relieve withdrawal symptoms during opiate detox

Where to Find Opiate Withdrawal Relief

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Opiate addiction is a serious problem in the United States. On average, 115 Americans die every day from heroin and prescription painkiller overdoses.

Not only are opiates extremely addicting. The withdrawal from them is immensely painful, making it much harder for addicts to get clean.

If you or someone you know is looking for opiate withdrawal relief, there are options. In this article, we’ll explore where you can find relief from opiate withdrawal.

Understanding Opiate Withdrawal

“Why can’t opiate addicts just stop using?”

Every addict, and anyone who has ever known and loved an addict knows that overcoming an opiates addiction is not that simple.

Cold turkey may seem like the solution, but it’s an extremely painful thing to go through. Opiates are one of the most addicting drugs, if not the most. When the body is so dependent on opiates, it begins to go through withdrawal when it’s no longer receiving them.

When addicts go cold turkey, they experience an onset of adverse symptoms which develop 6-12 hours after their last dose. These symptoms include:

  • Nausea
  • Cramps
  • Chills
  • Muscle aches
  • Vomiting/diarrhea

For heavy users, withdrawal can develop within a couple of hours after their last dose. Severe withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Insomnia
  • Hypertension
  • Muscle spasms
  • Anxiety/depression
  • Suicidal thoughts

Because the effects of withdrawal are so powerful, the vast majority of addicts wind up using again to relieve themselves. And so begins the vicious cycle of opiates addiction.

Luckily, there are options when it comes to finding opiate withdrawal relief.

Methadone Clinics

Methadone, otherwise known as Dolophine, is an opioid that’s similar to morphine. It traditionally treats pain. However, it’s widely used as a form of maintenance therapy for those trying to wean themselves off opioids.

It may seem counterintuitive to substitute a drug in place of another. But for heroin and painkiller users, they need opiate withdrawal relief in any way that doesn’t feed their addiction.

Methadone works the same way any opioid does – without the high. It tapers off the feelings of withdrawal, making it easier for addicts to stay off heroin and painkillers. It’s for this reason that methadone is a recommended form of detox treatment.

The Breakdown of Methadone

Patients can receive methadone one of three ways. There’s a methadone pill, methadone liquid, as well as a wafer.

Methadone starts to relieve the symptoms of opiates withdrawal within one hour of dosing. It works for up to 24 hours. Though rare, methadone can work for up to 36 hours.

It’s important to remember that you shouldn’t take methadone without the supervision of a doctor. To receive methadone treatment, a person needs a referral from their doctor. It can only be administered by a SAMHSA-certified treatment facility.

There are more methadone clinics than ever before. With the heroin epidemic rampant in the United States, more people are turning to methadone for opiate withdrawal relief.

What You Can Expect at a Methadone Clinic

On the first day of treatment, patients typically don’t receive methadone right away. The first day is, more or less, about figuring out the right form of treatment for you. Because some people’s addictions are more severe than others, not every methadone treatment is the same.

On the first day, you’ll meet with a clinician or nurse and discuss your addiction and medical history. Your nurse, counselor, or doctor will go over how the facility works. You will also be given blood and urine tests.

This will all help determine the proper methadone dose that will give you opiate withdrawal relief. At the start of treatment, you’ll take your methadone at the clinic on a daily basis.

Over the course of your treatment, you may be able to take your methadone at home. This will depend on how well you respond to treatment.

Opiate Withdrawal Relief at Home

After 45 minutes to an hour, methadone takes effect. Once it does, users no longer feel withdrawal. But whether or not you decide to do methadone treatment, you can still take care of yourself at home.

The key is to drink plenty of water. Dehydration is common in opiate withdrawal, and if not addressed, can lead to hospitalization. Electrolyte solutions, such as Pedialyte, can also help you stay hydrated in recovery.

It’s also important to eat in recovery. Unfortunately, nausea may feel too strong and you may not feel hungry.

Because withdrawal makes people feel so sick, it helps to eat the kinds of foods you would eat if you had the flu. Saltine crackers, chicken broth, and fruit can be easy to eat even when you’re not feeling hungry.

