As many as three million Americans struggle with opioid addiction. Whether the addiction revolves around prescription medications or heroin, combatting the addiction has to include detox. During detox, the body will go into withdrawal, which can be accompanied by some unpleasant symptoms. Make it through opiate withdrawal with professional medical help and some techniques proven to reduce discomfort.

Understand the Timeline for an Opiate Withdrawal

A major reason so many individuals struggling with opiate addiction don’t get help is because they are worried about the upcoming withdrawal. This is normal, but a little bit of information and education can help eliminate some concerns. By understanding the timeline of an opiate withdrawal and what to expect, incoming patients can worry less and be better equipped for the days ahead.

Another primary concern is that withdrawal will last much longer than anticipated. While the reality is that all patients follow timelines unique to their individual situations, most patients will see withdrawal end within a week.

Withdrawal will begin as few as eight hours after the last consumption of opiates. Mild symptoms can begin at this stage. Often, patients are already familiar with these symptoms, as they can appear after a full night of sleep or after a day of work or travel without drug use.

Withdrawal symptoms tend to gain momentum over time. Between 24 to 48 hours, patients may become very uncomfortable. This stage is often comparable to having the flu. Thankfully, symptoms peak around 72 hours.

After the withdrawal symptoms peak, patients will begin to feel increasingly better. Often, 90 percent of withdrawal symptoms are gone after just four or five days. Knowing that even the most unpleasant withdrawal symptoms are short lived can help patients cope with this process.

Specify the Goals of Detox

There is no easy way to overcome an addiction to opioid drugs. One of the biggest tools patients can use is their desire for a better life. Often, it is helpful to focus on goals during detox and throughout addiction treatment.

Most patients will have one primary goal–sobriety. However, what that sobriety means can be different for people. Some people may be eager to become better parents to their children, better spouses for their marriages or have more fulfilling lives. Others simply want the pain to stop.

Leading up to detox, and when withdrawal is severe, it helps to have these goals accessible. Patients may want to write down what they hope to achieve in the future. Being able to reference these goals, whatever they may be, can provide extra motivation and encourage patients to continue with their path to recovery from addiction.

Beginning Detox With a Full Assessment

One way to better cope with opiate withdrawal is to begin detox starting with a full, comprehensive assessment. This is a way to collect information about patients, and it is also an assessment of physical and mental health. A full assessment can guide medical professionals during detox and help patients cope with any potential problems likely to arise.

The most obvious benefit of a full assessment prior to detox is that any major medical issues will be addressed. Since withdrawal is stressful for the body, identifying any physical concerns can ensure that patients can get help if necessary. In addition, an assessment can diagnose mental illness. This diagnosis can be helpful for detox, and it will also be critical in further addiction treatment and therapy.

An intake assessment also helps patients by explaining more about the process of withdrawal and how it will impact them. A successful evaluation doesn’t just collect information from patients. It also answers any questions that patients may have. Armed with important details, patients will be more confident and prepared for detox.

Relying on Medical Professionals

Perhaps the biggest mistake that individuals make when it comes to opiate withdrawal is thinking they can do it alone. Trying to quit taking opioids cold turkey, and alone, is both dangerous and often unsuccessful. Make the entire process simpler, more successful, safer and more comfortable by taking advantage of medical professionals in a formal detox facility.

Medical professionals who work in the addiction recovery field are experts on withdrawal. They understand which withdrawal symptoms are common, how to treat these symptoms and how to avoid problems in the future. When patients are under stress, feeling unwell and unable to make logical, rational decisions, medical professionals will know what to do.

In recovery from drug addiction, relying on the support of others is crucial. The beginning of that is relying on the support, knowledge and assistance of medical staff in a detox facility.

Focusing on Dehydration

When talking about the symptoms of opiate withdrawal, dehydration may seem like a small and inconsequential issue. However, many bigger problems can stem from a lack of hydration during detox. Focusing on hydration can combat a lot of other problems during this time.

During opiate withdrawal, common symptoms include diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and sweating. This means that the body loses a lot of water and electrolytes, but an upset stomach may prevent patients from rehydrating properly.

In a detox program, medical professionals can help patients stay hydrated through many different approaches. Electrolyte drinks and even IVs can go a long way in reducing discomfort and preventing more severe problems.

Taking Advantage of Pharmacological Assistance

Patients in an opiate detox program are often there because they are addicted to prescription medications. For this reason, it is smart to be wary of other medicines. However, it is wise to be open to the many different pharmacological options that can be tremendously helpful during withdrawal.

It is important to keep in mind that patients should never self-administer medicines during withdrawal. To start, it is easy to lose track of dosage or frequency, which can be dangerous. In addition, medical professionals will know which medicines are contraindicated and which can help, not hinder, recovery.

