Opiate Detox

Opiates, the class of drugs derived from the opium poppy, are among the original “problem” drugs, used and abused for hundreds of years before 19th century doctors seeking better anesthetics unwittingly sparked a boom in drug addiction. Morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and heroin are all opiates, and all have a high potential for addiction. Accidental addiction to painkillers from this class of drug is common, with the resulting need for treatment for opiate abuse through a qualified drug treatment center.

Addiction Recovery

In the famous book “To Kill a Mockingbird,” the children, Scout and Jem, read to their cranky elderly neighbor as punishment for invading her flower beds. Unknown to them, it is to distract her from her private fight to free herself from morphine addiction. She succeeds, just before she dies, on willpower alone. Fortunately, there are now better and less painful ways to withdraw from opiate addiction.

The detoxification process nowadays is just part of a more comprehensive drug treatment program. It begins with helping addicts through the initial phases of withdrawal. Opiate addiction is a central nervous system disorder in which opiate use causes nerve cells in the brain to stop producing endorphins. The opiate takes the place of the endorphins, so that the nerve cells begin to degenerate and cause dependency on the opiate. When the drug is stopped, intense cravings are accompanied by a variety of other unpleasant and potentially dangerous systems that can actually be fatal in unhealthy patients. Carefully managed opiate detox through a qualified treatment center specializing in drug abuse is therefore highly recommended.

There are several methods of opiate detoxification but no clearly proven process that takes precedence over the others. Each has risks and different effects on the patient. No opiate detox program, however, should concentrate solely on detoxification. In order to truly break an opiate addiction, the detox process must be combined with a long-term approach that addresses the psychological as well as the physiological effects of the drug abuse. Programs which adopt a holistic approach to drug treatment produce far better results and are much more able to prevent relapse than simple detox alone.

24 Hour Addiction Treatment & Intervention Assistance

800-559-9503

A holistic approach to opiate detox combines treatment for the painful and debilitating symptoms of withdrawal, usually via an inpatient stay in a qualified drug treatment center. This gives patients access to trained medical personnel who are experienced in treating opiate abuse and all of its effects on the human body and mind. Coupled with the physical detox process comes counseling to help recovering addicts understand the root cause of their addiction and to modify their behavior to prevent a return to drug use. This long-term behavioral modification is especially important in helping drug abusers learn to fight the cravings and recognize the particular triggers that sent them seeking their next hit.

Opiate detox is a painful and unpleasant process. There is no reason to be like that old lady, suffering alone. Help for opiate addiction is just a phone call away, through a good, qualified drug treatment program.