Opioid
Detox at Home

Opioids are extremely addictive drugs. Some people become dependent on them after using a prescription for pain. Others use opioids recreationally for their euphoric and relaxation properties. If you’ve become addicted to these drugs and want to stop using them, you’ll probably need to undergo opioid treatment, which starts with detox.

What Are Opioids?

Opioids are a class of natural or synthetic drugs that are used in medical settings to help control pain, and also include illegal narcotics like heroin. When there is an injury or chronic illness, opioids attach to the opioid receptors in the brain and block messages sent by the body to the brain. Types of opioids include:

• Hydrocodone
• Oxycodone
• Morphine
• Fentanyl

Opioids also activate the reward center of the brain causing a euphoric sensation for users. Over time opioids inhibit the brain’s ability produce dopamine, while increasing serotonin output, and the brain will start to require more and more opioids in order to function. 

What Is Opioid Addiction?

Opioids are highly addictive and carry a high risk of abuse, dependence, and addiction. Even using opioids for just a short period of time can lead to dependence. Addiction is a compulsive need to keep using a drug, despite the consequences to your physical health, life, and mental health. Opioid addiction occurs when the body and brain become dependent on the drug to function normally.

When you take opioids, you feel euphoric effects as the drugs bind to specific receptors in your brain. If you use these types of drugs for a long period of time, your body stops making its own feel-good neurotransmitters. You end up being reliant on the drugs to make you feel normal and balanced. Over time you develop a tolerance and your brain begins to need more to feel intense effects.

Signs and Symptoms of Opioid Addiction?

Addiction makes it difficult to stop using opioids and signs may not be obvious right away. Sometimes the first sign of addiction is continuing to use a prescription after you no longer need it. The signs and symptoms of opioid addiction include:

• An inability to stop using the drug
• Withdrawal symptoms when you stop using, including: nausea, sweating, body aches
• Mood swings
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Appetite changes and weight loss
• Lack of basic hygiene
• Isolation from friends and family
• Drowsiness
• Changes in and decreased libido
• Distorted or disorganized thoughts
• Skin problems, including rashes and sores
• Lack of coordination
• Slowed or slurred speech

What Happens During Opioid Detox?

Most people do not want to be addicted to opioids, but the idea of going through withdrawals may seem scary.  No matter how much you want to combat your addiction, you may feel powerless to manage the effects of withdrawal. The first and important step is to go through a detox from opioids, because you can’t heal while opioids are influencing your brain and body.

You might have trouble quitting cold turkey without support. However, a professional who can guide you through a home detox process can help you get through this essential first step successfully.

When you first stop using opioids, you will go through a transition period where you will feel powerful withdrawal symptoms as your body tries to adjust to the way that it worked before you used substances. This period can be quite painful.

Most people begin to feel withdrawal symptoms within a few hours of their last dose. If you’ve been taking a long-acting opiate, such as methadone, you may not feel withdrawal symptoms for a few days. But heroin and other short-acting opiates produce withdrawal symptoms within as few as six hours.

At first, someone who is going through opiate detox might experience symptoms such as:

• Achy muscles and joints
• Runny nose
• Excessive sweating
• Uncontrollable yawning
• Fever
• High blood pressure
• Trouble sleeping

Within 72 hours symptoms may intensify. Other symptoms that can arise within a few days after the last dose include:

• Diarrhea, vomiting and nausea
• Intense cravings for the drug
• Abdominal pain
• Depression

How Long Does Opioid Withdrawal Last?

Withdrawing from opioids can be an intense process. For most people the most acute withdrawal symptoms improve after the first 72 hours, and within a week most of the symptoms should have passed. However, for some individuals it symptoms can last for several weeks or longer — though they tend to be psychological and behavioral.

How long opioid withdrawal will last for you depends on a number of factors, including:

• Length of time of use
• What substance was used
• How much was used
• Method of use (e.g. injecting, snorting, smoking)
• Medical and psychological history
• Family history of addiction

Next Steps

It’s important to remember that detox is just the first step in the recovery process. Addiction is both a physical and psychological disorder and it is paramount that you establish the groundwork for continued long-term recovery.

Opioid detox involves more than the physical body. Even if your body handles opioid detox well, your mind may make the process seem impossible.  As your health improves, your psychological wellness might suffer. You may experience extreme ups and downs as your brain learns how to function without opioids. Some people cope with withdrawal better when they take medications, such as antidepressants, to help them find relief.

Coming up with a treatment plan after detox is also important. Some people find it necessary to throw themselves back into their routines. However, the life that you lived before opioid detox may not be conducive to recovery. You might require help developing new habits, finding fulfillment, and getting through each day. Using a personalized holistic approach, we will work with you to come up with a plan that takes your needs into account.

Opioid Detox at Home

Opioid addiction is dangerous and can have serious consequence for your health and life. MD Home Detox helps people begin the process of breaking the chains of opioid addiction with safe and effective opioid detox at home. Our team of experienced addiction recovery specialists can help you heal from the effects of addiction and set you up for successful and meaningful recovery. To find out more about opioid detox at home call us at 888-592-7931 or contact us today.