Opiate withdrawal is no easy task. However, patients will be better able to cope when they have knowledge, awareness and help from medical professionals.

Legitimate Uses for Opiates

Although opiates can be addictive and can lead to major health problems, it’s important to remember that they do, at times, have a legitimate medical purpose. Some opiates are prescription painkillers, and these medications are vital to help patients who are suffering from extreme pain. Opioid painkillers might be used to reduce discomfort immediately following surgery, for instance, or to help individuals who were involved in a major accident.

Exploring the Rise of Opiate Abuse and Addiction

The rapid growth of opiate abuse and addiction in the United States, and indeed around the world, is something of a recent phenomenon. By some estimates, there are more than 36 million people across the planet who abuse opiates, and many of these individuals have developed addictions that are virtually impossible to break without intervention and professional assistance.

While it may be impossible to pinpoint a singular cause of the rising numbers of opiate abuse, there are certainly plenty of contributing factors. Perhaps the largest of all is a lack of understanding and education regarding the potency of opiates. People may inherently know that things like cocaine are addictive and dangerous, but those same people might not have the same view toward opiates, particularly if they are legal painkiller medications.

Another major factor contributing to rising opiate abuse is the ease of access. Opiates are a controlled substance, but many individuals are able to get prescriptions and then resell opiates to others. Or, patients who are legally prescribed opiate medications may save some pills, which can then be stolen from bathroom cabinets or bedside tables.

Never underestimate the role of the physician in this growing epidemic. Some experts suggest that physicians prescribe opioid medications too often, and in cases where it’s not medically necessary. This contributes both to the amount of opiates in existence and the likelihood of abuse.

Identifying Commonly Abused Opiates

Opiates are an entire class of drug that are available in many different varieties, including prescription medications and illegal street drugs like heroin. By identifying and learning about each type, individuals can be aware of what substances to avoid or use with caution, even when prescribed by a medical professional.

Oxycodone is one of the most common forms of opiates in the United States, with more than six million prescriptions annually. This drug is typically taken in pill form, and formulations of it appear in brand name drugs like Oxycontin and Percocet. Oxycodone is one of the fastest-growing opiates abuse in the country. While it is prescribed for pain relief, it’s often taken recreationally.

Codeine is another opioid medication that is prescribed in large numbers. Typically in a purple liquid form, codeine is used by a staggering 10% of all Americans every year. Like many other opioid painkillers, it’s used to treat severe pain but is widely abused for recreational purposes. Immediate side effects of codeine include dizziness, drowsiness, constipation and nausea.

Vicodin is another opioid painkiller, and one that has more than two million addicts in the United States alone. Vicodin is a mixture of acetaminophen, a painkiller, and hydrocodone. Vicodin comes in pill form, but it is sometimes crushed and administered in alternative methods for a more direct or lasting high.

Morphine, also sometimes called block or cube, is an analgesic opiate that can be injected directly into the bloodstream or ingested by mouth. Morphine is used in emergency medical situations, such as surgeries, but is widely abused. Seizures, convulsions and extreme nausea are common with prolonged use.

Heroin is the only opiate on this list that is entirely illegal and has no legitimate medical purpose. However, it is similar in many ways to each of the opiate drugs listed above. More than four million Americans have used heroin, and the addiction rate is more than one-quarter of all users.

Understanding the Root Causes of Opiate Addiction

Aside from the inherently addictive nature of opiates, there are some reasons that contribute to the cause of opiate addiction. Most significant is the fact that many medical patients start by using opioid medications completely legally and under the recommendation of a physician. Over time, however, addiction can develop. Some individuals lie about their health, buy or steal medication, or turn to alternatives like heroin.

There may also be genetic, social and cultural factors that can lead to the development of addiction. Some research suggests that individuals can be genetically predisposed to the formation of a drug addiction. Mental health disorders or a history of trauma can also increase the likelihood of becoming addicted to substances like opiates.

Treatment for Opiate Abuse and Addiction

Treating an addiction to opiates is incredibly challenging. Some experts argue that an opioid addiction is one of the hardest to break, but it’s possible. The key is acknowledging the need for professional help in a licensed, accredited facility.

Detox will often be the first step toward recovery from an opiate addiction. This is the process when individuals struggling with addiction cease all opioid consumption. Although withdrawal symptoms are common and can be difficult, this stage is vital in the quest for health and lasting sobriety.

There is no denying the rising epidemic of opiate abuse and addiction. Opiates come in several varieties, each as addictive as the next. Through proper treatment, however, opiate addiction can be overcome, allowing patients to regain control over their health and their lives.

