Opiate addiction is a very serious illness, which can lead to depression, hopelessness, and sometimes death. Opiate addiction is a brain disease characterized by increased tolerance leading to more and more substance needed to achieve the same effect. Addiction To Opiates is both physical and psychological, requiring an intense inpatient program in order to best detox off the drug and transition into living without drugs. One thing that you need to understand about opiate addiction is that it is a lot different from other cases of substance dependency. Currently, the only FDA approved option for treating opiate addiction is through the use of methadone and buprenorphine, both of which are synthetic opiates with their own addictive tendencies.
Getting off heroin and other opiates isn't easy, but detox is the first step. Detox in and of itself is simply the removal of a drug from a person's body. Detox may eliminate opiates from the body, but it doesn’t restore the body’s natural, healthy chemistry. Detox from opiates like heroin, OxyContin, Lortab and Vicodin requires close supervision. But, if a person is successful in detox and dedicated to kicking the habit, the chances are greatly increased.
Withdrawal symptoms from opiates start within a few hours of your last missed dose and include nausea and vomiting, sweating, irritability, body and muscle aches, insomnia and an increase in intensity over the next few days, lasting for weeks. Rapid opiate detox is a procedure which allows patients to undergo the severe opiate withdrawal symptoms associated with detoxification while under anesthesia. In clinical studies, Buprenorphine has proven effective in minimizing the extremely painful side effects of opiate withdrawal without patients feeling either euphoria or sedation.
After prolonged opiate use, the nerve cells in the brain, which would otherwise produce endogenous opiates (natural painkillers, or endorphins), cease to function normally. When these nerve cells degenerate, a need for the drug or high physical tolerance is present, requiring that more and more of the drug be ingested in order to avoid the onset of painful withdrawal symptoms. During professional opium treatment, detox pains can be managed through continual medical observation and care, and through the use of non narcotic pain relievers, anxiolitics and anti depressant medications.
Buprenorphine treatment can eliminate or reduce many withdraw symptoms and allow an addicted person to address the root problem without the pain and discomfort of withdrawal. Buprenorphine works by acting on the brain's own opiate receptors , targets for heroin, morphine and prescription opioids , to relieve drug cravings without prompting the same intense high or dangerous side effects.
Showing posts with label Opiate Addiction. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Opiate Addiction. Show all posts
Opiate Addiction Is The Most Powerful Form Of Addiction
Opiate addiction is much different than that of other substances that are abused and can cause addiction. Opiate addiction is a serious problem in our country and will become an even bigger problem in the years ahead. The persistent use of opiates and is thought to be a disorder of the central nervous system. Though opiate painkillers are prescribed by physicians, opiate addiction is an insidious medical disease. But since opiate addiction is far more than a “behavior problem,” treatment requires more than just therapy.
Addiction today is no longer confided to the alley’s, but instead is in our neighborhoods and our homes. Addiction professionals more frequently recommend opium treatment that involves a short and intense period of detox, but after which the physical dependency to opium is over, and the recovering addict can better participate in therapies of relapse avoidance, and hopefully within a relatively short period learn the life strategies needed to stay opium free for life. Some of the signs and symptoms of opiate addiction may include but are not limited to:Restlessness, Hyperactive behavior, Poor physical coordination, Inability to concentrate, Poor judgment, Slurred speech, Bouts of euphoria followed by bouts of extreme depression, Accelerated heartbeat which can ultimately result in coma or death. The road to opiate addiction treatment begins by understanding that this is a brain disorder and not a will power or moral issue, and that treatment options are available to those that suffer with this disease.
Treatment for opiate addiction entails a grueling detoxification and withdrawal suffering that can be followed by intense physical and psychological cravings, lasting months. Due to variability in brain recovery, many addicts may require prolonged treatment or supportive medications in order to discontinue their addictive lifestyles. Since the body becomes physically addicted to the drug, the body too must be cleaned of its effects before treatment can progress. Any detox can be extremely painful with severe physical symptoms that may be traumatic if attempted without medical treatment.
Withdrawal from opiates can be very trying on the body and generally requires medical assistance to ease the patient through the process as much as possible. Disruption of endorphin production is thought to be associated with a need to increase opiate use in order to avoid the onset of painful withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone (an alternative to Methadone) was created for the user to be able to avoid withdrawal symptoms while in the mean time during treatment rebuilding the receptors in the brain that have been destroyed while using narcotics. Methadone is a rigorously well-tested medication that is safe and effective for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence.
