What Are the Symptoms of Opiate Withdrawal?

Did you know there’s a new $1 billion federal program to help opiate users overcome addiction?

It’s offering thousands of patients the chance to stop using this group of drugs. This group includes heroin, morphine, and the extremely potent synthetic opioid fentanyl, which you’ve likely heard about on the news recently.

However, in a sense, the amount of money thrown at the issue is irrelevant. The symptoms of opiate withdrawal will always act as a barrier to getting clean.

Meanwhile, compared with some other countries, rehabilitation options available to US opiate addicts are quite restrictive. The process of withdrawal itself does not pose a risk to life. However, some of the withdrawal symptoms can cause complications.

Why are the symptoms of withdrawal problematic? What happens when you withdraw from the regular use of an opiate? Read on to find out.

The Key Symptoms of Opiate Withdrawal

Opioid withdrawal can cause a number of different–and often unpleasant–symptoms.

Common key symptoms of opiate withdrawal are listed below. The actual symptoms experienced and the severity will vary from person to person.

It depends on how long they have been taking opiates and what doses they would take. Over time and following regular use, the body builds up a tolerance to these drugs. Larger doses must then used to get the same effect from the drug.

The more tolerance a person has built up, the more severe their symptoms are likely to be.

Nausea

Nausea is characterized by feeling sick. Patients may feel very ill with flu-like symptoms or feel as if they’re on the brink of being sick.

Vomiting can occur, too, for patients recovering from heavy opiate use.

Exhaustion

Patients are likely to feel very tired. This isn’t necessarily a pleasant thing, but it can be useful in one way. If the patient is sleeping a lot, then they aren’t awake to suffer through the other symptoms.

It’s not fantastic if they’re sleeping all day, but it can actually help them cope with their recovery.

Chills and Sweats

In another flu-like symptom, the recovering addict may feel alternately very hot and very cold. It becomes difficult for them to discern the real temperature.

They might open all the windows in the room and take their clothes off right before putting the heat on and curling up tight under the duvet.

Depression and Anxiety

It’s not just physical symptoms. Depression and anxiety can occur when heavy users withdraw from opiates.

They may feel a constant sense of nervousness like something bad is about to happen. Or they may feel down and find it hard to feel happy. Patients may even have suicidal thoughts.

This is why monitoring patients is crucial to ensure their safe recovery and well-being. They are often not in a sound state of mind during their withdrawal.

Tremors

Twitches and shaking are not uncommon while people are going through withdrawal.

Muscle spasms can be uncomfortable, and fine motor skills may be impaired during this time.

Blood Pressure and Heart Rate

Increased blood pressure and rapid heartbeats can be experienced by some users.

If either blood pressure or heart rate increase to very high levels and don’t fall, urgent medical attention should be sought.

Cravings

Perhaps the most difficult symptom to deal with is the cravings.

Addicts know that a dose of their drug of choice will wipe out the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms.

They also know the “high” all too well and will start to miss the short-term positive effects of opiate use. These are the reason they became addicted in the first place, and this physical dependency is hard to break.

To successfully detox, opiate addicts need medical and emotional support to prevent relapse.

I’m Trying to Help Someone Else

Standing on the perimeter, watching as someone you love battles with addiction, is hard.

Recovery can only begin when the addict is ready to stop. They need to seek the help they need themselves. You can’t force them into it.

As heartbreaking as that may be, the patient needs to be fully committed to fighting the symptoms of opiate withdrawal or they will almost certainly relapse.

When they’re ready to seek help, you can start to support them through it. Along with emotional encouragement, one of the key things you should talk to them about is methadone.

Using this through their recovery can improve their quality of life.

What Is Methadone Treatment?

Methadone is a drug in the opiate family which is often used to help people recover from addiction. It can help to control the symptoms of opiate withdrawal too.

While withdrawal can be exhausting to fight through, methadone helps to control the intensity of physical symptoms.

The urge to go back to the drug of choice during these symptoms is high, as it will also “cure” the symptoms of withdrawal. Methadone helps to prevent relapses, as the symptoms of opiate withdrawal are not so unpleasant while the patient uses it.

By lowering the dosage slowly over time, their use can be “tapered off.” The result is that their body doesn’t crave opiates after the treatment is complete.

You’ll need to have a prescription to obtain methadone. It is often administered in a rehabilitation center, where the patient can be monitored and supported by a team of professionals.

This often involves complementary therapies, like group talking sessions or one-to-one sessions with a therapist.

Where to Turn for Help

If you or someone you love is looking for help, use our website to find out more about methadone treatment. It could be exactly what they need to make a full recovery.

We won’t pretend that fighting the symptoms of opiate withdrawal is easy.

But taking this step could change–or even save–a life.

Or you can give us a call at (855) 976- 2092.

Sources

[1] ‘Take All Their Excuses Away’: Hard Cases in Heroin Fight. (2017, December 4). Retrieved from https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/health/Hard-Cases-Overcoming-Opioids-Saint-Anthony-Hospital-461814413.html

[2] Why fentanyl is deadlier than heroin, in a single photo – STAT. (2018, March 8). Retrieved from https://www.statnews.com/2016/09/29/why-fentanyl-is-deadlier-than-heroin/

[3] Carl L. Hart. (2017, November 1). People Are Dying Because of Ignorance, not Because of Opioids. Retrieved from https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/people-are-dying-because-of-ignorance-not-because-of-opioids/