The Medical Uses for Painkillers

Although drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine are also dangerous and addictive, they differ from painkillers in one major way—reputation. Having painkillers in a bathroom cabinet isn’t a sign of a problem to many people, because these medications have perfectly legitimate uses. Doctors may prescribe painkillers to their patients who have been involved in accidents or who are undergoing recovery from surgery. In specific doses over short time periods, painkillers can be an effective way of limiting pain for many patients.

The Addiction Properties of Painkillers

While painkillers may have a legitimate medical purpose, they are still highly addictive. Many painkillers contain opiates, which are the same primary ingredients found in drugs like heroin. After taking painkillers for a few days or weeks, some patients may not be able to live without them. Even stopping for a day or two can cause incredible discomfort and a renewal of pain, which means that patients continue to crave and take the painkillers long after they should have ceased consumption.

What it Means to be Addicted to Opiate Painkillers

Sometimes, an opioid painkiller can deliver a short high to patients who are prescribed the medication. This will probably be a time when there’s no pain present at all, and there may be a sense of euphoria or contentment that is unusual following an accident or a surgery. As a result, the brain and body begin to crave the ingredients found in the painkillers, and the opiates in particular. After a while, the painkillers aren’t taken just to dull the pain, but also to make it possible to function without withdrawal symptoms.

Individuals who try to wean themselves from opiate painkillers may feel weak, lethargic or unhappy. It can lead to depression, and trying to quit cold turkey can wreak havoc on the body and the mind. After making such an attempt, many individuals addicted to painkillers don’t attempt to skip a dose again, instead resigning themselves to the fact that this is a necessary medication. Worse still, individuals may need to increase the dosage in order to feel the same impact, which only strengthens the severity of the addiction over time.

Reasons Behind the Rise of Painkiller Addictions

There are many reasons behind the rise of painkiller addictions across the globe, including:

• The ease of obtaining a prescription
• Availability of these medications on the market
• A lack of education about the danger and potency of painkillers

Many addiction specialists believe that physicians are writing too many prescriptions for opiate painkillers when other, less addictive medications might be just as effective. By limiting the number of prescriptions that are written, it may be harder to obtain these drugs and harder to take enough to lead to an addiction.

The widespread availability of painkillers also spurs the rising addiction rates. Unlike illegal or illicit substances, painkillers are rarely hidden away. Instead, they are placed in purses and bathroom cabinets, and extra doses are saved rather than thrown away or properly disposed of. All of this means that it can be easy to obtain painkillers, even if they weren’t specifically prescribed to you.

Another issue that is contributing to rising addiction numbers is the idea that prescription painkillers aren’t something that patients need to worry about. While children and teens learn in school that certain drugs are incredibly addictive and can lead to major health concerns, they aren’t necessarily learning the same thing about prescription medications. Better education and awareness about the risks and addictive properties of painkillers may help reduce overdoses and addiction numbers around the world.

The Strength of an Opioid Addiction

Being addicted to painkillers is already a tremendous challenge that requires proper treatment. However, some individuals who are addicted to opiates eventually run out of the prescription medications. When this happens, it’s natural to seek out any available source of opiates that can prevent withdrawal from occurring and limit discomfort. Unfortunately, many of the people who are addicted to opiate painkillers will go on to use heroin.

Heroin is opiate-based, just like many prescription painkillers, and it’s often more readily available and much cheaper than medication painkillers. Sadly, heroin is often more concentrated, which increases the severity of the addiction while also increasing the likelihood of an overdose.

The Challenges of an Opiate Withdrawal

It’s vital to remember that an addiction to painkillers, heroin or any other opiate isn’t just a matter of self control or willpower. It’s an illness, and it requires medical intervention just like any other disease. Some individuals who struggle with this addiction want to break free, but managing the incredible challenge of an opiate withdrawal is often too much to bear alone.

Trying to withdraw from opiate painkillers can result in far more than just discomfort. Pain, aches, depression and extreme dehydration are all common, and there are also risks for less common but still problematic health issues to arise. For this reason, seeking to withdraw without professional health is usually ineffective and potentially dangerous.

Treating a Painkiller Addiction

Since a solo withdrawal is rarely successful when battling a painkiller addiction, it’s important to seek out proper medical treatment. A detox and then a subsequent rehab program can use pharmacological treatment to wean patients from their opiate dependence, which reduces the symptoms and pain of withdrawal. Proper treatment can also get to the heart of the addiction and prevent the development of new addictions moving forward.

Painkiller addiction is a serious and growing problem in America and beyond. Availability, lack of awareness and incredibly addictive properties are contributing to the increased reliance on painkillers by millions, and professional detox and rehab is often the only way to combat this strong and devastating addiction.