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.

What to Expect From an Opiate Withdrawal

Before diving into the ways that opiate withdrawal symptoms can be eased, it’s important to paint a realistic picture of the withdrawal process. Also called a detox, the withdrawal is a process that can last anywhere from one to two weeks. This is the phase where people who are addicted to opiates quit their consumption altogether.

As a direct response to the cessation of opiate consumption, individuals struggling with this addiction will begin to immediately notice some discomfort. Withdrawal symptoms are both physical and psychological, and they can begin in as little as six hours after the last dose is taken. Just a few of the most common withdrawal symptoms during an opiate detox might include:

• Muscle aches and pains
• Uncontrollable shaking or tremors
• Runny nose
• Diarrhea and abdominal cramping
• High heart rate and increased blood pressure
• Severe temperature fluctuations
• Extreme sweating and dehydration

Because of the severity of these withdrawal symptoms, many individuals addicted to opiates find the best chance at a complete withdrawal happens in a professional detox or rehab facility. There, patients can receive expert treatment that eases the pain of withdrawal and holds them accountable to their ultimate goal of lasting sobriety.

Medically Assisted Detox

One of the most effective ways to ease the discomfort of opiate withdrawal is by implementing a medically-assisted detox. Essentially, this is a detox where patients are provided with a substitute drug that tricks the body and brain into thinking it’s receiving a dose of heroin, prescription painkillers or any other opiate-based substance. While these drugs can substantially reduce withdrawal symptoms in an opiate detox, they don’t deliver a high to patients.

Using synthetic drugs is a hot-button issue for a number of reasons. The first is because when administered improperly, these synthetic drugs and opiate substitutes can themselves become addictive. The second concern is that through a weaning process, patients are simply dealing with a longer period of withdrawal and dependence. However, there’s no denying that medically assisted detoxes can help to make the withdrawal process less uncomfortable.

There are two primary substances used in an opiate withdrawal that can activate the opioid receptors among patients without creating a high. The first and most common is Suboxone, which features a unique property that ensures the drug can’t be misused. Another is Methadone, which works in a similar way and is now a staple of detox in many recovery facilities.

Over-the-Counter Medications

Unlike in an alcohol detox, where there’s the risk of long-term damage to health as a result of the body breaking ties to its addiction, an opiate detox is largely about managing the pain and discomfort of the process. Many individuals who have gone through an opiate detox compare it to a very bad case of the flu.

As a result, some of the most effective means of combating things like diarrhea or a runny nose are ordinary, over-the-counter medications. Antihistamines, aspirin and similar products can make a difference to those suffering from opiate withdrawal symptoms. Imodium, in particular, is effective as a way to prevent diarrhea and cramping because it’s actually a form of mild opiate.

While these over-the-counter medications are readily available, only medical professionals familiar with the detox process will be able to administer them appropriately. Dosing is an important concern, as is the mixing of contraindicated medications. Therefore, it’s always best for those ready to withdrawal from opiates to seek help in a licensed, regulated recovery facility.

Providing Physical Comforts

Don’t underestimate the value of comfort during treatment, particularly in an opiate withdrawal. The process is a challenging one, but it can be made easier when individuals are in a hospitable climate and surrounded by people who care about their well-being.

Trying to detox from home, for instance, might mean sleeping in sweat-soaked sheets because the idea of doing laundry is such a daunting task. In a rehab or detox program, patients will have all of their basic needs met. Having warm, nutritious meals available, medical staff on-call 24/7 and a comfortable bed can sometimes make all the difference.

Most of the symptoms that prove to be uncomfortable during an opiate withdrawal are physical in nature. However, it should be noted that many of the symptoms are psychological. Things like depression and anxiety are common as the body begins to break its dependence on opiates.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

Some patients are also dealing with underlying mental health issues that demand treatment. Bipolar disorder, severe depression or schizophrenia are major concerns that could inhibit proper recovery.

As a result, dual diagnosis treatment can and should be implemented in these cases. Dual diagnosis acknowledges the role of mental health in the process of recovery and treats mental health disorders at the same time as the addiction itself.

Support and Personalized Attention

Finally, one of the overlooked but important ways to ease withdrawal symptoms during an opiate detox is by offering patients personalized attention and care. Addiction, as well as withdrawal, can feel very isolating. Patients may feel frustrated and alone, and at times they may not be sure whether the pain of detox is worth it. It’s during times like this that support, understanding and motivation can be instrumental to the recovery and positivity of patients.

Opiate withdrawal can be a difficult, but necessary, part of recovering from addiction. Some of the key ways to ease the discomfort of opiate withdrawal can include things like synthetic drugs, individualized care, over-the-counter medications and mental health treatment.