Over-the-Counter Medications

There are over-the-counter medications you can take to help with withdrawal symptoms. Loperamide, also known as Imodium, can relieve diarrhea. Dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) can ease nausea.

For aches and pains, it’s good to take Ibuprofen or Aspirin. It’s important not to take these medications on an empty stomach. If you have to take them but don’t have much of an appetite, try eating some saltine crackers or a banana.

Insomnia is also common during the first weeks and months of recovery. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any over-the-counter sleep medications. They can help you find non-habit forming sleep solutions.

Cannabis & Opiate Withdrawal Relief

Medical marijuana is currently on the rise in the United States. Though not proven, many recovering addicts claim that smoking marijuana has helped them through withdrawal.

If medical marijuana is legal in your state, you may be able to get a prescription. To explore the possibility of using medical marijuana for opiate withdrawal relief, talk to your doctor.

Overcome Opiate Addiction Once and for All

If you or someone you know is addicted to opiates, recovery may seem impossible.

Recovery doesn’t happen overnight. Withdrawal in the initial days, weeks, and months are the hardest. But once you get through it, recovery will feel more and more like a possibility that you can make into a reality.

The first step is to reach out to the people who understand opiate withdrawal. Talk to your doctor about methadone treatment and other options that are available to help you find opiate withdrawal relief.

For more information about how methadone can help you overcome your addiction to opiates, Give us a call at (855) 976- 2092!

Sources

[1] Understanding the Epidemic | Drug Overdose | CDC Injury Center. (2018, December 19). Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/epidemic/index.html

[2] Heroin Withdrawal Timeline, Symptoms and Treatment. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://americanaddictioncenters.org/withdrawal-timelines-treatments/heroin

Detoxing from Methadone at home

How to Perform Methadone Detox at Home

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Methadone detox can be a scary but necessary step in your recovery. Did you know that you can do methadone detox at home?

For many opioid addicts, methadone treatment is crucial for recovery. However, eventually, you’ll need to detox from methadone. This is often done in rehab clinics, but in certain situations, detoxing at home can be a much better choice.

If you’re afraid to go to rehab, don’t have the money, or don’t have a clinic in your area, methadone detox at home may be the answer.

In this guide, we’ll show you everything you need to know to detox in the comfort of your own home. Keep reading to learn more.

What is Methadone?

Methadone is an opioid, but surprisingly, it can actually help people recover from opioid addiction by helping them through the withdrawal process.

The creation of methadone treatment took place during World War II to help patients get through intense pain. Today, it’s still in the category of opioid painkillers that are often prescribed for serious pain. However, it’s also given as a part of treatment for addiction to heroin and related drugs. It’s helpful to understand more about this drug before you try methadone detox at home.

Methadone is only available by prescription and comes in powder, pill, or liquid form. Like many prescription drugs, it can also be abused, and it’s important to only take it as directed by a doctor. The good news is that among narcotics, methadone is a very safe choice – so safe that you can use it at your own house.

How Does Methadone Work?

Methadone offers pain relief by changing how your central nervous system and brain react to pain. Although it’s similar to other painkillers like morphine, it doesn’t work as quickly.

Interestingly, methadone also inhibits the effects of other drugs. You won’t be able to feel codeine, heroin, oxycodone, hydrocodone, or morphine while you’re on methadone. This is part of what makes it such a great treatment for addiction.

Methadone feels similar to these other opioids, but can’t be combined with them, and combats the symptoms of withdrawal. Sometimes, methadone treatment is also called “replacement therapy.” The methadone mechanism of action works to “replace” the drug you’re addicted to, but has softer effects, helping you wean yourself off of the addiction.

Duration and Side Effects of Methadone Detox

Most experts agree that a year, or even more, of methadone treatment is needed to fight addiction. A doctor will measure how your body responds to the treatment, and make adjustments as needed. Even when you do methadone detox at home, you’ll need to have a doctor to prescribe the treatment and check in with you regularly to make sure it’s working.

Once the treatment is complete, your doctor can also help you slowly wind down your dosage, so you don’t go into methadone withdrawal.

Side effects of methadone include slowed breathing, restlessness, itchiness, profuse sweating, sexual issues, and constipation.

