In 2017 the United States Department of Health and Human Services declared that opiate addiction was a public health emergency. Approximately 2.1 million people in America are living with some form of opiate abuse problem.

Opiate addiction rehab is the first course of action for nearly everyone caught up in this issue. Opiate addiction is difficult if not impossible to kick on your own. Nearly everyone who struggles with this addiction requires some form of professional opiate addiction rehab.

While most of us can easily picture the heroin addict on the streets, the insidious nature of opiates is that it includes many legally prescribed drugs. Many people who find themselves in need of opiate addiction rehab are the unfortunate victims of prescribed medication taken for legitimate reasons.

Opiates include prescription medications such as codeine, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. These drugs are routinely prescribed for pain and are just as addictive as heroin.

The problem with opiates is that they are so powerfully addictive, even those who use them correctly and under medical supervision can find themselves in need of opiate addiction rehab.

Signs that you are addicted to Opioids

Opiates are highly addictive. Even those prescribed by a physician require constant vigilance and must be taken under highly restricted conditions. Part of the danger of opiate use is that even those who are taking them as directed run the risk of addiction.

Initial symptoms of opiate, or opioid, dependence will include withdrawal symptoms when people stop taking them. When people stop taking the opiates the may experience nausea, vomiting, dry mouth, and itching. Obviously, people who have become addicted to opiates will crave them when they no longer take them.

If you begin to experience any of these symptoms you should be aware that these are clear signs that you are addicted to opioids.

If you are experiencing the signs that you are addicted to opioids, you are in danger of experiencing an opioid overdose. An opioid overdose can be lethal. As many as 118 thousand people die from opioid overdoses each year.

Symptoms of overdose include pinpoint pupils, unconsciousness, and respiratory depression. An opioid overdose is deadly and must be attended with immediate medical intervention.  

Help for Opioid Addicts

Thankfully, there is a real help for opioid addicts. The problem of opioid addiction has become rampant in the United States and around the world. For this reason, there is an abundance of help for those who suffer from this addiction.  

There is help for opioid addicts, and there are reasons to be hopeful. The first step is to assess your needs. You will need to ask yourself some simple but serous questions:

• How long have you been taking the drugs?
• What other medications do you use?
• Are there any special social or financial circumstance or needs?
• Is there a history of addiction in your family?
• Do you deal with other mental health or chronic health problems?

The answers to these questions will help addiction treatment professionals evaluate the best course of treatment for you. Obviously, the longer you have been taking the drug, the more entrenched the addiction.

Mental health issues such as depression and anxiety need to be accounted for in the course or providing help for opioid addicts. Often, the drive to use the drug is fueled by mental health issues such as these.

Opioid addiction requires a full clinical assessment. All treatment is specific to the needs of the individual. You will work with a clinician to assess your specific needs which will range from outpatient treatment to a full residential treatment program.

Help for opioid addicts can run a wide spectrum of options. These options may include medical treatment for your addiction. There are now a range of drugs designed to help treat and combat opioid addiction.

The next step is to determine whether or not you require a medical detox in order to help with withdrawal from the drug.  

Detox Centers and Withdrawal Treatment

The first thing to consider is that withdrawal from opioids can be extremely uncomfortable. While opioid withdrawal is not generally considered life-threatening, it is however difficult. The pain of withdrawal is often the biggest hurdle to getting clean.

The primary symptoms of withdrawal will likely include:

• Low energy, Irritability, Anxiety, Agitation, Insomnia
• Runny nose, Teary eyes
• Hot and cold sweats (Goosebumps)
• Yawning
• Muscle aches and pains
• Abdominal cramping, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea

Again, these things are not necessarily dangerous in themselves, but these may be so unpleasant that an opioid addict may not be able to weather them on their own.

Detox centers can minimize the discomfort of withdrawal. Detox centers can provide medications which help alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal. One of the most common medications in use today is Suboxone, or Buprenorphine.

Suboxone is the brand name of a drug which includes buprenorphine and naloxone. It works by blocking the receptors in the nervous system which respond to opioids. It also helps reverse the effects of opioids.

Suboxone can provide pain relief and calm. It helps reduce stress and worry in the initial phases of withdrawal and detox. Finally, suboxone can be prescribed by a doctor like any other medication. Suboxone does not necessarily need to be administered within a clinical setting.

There are side effects to suboxone and it is not a simple cure. Suboxone, and other medical interventions, are meant to assist with detox and withdrawal. It is not a substitute for a comprehensive recovery program.

 In a clinical detox center, you will be guided toward a full recovery program designed to meet your needs. These can include outpatient treatment, inpatient treatment, or a long-term residential treatment program. All of this will depend on the severity of your opioid addiction.

