Opioid addiction is a growing problem in the United States, affecting an estimated 2.6 million individuals in 2015. What are opioids? These include both prescription pain relievers and street heroin, both of which are highly addictive substances that change the chemistry in the brain.
Addiction treatment is an effective method of helping these individuals break free of their dependence on these substances. All too often, fears about the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms keep people from seeking help. Medical detoxification provides medications and procedures that can help them get through the difficult initial period of withdrawing from opioid drugs.
What are opioids?
Opioids are substances that attach to receptors in the brain that control pain and feelings of well-being. Addiction occurs when these centers become accustomed to the strong effects of opiate drugs, causing cravings when the drug is not available. Normal brain chemicals become reduced, and the individual seeks more and more of the substance to achieve the same level of well-being.
Treatment for opioid addiction involves re-training the brain to produce normal brain chemicals and adapting the individual’s thinking and behavior to avoid relapse. Detoxification is the first step in this process, which removes the drug from the body. The detoxification process causes severe physical and psychological reactions to the removal of the drug from the system.
Understanding opioid withdrawal
When the consistent supply of an opioid drug to the brain is stopped, the body reacts with symptoms of nausea, joint pain, muscle pain, diarrhea, depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, and severe cravings for the drug. In some cases, seizures or heart arrhythmias can occur. These withdrawal symptoms can cause severe discomfort, both physically and emotionally, and can last several days to several weeks after stopping the opioid substance.
Many individuals are so afraid of experiencing the severe withdrawal symptoms that it keeps them from seeking treatment for their addiction. Assuring these individuals of medical support during the withdrawal process can help them to choose treatment, so they can resume their normal lives, free of dependence on opioids. What is medical detox? A closer look provides answers about this medically accepted treatment for opiate withdrawal.
What is medical detox?
Medical Detox is a useful preliminary care protocol for treating addiction. This method uses medications to manage the severe symptoms that occur during opiate withdrawal. It may include medications that manage nausea, reduce joint pain, or help the individual sleep. The patient may also receive fluids to keep hydrated, nutritional support, and gradual tapering off the opioid drug.
These measures help to ensure the drug is safely removed from the system help to reduce severe emotional and physical effects. Medically supported detox can be administered either in an institutional setting or in a private home, by skilled health providers that have experience in procedures to facilitate the withdrawal process.
Getting off of opiate drugs can be a difficult process. The fear of overpowering opiate withdrawal symptoms can keep addicted individuals from seeking the treatment they need to put their lives back on track. Medical detoxification offers pharmaceutical support during the detox process to ensure a more comfortable transition into treatment. In this way, individuals can opt for care knowing they will be carefully monitored and medically treated as they begin their journey to recovery.
Medically supervised detox at home
MD Home Detox offers a home detox treatment program that allows those suffering from opioid addiction to heal in the comfort and privacy of their own home. Our individual care plans include a comprehensive medical exam that ensures our clients will be treated in the best possible way. Don’t face withdrawal symptoms alone. Contact MD Home Detox today.