Addiction today is no longer confided to the alley’s, but instead is in our neighborhoods and our homes. Addiction professionals more frequently recommend opium treatment that involves a short and intense period of detox, but after which the physical dependency to opium is over, and the recovering addict can better participate in therapies of relapse avoidance, and hopefully within a relatively short period learn the life strategies needed to stay opium free for life. Some of the signs and symptoms of opiate addiction may include but are not limited to:Restlessness, Hyperactive behavior, Poor physical coordination, Inability to concentrate, Poor judgment, Slurred speech, Bouts of euphoria followed by bouts of extreme depression, Accelerated heartbeat which can ultimately result in coma or death. The road to opiate addiction treatment begins by understanding that this is a brain disorder and not a will power or moral issue, and that treatment options are available to those that suffer with this disease.
Treatment for opiate addiction entails a grueling detoxification and withdrawal suffering that can be followed by intense physical and psychological cravings, lasting months. Due to variability in brain recovery, many addicts may require prolonged treatment or supportive medications in order to discontinue their addictive lifestyles. Since the body becomes physically addicted to the drug, the body too must be cleaned of its effects before treatment can progress. Any detox can be extremely painful with severe physical symptoms that may be traumatic if attempted without medical treatment.
Withdrawal from opiates can be very trying on the body and generally requires medical assistance to ease the patient through the process as much as possible. Disruption of endorphin production is thought to be associated with a need to increase opiate use in order to avoid the onset of painful withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone (an alternative to Methadone) was created for the user to be able to avoid withdrawal symptoms while in the mean time during treatment rebuilding the receptors in the brain that have been destroyed while using narcotics. Methadone is a rigorously well-tested medication that is safe and effective for the treatment of narcotic withdrawal and dependence.
Understanding The Underlying Causes Of Opiate Addiction
People in AA will often say that it isn't the alcohol that is the problem; it is the 'ism' that causes the damage. Such is the case with opiates as well—the opiate is not the issue, but rather it is the obsession with opiates that causes the misery and despair. For example, ibuprofen and acetaminophen (found in vicodin and vicoprofen) can cause liver damage and even failure if high enough doses are consumed. In their purest form and in no combination with other drugs, the majority of opioids are actually benign in the body, the only risk associated w/ their use is dependency and withdrawal. But some opiods, including heroin, morphine, and opium are far from safe and can cause full blown addiction. Prolonged usage can cause physical damage to the body, although not necessarily from the drug itself. Repeated injections with dirty needles can result in diseases such as Hepatitis, AIDS and Tetanus, especially when sharing needles.
Due to their pain relieving properties, opioids are the most often prescribed type of prescription drugs. Some of the medications that are opiates include drugs like morphine and codeine. There are close to a million chronic opioid addicts in the United States and less than 25 percent of them seek treatment. Those who do seek care have relatively poor outcomes in traditional abstinence-based treatment programs . In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation, a "rush." The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors.
Two of the most commonly known opioid analogs are fentanyl and meperidine (marketed under the brand name Demerol). In addition to relieving pain, opioid drugs can affect regions of the brain that mediate what we perceive as pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria that many opioids produce. They can also produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and, depending upon the amount of drug taken, depress breathing.
Not long ago, opiate dependency was viewed as a condition with no solution . Patients with opiate physical dependency were considered to have inherited an addictive personality or psychological disorder or to have suffered with a dysfunctional family life. Opiate addiction is a serious condition, but it is one that can be treated. Like all drug addictions, opiate is a medical condition attacking the nervous system in the brain and spinal cord. One possible reason for how the addiction starts is the inaccessibility of this drug in its cheaper, generic form in anything smaller than 80 milligrams.
Due to their pain relieving properties, opioids are the most often prescribed type of prescription drugs. Some of the medications that are opiates include drugs like morphine and codeine. There are close to a million chronic opioid addicts in the United States and less than 25 percent of them seek treatment. Those who do seek care have relatively poor outcomes in traditional abstinence-based treatment programs . In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation, a "rush." The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors.
Two of the most commonly known opioid analogs are fentanyl and meperidine (marketed under the brand name Demerol). In addition to relieving pain, opioid drugs can affect regions of the brain that mediate what we perceive as pleasure, resulting in the initial euphoria that many opioids produce. They can also produce drowsiness, cause constipation, and, depending upon the amount of drug taken, depress breathing.