In rare cases, serious side effects can happen that require medical treatment. However, most people never have these problems. You’ll need to call your doctor if you start feeling faint or lightheaded, having difficulty breathing, break out in a rash, hallucinate, or have chest pains.

Doing Methadone Detox at Home

Now that you know how methadone works, you can safely detox from methadone at home. Here’s how to do it.

1. Decide How Quickly You’ll Quit

Some people decide to go completely cold-turkey from methadone once they feel that they’ve recovered fully. Others gradually wean themselves off, which helps you avoid withdrawal.

If you plan to detox gradually, you’ll probably need about 200 mg of methadone with you. This should be enough for your home detox.

2. Take Some Time Off

It will take you about a week to detox completely. During this time, you’ll need to gradually reduce how much methadone you take every day. You won’t be getting much sleep during this time, and you’ll probably have cramps and nausea.

Your body will desire the methadone that you’ve taken away from it, so it’s good to have a friend or health care worker around who can give you the doses, so you aren’t tempted to take more than you should.

3. Get Through the Worst

You’ll have about two or three bad days of withdrawal, so prepare to push through it.

Your worst days will be more intense if you quit cold-turkey. If you gradually reduce your dosage, you might find that the experience really isn’t all that bad. However, either method works.

Although detox can be unpleasant, it’s not fatal. If you are making the decision to stop using the drug, methadone withdrawal is safe to do at home.

4. Stock Up on Supplies

Stock up on broth and liquids so you stay hydrated during this time. Pick up plenty of drinks that have electrolytes, since you’ll need to replace fluids fast. Buy herbal teas and other comforting drinks to help get you through the bad days.

Crackers and bread can also help stave off hunger without making nausea work. Think of all the things that you like to have on hand when you’re sick – those are the things you’ll want to stock up on.

5. Get Support

It’s a great idea to have a friend or loved one to help you through this process. However, it’s also valuable to seek out the support of fellow former addicts who understand what you’re going through.

Your physical cravings will be powerful for a matter of days. Your psychological cravings, however, will linger for months or years after the detox is over. Having support can help you fight against them.

In addition to getting a good support system, it’s a good idea to get therapy and outpatient treatment to help you stay on track, so you’ll never need to do a methadone detox again.

Looking for Methadone Centers Near You?

In order to do a methadone detox, you’ll need a source of methadone.

When you’re ready to find a methadone center near you, contact us at (855) 976-2092, we can help you find what you need.

Sources

[1] CRC Health. (n.d.). Soldiers, Hippies and Richard Nixon – An American History of Methadone | CRC Health Group. Retrieved from https://www.crchealth.com/addiction/heroin-addiction-treatment/heroin-detox/history_methadone/

[2] Clinical Guidelines for Withdrawal Management and Treatment of Drug Dependence in Closed Settings. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2009. 4, Withdrawal Management. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310652/

exposing methadone myths and treatment

7 Myths About Methadone Treatment Debunked

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Have you heard people in the recovery community tell you just how bad methadone is and why you SHOULDN’T be on it? Well, this is because there are many myths about methadone and it’s use for opioid addiction treatment.

The truth is, some of these people might be misinformed. While their journey to a narcotic-free lifestyle is a great one, it isn’t for all people struggling with addiction.

Sometimes the temptation is too great. Others don’t feel that abstinence-based or twelve step-based programs work for them. Regardless of your reasoning, if you and your doctor come to the conclusion that taking methadone for addictions is the best option, you should at least look into it.

Of course, you don’t want to make yourself worse off in your addiction than what you already are. But upon doing some research, you may find that this is the safest way to become drug-free.

Read on for seven misconceptions and myths about methadone treatment.

1. Swapping Addictions

It is true that on a stable dose of methadone, your body becomes physically dependent on it. However, it does not fall under the same category as a true addiction.

The truth is, even if your body is “addicted” to it, it is medically guided and closely observed. You also know exactly what you’re getting and how much is in each dose every time you take it.

2. Methadone Will Make You High

When taking the proper dose under close medical supervision, methadone treatment does not make you high. Nor does it produce any of the euphoric effects felt by other opiates.