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.

The severity of withdrawal symptoms opiate users will experience are typically determined by how much of the drug they use in each sitting, and how often their drug use occurs. Regardless of those factors, opiate withdrawal is caused for the same reason in every user and there are regular symptoms that arise during withdrawal that any user can experience.

The Cause Of Withdrawal

In small, regulated doses, opiates are supposed to work as pain killers. Unlike aspirin, which thins the blood to help ease pain, opiates change the way the brain and spinal cord function to help users through extreme physical distress. Normally, the spinal cord would send messages to the brain, telling it that the body is dealing with some physical discomfort. Taking opiates mutes that communication and makes the brain feel relaxation or even pleasure instead of pain.

People who use opiates for less than two weeks and in small doses aren’t likely to go through withdrawal. After lengthy, continuous use, however, opiate-based drugs alter how the brain works. Instead of giving users a feeling of relaxation and pleasure, the brain will start believing the opiates are necessary to continue regular function.

Once the brain feels the opiates are required in order to work properly, the body will respond in kind and physical dependency will occur. When individuals become dependent on opiates, they’re going to experience withdrawal symptoms whenever they try to quit using.

Symptoms That Can Appear During Withdrawal

With opiates, withdrawal symptoms show up in three different phases. The first phase tends to start 12 hours after opiates were last used and can continue for about five days. People going through this first phase of withdrawal can expect to experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, insomnia and depression. Usually, these symptoms peak around day three and slowly dissipate in the next two days.

Once that initial, physically taxing phase is over, the second phase of withdrawal begins. Although there’s still some physical pain involved, the nausea and other sickly symptoms are mostly done. Those who work through the second phase will deal with leg cramps, dilated pupils, chills, and goosebumps.

The final phase of withdrawal lasts the longest but is also the least taxing on the body. Anywhere from one week to two months, people going through this final phase can experience anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness. While that doesn’t sound terribly taxing, the lack of sleep and emotional distress can still make people turn back to opiate use on days that aren’t going well.

Although none of these symptoms are life threatening, they can seem unbearable to the people going through withdrawal. For some, it’s easier to turn back to opiate use than deal with the discomfort of trying to quit. Continuing drug use just to avoid withdrawal is a worse choice, however, because maintaining an opiate habit could lead to overdosing and, ultimately, death.

How People Addicted To Opiates Should Handle Their Withdrawal

Going through withdrawal is necessary for anyone trying to quit regular opiate use. The thought of that can be scary to some people, especially if they think they have to work through the entire withdrawal process on their own. That isn’t the case, though. In fact, there are detoxing centers across the United States that are designed specifically to help people work through withdrawal.

At a detoxing center, people working through withdrawal will meet with doctors on a daily basis to determine how the process is going. From the very beginning, doctors can prescribe medication to help ease withdrawal symptoms. If symptoms spike suddenly or become overwhelming for some people, the medical staff is going to be on hand all day, every day to help them cope and give more medication as needed. While medication may not always be necessary, it’s good to have on hand just in case.

It’s important for those struggling with opiate addiction to enter a detoxing center familiar with the drugs they’ve been using. Different drugs are going to have different withdrawal symptoms. If someone addicted to opiates enters a detoxing center that’s not familiar with how opiate withdrawal works, the three phases are going to be a lot harder to work through. There are plenty of detoxing centers that are familiar with opiates and how they affect the body during withdrawal, so finding one to enter won’t be difficult.

People Struggling With Opiate Addiction Shouldn’t Try To Go Through Withdrawal Alone

If an opiate user’s body becomes dependent on the drugs, withdrawal is going to happen once the drug is no longer used. Withdrawal can be a very taxing process for anyone. The nausea, lack of sleep, and other harsh symptoms associated with withdrawal can tear people down and cause them to turn back to drug use. Instead of continuing the cycle of drug abuse, those trying to quit abusing opiates should reach out to get the professional help that they need.

Detoxing centers around the United States house those struggling with opiate addiction. The doctors at these facilities are trained to handle the worst withdrawal symptoms that may arise. Medications can even be prescribed during times where the symptoms become unbearable and the people struggling through the three phases of withdrawal are about to give up.

Even though the withdrawal symptoms involved with quitting opiates aren’t likely to kill someone, no one should go through the three phases of withdrawal by themselves. Not only can the entire process take a couple months, but some people may not have enough willpower to make it through all three phases without professional help. No matter how long someone has been addicted to opiates, working through withdrawal while at a detoxing center is the best choice he or she can make.