assistance in locating a safe and effective opiate detox program or opiate addiction treatment program, please call 1-866-99-DETOX (1-866-993-3869).

Opiate Detox

For some opiate addicts, the beginning of addiction treatment or drug rehab is opiate detoxification or opiate detox, which is a controlled and medically supervised withdrawal from opiates. By itself, opiate detox is not a solution, because most addicts will eventually resume taking opiates unless they get further opiate addiction treatment in a quality drug rehab program. Research shows us that people who enter opiate detox and do not continue in an opiate addiction treatment program generally end up in relapse.

Opiate withdrawal symptoms continue to be the greatest obstacle people experience in heroin detox or an opiate detox program. The opiate withdrawal symptoms — agitation; anxiety; tremors; muscle aches; hot and cold flashes; sometimes nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea — are not life-threatening, but are extremely uncomfortable. The intensity of the reaction depends on the dose and speed of opiate withdrawal. Short-acting opiates, like heroin, tend to produce more intense but briefer withdrawal symptoms. These opiate withdrawal symptoms can be effectively managed in a medically supervised opiate detox program.

No single approach to opiate detox is guaranteed to be best for all suffering from opiate addiction, but some are better than others. Opiate detox involves first admitting there is an opiate addiction, seeking an opiate detox program, staying focused while in the opiate detox program and transitioning into a drug rehab or opiate addiction treatment program after completing the opiate detox program. Statistics and studies show that  there is an extremely high relapse rate for those persons suffering from an opiate addiction who enter an opiate detox program, but choose not to go on to longer term opiate addiction treatment or drug rehab.

While there are many medical protocols to use in an opiate detox program, one must choose the opiate detox program that looks at their general health condition, psychological state, external support and length of time addicted. That is generally an inpatient opiate detox program. For help in locating a safe and effective opiate detox program, please call 1-866-99-DETOX (1-866-993-3869).

Opiate Detox Programs

It is difficult at best to try and detox from an opiate addiction without an opiate detox program. The opiate withdrawal symptoms are too severe which will lead to a return to opiate addiction.  A quality opiate detox program should be a medically based detox program complete with 24 hour nursing, 24 hour addiction treatment staff and a physician trained in addiction medicine (A.S.A.M. certified). The opiate detox program should be J.C.A.H.O. accredited and located within a addiction treatment program or drug rehab. As mentioned earlier, the vast majority of people entering an opiate detox program will require ongoing addiction treatment or drug rehab. Having the opiate detox program located within the drug rehab or addiction treatment program allows for a seamless transfer into drug rehab or addiction treatment.

While there are many types of opiate detox programs ranging from Rapid Detox Programs where opiate detox is done under anesthesia with intubation or outpatient opiate detox programs, they key for most people recovering from an opiate addiction is medical supervision, structure and accountability.

Remember, an opiate detox program is not an opiate addiction treatment program. An opiate detox program provides for the management of opiate withdrawal symptoms and medical issues, while an opiate addiction treatment program looks to maintain the gains made in the opiate detox program and build a stronger foundation to support future recovery.

If you require help in locating a safe and effective opiate detox program, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-866-99-DETOX (1-866-993-3869).

Opiate Addiction Treatment Program 

An opiate addiction treatment program is no different than any other addiction treatment program. The key is matching the addiction treatment services with the addiction treatment needs of the person looking for addiction treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask the addiction treatment program for information on their addiction treatment staff credentials, licenses and services of the addiction treatment program and what their addiction treatment philosophy is. There are as many addiction treatment philosophies as there are addiction treatment programs. Remember, there is no one perfect addiction treatment program for everyone.

At a minimum, the addiction treatment program should be licensed by the state in which they provide addiction treatment services, accredited by J.C.A.H.O., have a medically based opiate detox program, dual diagnosis treatment program, relapse prevention program, family recovery component and aftercare program.

If you require help in locating an effective addiction treatment program or opiate detox p.rogram, please do not hesitate to give us a call at 1-866-99-DETOX (1-866-993-3869).