There may be some drowsiness and other symptoms associated with methadone treatment. However, when taken properly and as prescribed, these side effects are minimal. Actually, to get high on this medicine, you’d need a very high dose and you’d have to take it more frequently than ordered.

3. Suboxone Vs. Methadone Treatment

Both of these drugs have the potential for misuse and the risk of withdrawal symptoms. They can also help with opioid detox symptoms. And most importantly, each one can help you in your fight to recovery.

If you are in chronic pain, methadone will likely be the course of treatment for you. It is the only drug approved to treat this symptom.

To obtain methadone, you must go to a certified opioid treatment program every day. You will be observed while you take your medicine and eventually your treatment team will allow you to take doses home once you are stable.

With Suboxone, your doctor can just give you a prescription. You will probably be monitored closely, but you can take your doses at home. Though this freedom is great, there is also a wider window for misuse.

4. You’ll Be on Methadone Forever

While some patients end up experiencing long term methadone use, many can taper off the medication over a year or several months.

Every case is different and yours will be decided on by you and your doctor. The biggest idea is to get you clean from opiates so you can begin focusing on why you turned to them in the first place.

Participation in an Intensive Outpatient (IOP,) group therapy, or an individual counseling program will help modify addictive behaviors that lead to opioid dependence.

5. It’s Damaging to Your Health

There’s a lot of misinformation out there about how methadone will damage your health, rot your teeth, get into your bones, or hurt your organs.

None of this is true. There isn’t any science behind these claims.

The fact is, while using opiates (especially intravenously), you are putting yourself at risk for infections like HIV and Hepatitis.

When you’re getting high, often times personal hygiene falls by the wayside. Teeth aren’t brushed, and showers aren’t taken. These two parts of taking care of yourself will do far more damage to your health than following your doctor’s orders while prescribed methadone.

6. Methadone and Pregnancy

A mother never wants to hurt her baby. Yet, while pregnant, many addicts will still use.

This is difficult because the withdrawal symptoms from quitting cold-turkey can be dangerous for the mom-to-be. But continuing to use is just as bad–if not worse.

Heroin use during pregnancy can cause the uterus to contract, bringing on premature delivery or miscarriage. Also, the use of unclean needles is a route to infection for both mom and baby.

Methadone while pregnant is a safer alternative to using opioids. This treatment program will help mom come off opiates safely and while keeping the baby healthy and happy.

7. Methadone and Cross-Addiction

Cross-addiction is when you trade one addiction for another. The thing about addiction is that regardless of the high from one substance to another, it all acts the same on the brain.

A feel-good substance can be anything from heroin and opiates to marijuana, alcohol, sex, gambling, or even food. It is very common to replace one addiction with another because you feel like you can control it.

The problem is that when you begin to cross your addictions, you eventually relapse and fall back on your “drug” of choice. Keep in mind that when you relapse, you often pick up right where you left off.

With all of this said, a methadone program will not make you find a cross-addiction–not physically, anyway.

Myths About Methadone: Final Thoughts

We hope to have debunked some of the myths surrounding methadone, as this is a medication that can be looked at as an “oldie but goodie” with documented success.

Of course, when dealing with addiction, self-restraint is needed. There’s a need for counseling or intensive outpatient therapy. You can’t just come off of heroin or another strong opiate of abuse and expect that methadone will fix your problems. If you do, you will fail.

Getting clean is the chance of a lifetime. You can mend relationships, find a new job and place to live, and maybe have the chance to live a few of your dreams.

There are many paths to your goal, and none of them will be easy. But choosing methadone maintenance treatment may make the walk just a bit easier. For more information contact us at (855) 976-2092.

 

Sources 

Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. (2015, June 18). 42 CFR § 8.12 – Federal Opioid Treatment Standards. Retrieved from Legal Information Institute: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/42/8.12

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2015, September 28). Certification of Opioid Treatment Programs (OTP) . Retrieved from www.samhsa.gov: https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/opioid-treatment-programs

Youth.gov. (2019). Methadone Maintenance Treatment. Retrieved from youth.gov: https://youth.gov/content/methadone-maintenance-treatment

Shiu, J. R., & Ensom, M. H. (2012). Dosing and monitoring of methadone in pregnancy: literature review. The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy, 65(5), 380-6. Retrieved From: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3477836/

helping a loved one with addiction

How to Help an Addict: A Complete Guide

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Do you have a friend or family member who’s suffering from either an alcohol or drug addiction? If so, we’re here for you, and we want to help support you as best we can.