Not long ago, opiate dependency was viewed as a condition with no solution . Patients with opiate physical dependency were considered to have inherited an addictive personality or psychological disorder or to have suffered with a dysfunctional family life. Opiate addiction is a serious condition, but it is one that can be treated. Like all drug addictions, opiate is a medical condition attacking the nervous system in the brain and spinal cord. One possible reason for how the addiction starts is the inaccessibility of this drug in its cheaper, generic form in anything smaller than 80 milligrams.
Treatment Options For Opiate Addictions Include Medication, Rehab And Detox
The main form of treatment for opiate addiction treatment is drug rehab. The long-term success rate for those who complete an opiate rehab is very low unforunately. Pharmacological therapy alone rarely achieves long-term success. Thus Suboxone detox should be combined with concurrent behavioral therapies and with the provision of needed addiction treatment services. Recovery from opiate addiction is a long-term process that often requires multiple attempts and many behavioral changes. Most people relapse several times before achieving long-term abstinence, regardless of whether the drug of abuse is nicotine, cocaine, heroin or other addictive substances.
Rapid detoxification is another treatment option that helps reduce the distress of opiate withdrawal for people who are chemically dependent on opiates such as heroin, Vicodin, Percocet, Demerol, Dilaudid, Darvocet, OxyContin, opium, morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, prescription painkillers, and all narcotic type drugs. It shortens the detoxification period and spares patients the pain and physical discomforts of withdrawal. Rapid detoxification tends to be very effective but it also tends to be very expensive and most insurances will not cover the treatment.
Legally prescribed and illegally attained opiate based drugs are unfortunately plentiful in every town in the nation and subsequently you will find those who are addicted to these drugs everywhere you look. Someone who has become addicted to opiates will need rehabilitation because the addiction is so strong that the biggest majority of people who are addicted cannot break free without intense help..
Yet another treatment option for opiate addiction is group counseling sessions after a period of detox. Many drug addicts find group counseling intimidating at first, but the truth is that the trust built up through group counseling sessions will help you learn how to effectively communicate with other people. In group drug and alcohol counseling your group will work on learning how to express emotions openly and trust others. The drugs that comprise the opiate family can destroy relationships as well as physical and psychological health. The professionals at opiate rehab programs help alter the course of those with heroin addiction, Vicodin addiction or other opiate-based addictions and chart a path towards a happy, fulfilling life.
Finally, Naxalone is another treatment option that reverses the effects of heroin and other related opioid drugs. Food and Drug Administration has approved Naxalone for the purpose of opiate detoxification. The medication’s active ingredient is oxycodone, which is also found in drugs like Percodan, Percocet and Tylox. In Oxycontin the drug is found in a potent, sustained release (time release) form containing anywhere from 10 to 160 mg of oxycodone. Cognitive-behavioral interventions are designed to help modify the patient's expectations and behaviors related to drug use, and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors. Both behavioral and pharmacological treatments help to restore a degree of normalcy to brain function and behavior during and after the withdraw process from opiates.
Rapid detoxification is another treatment option that helps reduce the distress of opiate withdrawal for people who are chemically dependent on opiates such as heroin, Vicodin, Percocet, Demerol, Dilaudid, Darvocet, OxyContin, opium, morphine, codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, prescription painkillers, and all narcotic type drugs. It shortens the detoxification period and spares patients the pain and physical discomforts of withdrawal. Rapid detoxification tends to be very effective but it also tends to be very expensive and most insurances will not cover the treatment.
Legally prescribed and illegally attained opiate based drugs are unfortunately plentiful in every town in the nation and subsequently you will find those who are addicted to these drugs everywhere you look. Someone who has become addicted to opiates will need rehabilitation because the addiction is so strong that the biggest majority of people who are addicted cannot break free without intense help..
Yet another treatment option for opiate addiction is group counseling sessions after a period of detox. Many drug addicts find group counseling intimidating at first, but the truth is that the trust built up through group counseling sessions will help you learn how to effectively communicate with other people. In group drug and alcohol counseling your group will work on learning how to express emotions openly and trust others. The drugs that comprise the opiate family can destroy relationships as well as physical and psychological health. The professionals at opiate rehab programs help alter the course of those with heroin addiction, Vicodin addiction or other opiate-based addictions and chart a path towards a happy, fulfilling life.
