Different Methods for Treating Opiate Addiction
There are thousands of treatment centers available to people to help them triumph their opiate addictions. All opiate addiction treatment programs have the same goal, which is to help addicts learn to live a life free from opiates, but every rehab has its own way of accomplishing this goal.
Treating opiate addiction begins with realizing you need to stop using opiates and deciding what kind of treatment program is best for you. The two main types of treatment programs are inpatient and outpatient opiate addiction treatment programs.
Outpatient treatment programs are available to people who do not wish to reside at the program while they are receiving treatment. Through an outpatient program a person will receive their treatment during specific days and times while they still maintain their daily schedule. At an inpatient treatment program a person will reside at the program’s facility and receive 24 hour care and supervision while they are in the program.
A person suffering from an opiate addiction may be fearful of the withdrawal symptoms they will experience once they stop using the drug. The withdrawal symptoms for opiates can be painful and because of this there are treatment programs that specialize in medication administration to help patients get through the physical withdrawals of opiates.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, there are three main medications used to help with opiate withdrawal. These medications are Methadone, which is administered daily and is currently regulated so that only specialized clinics can provide it, Naltrexone, which is an opioid receptor blocker, and Buprenorphine, which is the newest medication and it acts on the same receptors as morphine and heroin do without the euphoric feeling.
A person should also receive therapy while overcoming an opiate addiction, even after they have detoxed from the drug. Therapy helps people deal with the emotional withdrawals from opiates and it helps people continue living their lives without using opiates. Therapy is important for every former opiate addict to partake in even years after they have fully detoxed from the drug.
Why Treatment is Necessary for Opiate Addiction
One of the main reasons why treatment is necessary for conquering an opiate addiction is because of the withdrawal symptoms a person will undergo when they stop using.
According to the US National Library of Medicine and National Institutes of Health, a person may experience any of the following symptoms during opiate detox, insomnia, increased tearing, runny nose, irritation, sweating, Goosebumps, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, and abdominal cramping.
The physical withdrawals from opiates are extremely difficult for a person to go through on their own and they can be dangerous. Moreover, a treatment program will also provide a person with the education, support and supervision they need to ensure they are doing everything they need to do to overcome their addiction. Treatment programs will also provide a person with the proper therapy sessions they need to deal with the psychological withdrawals that stem from opiate addiction.