Shockingly, back in 2013 as many as 9.4% of the American population used illicit drugs, and this trend still poses a genuine threat today!

So we’ve put together this guide on how to help an addict. We hope this provides some clarity and guidance on what to do for the best.

So without further ado, let’s dive into our top pieces of advice.

1.) Demonstrate Tough Love

As hard as it may be, you need to show tough love. You can demonstrate all the patience and kindness in the world and still not get anywhere.

This approach is almost inevitable when it comes to supporting an addict who doesn’t think they need/ want help.

If you’re experiencing something like this, you’ll need to start putting firmer boundaries in place, and sticking to them.

This is the only way to stop enabling the addict’s destructive behaviors (as we’ll discuss in greater detail in a sec).

It’s not unusual for addicts to avoid seeking help and treatment, to begin with, and then expect their loved ones to support them avoiding professional help.

This often causes friction, as a result of heart-wrenching manipulations, false promises, and emotional appeals made on behalf of the addict.

You have to remember that whatever the addict says and does in these situations, it isn’t personal to you.

Substance abuse affects the brain chemistry of the addict, so you need to stay strong and not cave into these kinds of mind games. i.e., show them some tough love.

2.) Read Up

Addiction isn’t an easy disease to get your head around and is widely misunderstood. So, try your best to research what your loved ones battling with. This goes a long way to help you empathize with them.

Understanding how addiction affects the brain is one of the first steps to ensuring you take a non-judgemental approach to the issue.

For example, dependence makes it harder for the sufferer to make logical decisions. So what may appear like lack self-control from the outside, is actually way more complicated than that.

3.) Be Open About What You’re Going Through

This is more about helping on a broader level. You can use what you know and your own experience to help break down the stigma attached to substance abuse.

Openly speak about your experience. Shame is destructive and shouldn’t be an emotion attached to this affliction. So, do what you can (and what you’re comfortable with) to help the movement, and consequently your loved one.

Show them that you love them despite their illness and that you’re not embarrassed to be associated with them!

4.) Don’t Enable Their Destructive Behavior

If there was one answer to the question, how to help an addict? Then it would be, don’t become an enabler.

Although you might think you’re supporting them, you could actually be hindering their recovery by fuelling their denial. You have to allow the addict to endure the consequences of their actions.

They need to experience this negativity to help them realize they have a problem. This is one of the first stages the addict needs to go through to help them accept that they need help, and to prompt the want to participate in treatment.

You might not even know you’re enabling their habits. Here are a few typical examples:

  • Providing financial support.
  • Repeatedly bailing them out of jail.
  • Lying about their behavior to cover up their adverse actions.
  • Allowing drugs and drug deals in your house.
  • Blaming ‘the company they keep’ for their behavior.

This list isn’t extensive, but will hopefully give you a better idea of the kinds of things you should avoid doing.

Should You Stage an Intervention?

It’s not uncommon for addicts to enter treatment as a result of pressure inflicted by friends and family at an intervention.

You know the kind, they’re staged on TV shows all the time. However, there isn’t much evidence to show that this is a valid method for convincing addicts that they have a problem.

In fact, this can sometimes backfire and cause the rift between you and your loved one to widen. Instead, try focusing on incentives to get the addict to see a medical professional.

Often a quiet conversation with a trained therapist is more beneficial because there aren’t as many emotions and complications involved.

Things You Need to Remember

If you ever find yourself typing into Google; How to help an addict, you need to remember the following advice before taking on any further information:

You Can’t Make Them Quit

In some cases, coerced treatment works for addicts. However, this is rarely the most effective approach. For treatment to be a success and to increase the chances of lasting recovery, the addict has to acknowledge that they have an issue and want help for it.

You can’t make your loved one come to that realization, as much as you may want to. You can only support them and help them to try and figure that out for themselves.

