Many people are familiar with opiates both as legal prescription medications and as illegal substances that are available on the streets for sale. Legal opiates such as codeine and morphine are used to help treat patients that are undergoing severe and chronic pain while illegal substances such as heroin are available in much higher potency levels and are taken in a variety of ways.
Whether the substance is illegal or a prescription medication, there are great dangers attached to opiates as they can be highly addictive. The only really safe way to try and deal with an addiction is to seek help by participating in some form of opiate addiction treatment.
The Signs and Effects of Opiate Abuse
Many people become addicted to the various opiates they are taking for legitimate medical reasons while others become addicted to the illegal substances that are also available. For whatever reason, there are some mitigating factors that lead to an addiction. Primarily, many people end up taking more of whatever form of Opiate they have chosen because they need more of the medication to replicate the pleasurable experience that comes with taking the drug.
Whether it is just the relief from chronic pain or the strong rush of pleasure that an opiate provides, people want to achieve that feeling quickly and end up taking the drug more frequently and at higher doses. There are some general signs to be aware of that may signify that someone is abusing an opiate. Some of these symptoms are higher levels of anxiety, irritability, low motivation levels, trying to find ways to get more of the drug, insomnia and increased heart rate.
People who have been abusing opiates display a difficulty in breathing, nausea, confusion, vast mood swings, fatigue and chest pains. Signs that have manifested themselves in this way may indicate a severe problem where a visit to an opiate addiction rehab is crucial.
Finding the Right Opiate Addiction Treatment
Trying to deal with an opiate addiction on your own will be incredibly difficult. Most people who try to stop an addiction on their own without professional help end up falling back and relapsing, making the addiction even more difficult to deal with. The best course of action you can take is to seek the help of an inpatient opiate rehab center where you can get the quality care and attention you need. You can expect to see the following treatments at such a facility:
- Opiate Detox and Treatment – The first step in dealing with any opiate addiction is to go through a detox so your body eliminates the drugs out of your system. The length of time this takes depends on the individual. Not everyone will experience all symptoms and the severity will also vary. However, going through detox at an inpatient facility will allow you to be properly monitored and taken care of by trained medical professionals that can help manage and alleviate symptoms until the detox is complete.
- The Rehabilitation Process – Once detox has been completed, rehabilitation is necessary to help avoid any chance of a relapse. At an inpatient opiate rehab center, patients will experience various forms of counseling, including intensive one-on-one sessions and group therapy counseling. Patients also get educated in various coping strategies and mechanisms to learn how to deal with their addiction after leaving the program in order avoid the situations that could create a relapse.
