Although very useful to treat pain, these drugs can cause physical dependency and addiction.
Certain illegal drugs, such as heroin, are also opiates. Methadone is an opiate that is often prescribed to treat pain, but may also be used to treat withdrawal symptoms in people who have become addicted to opiates.
If you stop or decrease the amount of opiates you’re taking, you may experience physical symptoms of withdrawal. This is especially true if you’ve been using these medications at high doses for more than a few weeks. Many systems in your body are altered when you take large amounts of opiates for a long time. Withdrawal effects occur because it takes time for your body to adjust to no longer having opiates in your system.
Opiates attach themselves to opiate receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and the gastrointestinal tract. Whenever opiates attach to these receptors, they exert their effects. Opioid receptors naturally occur in the brain and the brain actually manufactures its own opioids, which are responsible for a whole host of effects including decreasing pain, lowering the respiratory rate, and even antianxiety and antidepressant effects. However, the body does not produce opioids in large quantities — that is, enough to treat the pain associated with a broken leg. Also, the body never produces opioids in large enough quantities to cause an overdose. Taking opioids (either prescription or illicit) mimics these naturally occurring opioids.
The opiate detox process is designed to treat the immediate bodily effects of ceasing drug use and to remove toxins that opiates have left in the body. Studies have shown that opiate addicts who choose detox are more likely to go longer without relapse. Like all detox programs, opiate detox is not curative, but can provide a great deal of physical comfort and mental stability upon entering the rehabilitation process.
Opiate withdrawal symptoms are usually not dangerous, but can be incredibly uncomfortable. The hardest thing is always making the first step, and we aim to help patients begin the process as comfortably as possible.
Reducing stress, avoiding high risk situations, and having a strong support system are also paramount to successful opiate rehabilitation, and should also be part of detox. Our round-the-clock assistance and personalized treatment will show that a successful recovery is important to us.
Both the type and quantity of medications administered during detox may vary depending on the patient’s severity of addiction. In some cases a patient may require rapid detox, where patients are comfortably sedated while medications cleanse the opioid toxins from the body.
Though this type of treatment has made it possible for many patients to return to normal life quickly, it is not recommended for everyone and should be considered prudently by both patient and physician.