You Can’t Do All the Work for Them

The addict has to be willing to put in the work themselves for a successful recovery. All you can do is know the classic relapse signs and gently point them in the right direction.

You can’t babysit them, and you can’t do the work for them. All you can do is support them on their road to recovery.

Did This Guide on How to Help an Addict Help?

Did this guide on how to help an addict strike a nerve? If so, please feel free reach out and call us, (855)976-2092 and speak with an addiction advisor. We’d love to help you support a loved one struggling with addiction.

All you need to do is fill out the contact form, and one of our team of professionals will get back to you as soon as they can.

Sources

[1] NIDA. (2015, June 25). Nationwide Trends. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/nationwide-trends on 2019, February 18

[2] National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2016, January 19). What to Do If Your Adult Friend or Loved One Has a Problem with Drugs. Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/related-topics/treatment/what-to-do-if-your-adult-friend-or-loved-one-has-problem-drugs

inpatient versus outpatient drug treatment

Inpatient Vs. Outpatient Drug Rehab: Which is Right For You?

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If you or a loved one is looking to change your life around and overcome addiction, choosing inpatient vs outpatient for the right rehab to meet your needs is paramount.

Essentially, there are two forms of rehabilitation which each have their own set of benefits and drawbacks. What’s important is choosing from the best types of addiction treatment to suit your recovery.

Inpatient and outpatient drug rehab are your two basic options for recovery. Both are tailored to suit all forms and severity of addictions.

If you’re looking to learn more about these two rehabilitation categories, find everything you need to know in this blog…

What You Need to Know About Inpatient vs Outpatient Drug Rehab

Making an informed decision on which type of rehab will best suit your recovery is the first step in changing your life for the better.

But first, what are the signs and symptoms of addiction and should you or a loved one seek treatment?

Symptoms of Addiction

  • Trying to hide or persistently deny drug or alcohol use from friends and family.
  • An increase in self-doubt, questioning whether your substance abuse is a problem.
  • Your personal health, mental and emotional well-being is suffering.
  • Your professional life is falling apart i.e. failing to hold down a consistent job.
  • You’re becoming increasingly withdrawn from friends and family.
  • Disrupted sleeping patterns.
  • Increased feelings of guilt or shame.
  • Reckless behavior – doing things out-of-character, without self-control.

If you or a loved one display any of these symptoms, addiction could be a reality and a family intervention service may be needed.

In order to choose the best treatment plan, here’s what you need to know about inpatient and outpatient drug rehab programs:

Inpatient Rehabilitation

Inpatient rehabilitation is the ideal option for those who are looking to move away from a destructive way of life or circle of enablers.

What is an enabler? This is the type of person who encourages, fuels or adds to your addiction in a negative way.

Inpatient rehab allows you to escape from negative influences in your life and completely focus on your recovery.

Key Features of Inpatient Rehab Importance:

  • A medical detoxification which is supervised by professionals.
  • 24-hour care and support.
  • Appropriate administration of medication where necessary.
  • Group therapy, family therapy, individual therapy.
  • Yoga and meditation.
  • Exercise classes and more.

While most inpatient rehab programs offer the same support, there are three variations of inpatient drug treatment programs.

  1. Residential: this is the most basic of inpatient centers. Here you live on-site, receive group and individual therapy and medical care.
  2. Luxury: catered to those with the budget and generally set in an idyllic setting. Here you have access to other amenities such as a spa, fine dining, and private suites.
  3. Executive: generally offers the same amenities as the luxury option. However, it includes special features such as workspaces, Wi-Fi and more.

Benefits of Inpatient Rehab

Here you can devote all your time and energy to overcoming opioid addiction and turning your life around to sobriety.

Most inpatient rehab programs require you to live at the facility, full-time, for 30 – 90 days. You are free to choose the length of time which best suits you.

Some other advantages include:

  • A healthy, positive and temptation-free environment to focus on recovery.
  • Constant support – medically, mentally and emotionally.
  • You are provided with skills training and education on how to live a sober life.
  • You are offered ongoing support, even once treatment is completed.