Finally, Naxalone is another treatment option that reverses the effects of heroin and other related opioid drugs. Food and Drug Administration has approved Naxalone for the purpose of opiate detoxification. The medication’s active ingredient is oxycodone, which is also found in drugs like Percodan, Percocet and Tylox. In Oxycontin the drug is found in a potent, sustained release (time release) form containing anywhere from 10 to 160 mg of oxycodone. Cognitive-behavioral interventions are designed to help modify the patient's expectations and behaviors related to drug use, and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors. Both behavioral and pharmacological treatments help to restore a degree of normalcy to brain function and behavior during and after the withdraw process from opiates.
Opiate Dependency Is A Difficult Addiction To Break
The medical community are discovering that opiate dependency is a central nervous system disorder caused by continuous opiate intake. While the number of heroin dependents is increasing at an alarming rate, a previously unrecognized opiate dependency is moving to the forefront - prescription painkiller addiction (which are usually derived from opiates). Opiate dependency is unlike other substance dependencies, in that an individual is more likely to become physically dependent well before becoming psychologically addicted. Treatment for opiate dependent persons includes detoxification through the use of methadone .
In addition, the antiquated notion that addiction is an incurable disease and belief that once an addict, always an addict, needs to be dispelled. Patients are tired of being hostage of a belief that they must be eternally dependent on treatments and maintenance drugs. In most cases, the power of addiction is too strong for an individual to battle on their own. They need the support of loved ones and the help of qualified professionals. Nobody likes to admit they're an addict and nobody likes to admit that they need help. However, a successful opiates rehab will require that a person do both these things.
There is a new "Miracle Pill" called Suboxone (buprenorphine) now available that has been proven successful in treating opiate dependency. It is the first medicine to be approved by the FDA to treat opiate dependency in over 20 years. A similar drug, Subutex, has buprenorphine without naloxone. Subutex also is used for treatment of chronic pain.
Fortunately, good treatments for heroin addiction already exist, and better ones are on the horizon. Unfortunately, clinicians, policy makers, and the lay public are often unaware of the options and which approach is best for which patient. The medicinal use of opioids is primarily to reduce pain following surgery or trauma, or to treat the pain associated with cancer or other chronic diseases. Some heroin-dependent persons are not suitable for pharmacological treatments or are unwilling to consider them.
The death rate of people who use opioids is disproportionately high compared with that of people who use other IV drugs such as cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP). Heroin overdose comprises a substantial component of opioid-related mortality. Over 65 percent of the patients who are treated with the Waismann Method remain drug free after one year. Unfortunately, prescription medicine is now second only to marijuana among the drugs most abused by adults and young people, and many of those battling dependencies to prescription painkillers could be your closest colleagues, friends, or family members.
In addition, the antiquated notion that addiction is an incurable disease and belief that once an addict, always an addict, needs to be dispelled. Patients are tired of being hostage of a belief that they must be eternally dependent on treatments and maintenance drugs. In most cases, the power of addiction is too strong for an individual to battle on their own. They need the support of loved ones and the help of qualified professionals. Nobody likes to admit they're an addict and nobody likes to admit that they need help. However, a successful opiates rehab will require that a person do both these things.
There is a new "Miracle Pill" called Suboxone (buprenorphine) now available that has been proven successful in treating opiate dependency. It is the first medicine to be approved by the FDA to treat opiate dependency in over 20 years. A similar drug, Subutex, has buprenorphine without naloxone. Subutex also is used for treatment of chronic pain.
Fortunately, good treatments for heroin addiction already exist, and better ones are on the horizon. Unfortunately, clinicians, policy makers, and the lay public are often unaware of the options and which approach is best for which patient. The medicinal use of opioids is primarily to reduce pain following surgery or trauma, or to treat the pain associated with cancer or other chronic diseases. Some heroin-dependent persons are not suitable for pharmacological treatments or are unwilling to consider them.
The death rate of people who use opioids is disproportionately high compared with that of people who use other IV drugs such as cocaine and phencyclidine (PCP). Heroin overdose comprises a substantial component of opioid-related mortality. Over 65 percent of the patients who are treated with the Waismann Method remain drug free after one year. Unfortunately, prescription medicine is now second only to marijuana among the drugs most abused by adults and young people, and many of those battling dependencies to prescription painkillers could be your closest colleagues, friends, or family members.
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