However, this being said, inpatient rehab also has its downsides, which include:

  • Lengthy time away from work and family life.
  • Higher costs.
  • Not all health insurance cover rehab.
  • A highly controlled environment which dictates your schedule.
  • You are not bound to the property for most of the duration of your treatment.

Despite these negative aspects, it’s important to note that most inpatient rehab centers carry an incredibly high success rate.

What is Outpatient Rehab Like?

Outpatient drug rehab programs are generally not as stringent as inpatient rehab. However, a very strong support network is important.

If you choose to go the outpatient route, you will need to ensure your family and friends are 100% supportive of your journey to sobriety.

Outpatient drug rehab takes commitment, strong will, and regular meetings for treatment at a rehab facility.

These meetings typically consist of counseling sessions which can be one-on-one or in a group.

Outpatient drug rehab focuses closely on different forms of therapy to help set those with addiction on the right path to full recovery.

What are the Main Types of Therapy?

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy: getting to the route of your addiction and recognizing unhealthy behaviors.
  • Motivational interviewing: helping to identify and overcome any reluctance to turn your life around towards sobriety.
  • Contingency management: positive reinforcement therapy to encourage you to stay committed to recovery.
  • Family therapy: helping you to overcome issues with family communication, abuse and improve family functioning.
  • Matrix Model: A combination of all of the above to reinforce abstinence.

Aside from these intensive therapies, you also have access to more personalized, one-on-one sessions.

Benefits of Outpatient Rehabilitation

While staying the route of outpatient drug rehab takes commitment and a positive support network, there are a number of benefits:

  • You’re able to live at home, in your comfort zone and work on your recovery.
  • Minimal disruption to work, school or family life.
  • You can remain close to a strong, supportive family and friends network.
  • It’s far more affordable.
  • You learn the skills required to live a sober life through consistent therapy.

Some of the negative aspects of outpatient drug rehab include being exposed to temptation and easy access to drugs, alcohol, and enablers.

For this reason, outpatient drug rehab works best for those with early development or less severe addictions.

Looking to Overcome an Addiction?

If you or a loved one is addicted to any form of opiates, drug detoxification is an important stepping stone on the road to recovery.

Learn more about Methadone treatment methods and contact us at (855) 976-2092 for help turning your life around, today.

 

References

NIDA. (2018, January 17). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition on 2019, February 14

Mayo Clinic. (2017, July 20). Intervention: Help a loved one overcome addiction. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/mental-illness/in-depth/intervention/art-20047451

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Mental health and substance abuse health coverage options. Retrieved from https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/mental-health-substance-abuse-coverage/

NIDA. (2018, January 17). Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment: A Research-Based Guide (Third Edition). Retrieved from https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/principles-drug-addiction-treatment-research-based-guide-third-edition on 2019, February 19

 

treatments for opioid dependence

Opioid Addiction: What You and I Should Know About Treatment

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More people are killed by overdoses each year than they are by any other accidental means. You may have heard this before, but I’ve had firsthand experience with this kind of loss. The widespread use of prescription narcotics combined with the availability of cheap heroin has more people struggling with an addiction to opioids than ever before.

When I talk about opioids, it’s difficult to make people understand the kind of hold that these drugs can have on your life. Not everyone starts out buying illicit drugs on the street. Many of us begin with a legitimate prescription offered by our doctors for some sort of acute or chronic pain.

Once the prescription runs out, we sometimes find that we’ve become physically or psychologically dependent on these medications. This can lead those of us predisposed to addiction to use drugs illegally or to go from doctor to doctor in an attempt to get a new prescription.

Addiction is not a disease that discriminates. Neither you nor I are immune to the chemical reactions that lead to long-term chemical dependency. This is a complex condition that requires an individual treatment plan for every one of us affected.

What is Opioid Addiction?

The American Psychiatric Association defines addiction as, “a complex condition, a brain disease that is manifested by compulsive substance use despite harmful consequence.” Because it is a disease, addiction often requires medical intervention for those of us seeking help.

Addiction to opioids means that you become chemically or psychologically dependent on drugs such as heroin, narcotic pain relievers, fentanyl, and a number of other substances in the same class. Not all of these drugs are illegal, but they are illegal to abuse and to obtain without a prescription.

Those of us who are addicted to opioids will risk everything in order to continue using our drug of choice. Opioid addiction eventually forces long-term chemical changes within our brains. When you or I use opioids for a prolonged period of time, we begin to replace some of our brains’ natural chemicals.

Eventually, we’ll become completely dependent on the opioids to maintain balance among these chemicals. If levels of the drug start to fall within our bodies, we’ll begin the detoxification process.

The detox process begins when the brain realizes that it’s not receiving the drugs in order to maintain its chemical balance. It begins to send out distress signals to the rest of the body that translates into uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Many of us who have experienced withdrawals have some sort of horror story.

Withdrawal symptoms from opioids are particularly disruptive and can cause widespread pain and flulike symptoms. They can also become dangerous when not properly overseen by medical professionals.

There are a number of different treatment options for those of us who are battling opioid addiction. One of the most effective has been the treatment aided by medications such as methadone and Suboxone. Methadone has been used for decades and is a proven tool when helping people to overcome withdrawal symptoms into fight their addictions.

Having an opioid addiction and methadone as a treatment option provides a more promising combination for overcoming the disease than many of the more traditional methods. Methadone may not make me feel the same way that heroin did, but it stops the cravings in a way that nothing else has.

Current Treatment Methods

There are several treatment methods available for those of us suffering from opioid addiction. This addiction has a higher rate of relapse and any other chemical dependency. This is because of the way that opioids interact with the brain, in the hold that they have on our lives.

Inpatient Rehab

Inpatient facilities allow the person to live there for a period of up to 90 days. Some facilities have extended programs, but these are generally reserved for those of us suffering from long-term addiction or addiction co-occurring with other disorders.

These programs offer a schedule of intense therapy dedicated to helping us understand our addiction and find ways to cope with it in our everyday lives. These programs allowed me to remove myself from my usual situations and allowed me to experience a residential recovery.

Outpatient Rehab

Outpatient programs provide many of the same therapeutic services on a daily basis. These programs aren’t residential and allow us to leave at the end of the 3 to 8-hour therapeutic schedule. These services are often very effective for those of us who truly want treatment, or for those who are looking for a steppingstone after completing a residential program.

Maintenance Medication

Medications like methadone can help long-term opioid addicts to bypass many of the extreme withdrawals that motivate them to continue using drugs. These programs are strictly supervised by a licensed facility and must be overseen by a specially licensed physician.

Methadone has the potential to be extremely effective in the fight against opioid addiction when used correctly. I’ve seen people abuse it, but most of us understand how important it is to our recovery.

Examining Maintenance Medications

Many maintenance medications have been stigmatized. This is because they are also narcotics, and some people don’t understand how effective these medications can be when fighting addiction.

Methadone is one of the most widely used maintenance medications because it fills some of the receptors responsible for withdrawals. This allowed me to focus on my recovery instead of the withdrawals. It also blocks these receptors and makes future drug use less euphoric, offering an entirely different deterrent for those of us battling addiction.

Most people will need to receive their methadone directly from the clinic on a daily basis. The medication usually requires one dose a day to remain effective. This stops people from going into extreme withdrawals and curbs their drug cravings. Maintenance medications made it possible for me to gradually top using heroin at my own pace.

This is very important as it allows a person’s brain to return to its natural chemical balance over a longer period of time. This is integral for those of us who abused opioids long enough to change our brains’ chemistry.

Choosing the Best Option for You

No two people turn to drugs for the same reasons. This is a very complex disease based on a number of psychological and physical factors that must be taken into consideration when choosing a treatment method.

Every one of us is entitled to treatment and it’s very important that we are encouraged to seek help as quickly as possible. Reaching out to a licensed facility and understanding your options is the best way to make an informed decision that puts you on the path to sobriety.

Want to learn more?

If so, check out our methadone treatment blog posts today or call us at (855) 976-2092 for more resources to help you make an informed decision about how to navigate the recovery process.

Sources

[1] Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States. (2017, December 21). The Center for Disease and Control. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db294.htm

[2] What Is Addiction? (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/addiction/what-is-addiction