Types of opiate addiction treatment

Treatment for opioid addiction continues to evolve and expand. As the addiction epidemic grows, further research diversifies the list of options. Generally speaking, your options for opioid addiction come down to three main choices.

Long term residential treatment

This involves round the clock care and supervision. These types of treatment facilities are generally not hospital settings. They are therapeutic communities. You will have a planned length of stay, most often ranging from 6 to 12 months.

In addition to medical interventions and medical monitoring, long-term residential treatment will include structured therapy sessions, both individual and group sessions. These are designed to intervene on addictive behaviors and to treat any underlying psychological issues which tend to complicate addiction recovery.

Many long-term residential treatment facilities have special programs designed to assist with mental health problems, issues of homelessness, and family complications which may have come about as a result of the addiction.

Long-term residential treatment is most often recommended for people who have a firmly entrenched addiction problem. If you have been wrestling with your opioid addiction for a particularly long time (a matter of years), long-term residential treatment may be the best option for you.

Short-term residential treatment

Because opioid addiction is so difficult to overcome short-term residential treatment is often the best option. Short-term treatment will include most of the same programs as long-term treatment. Many facilities provide medical interventions for the treatment of detox and withdrawal.

The same therapeutic programs as long-term treatment will likely be in place. Most people will need to determine the kinds of long-term recovery strategies which will work best for them after treatment.

Some short-term residential treatment programs require a short hospital stay to assist with detox, withdrawal, and any other medical complications that may result from opioid abuse and addiction.

Many short-term programs focus on a 12-step program of recovery. Others use methods such as mindfulness training, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. You will need to work with an addiction treatment professional to determine which program will work best for your specific needs.

Outpatient Treatment Programs

These vary in the types of treatment programs and the level of intensity of services they offer. As stated above, suboxone can be prescribed to assist in withdrawal without being in a supervised clinical setting.

Outpatient treatment programs will rely on your voluntary attendance at support groups and recovery programs. Programs such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy depend on a full engagement on the part of the addict. For this reason, outpatient treatment requires your full honesty and engagement.

Outpatient treatment programs will assess other needs such as mental health disorders and make recommendations accordingly. Again, this will require your voluntary cooperation in order for the program to work.

These programs are generally successful for those who are dealing with less severe addiction problems. If you have been dealing with opioid addiction for a relatively short period of time, outpatient treatment may work well for you.

Other Considerations

As you work through your treatment needs, you will need to think about some other practical matters. Things to look for and address include:

• Make sure the facility has the proper accreditation, licensing, and certification.
• Ensure that the treatment methods are tested and evidence-based.
• Make sure the treatment staff have proper credentials as treatment professionals.
• Ask if the facility is equipped to handle co-occurring mental health issues.
• Finally, check to make sure your insurance is accepted, and see what other types of payment options are available.

This is not an exhaustive list. These are just a few of the high priorities you will need to keep in mind as you explore treatment options.  

Why consider our Opiate Addiction Treatment Center

Riverwalk Ranch provides complete treatment options for substance abuse disorder, including opioid addiction. We provide individualized comprehensive care for the full range of opioid addiction.

From initial assessment to an individualized program designed for long-term recovery, Riverwalk Ranch will facilitate every level of treatment. We recognize that addiction is a chronic disease, and we take care to manage the full continuum of treatment and care.

Inpatient Opioid Rehab

Riverwalk Ranch provides a comprehensive inpatient opioid treatment program. Our professional addiction counselors will assess your specific needs and offer a range of treatment modes designed to address your specific needs. The modes of treatment include:

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET)
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
• Traumatic Incident Reduction Therapy (TIR)
• Relapse Prevention
• Medical Management
• Reality and Solution-Based Therapy
• Psycho-Education
• EMDR
• Neurofeedback/Biofeedback

In addition to these therapeutic methods and treatments, Riverwalk Ranch will assess and treat mental health issues in the event of a co-occurring mental health disorder which may complicate treatment and recovery.

Continuing care for opiate addiction

Opioid addiction, like all substance abuse disorders, requires a long-term plan of recovery. There is no “quick cure,” and being free of opioid addiction requires an investment over the long haul.

Managing a chronic disease works in stages. In the first stage, you will need immediate intervention with detox and withdrawal. From this you move to comprehensive treatment programs as described above at Riverwalk Ranch.

For long-term care, a system of therapeutic modes as determined by an addiction clinician combined with support groups and psychological care ensures that recovery can be sustained.

Relapse prevention is a matter of remaining vigilant with long-term recovery programs as they are prescribed by an addiction counseling professional. A program such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy may remain in place for months after the initial treatment process.

Opioid addiction is difficult, but with the treatment modes available at Riverwalk Ranch, the odds of a full recovery are vastly improved.

Moving on From Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is at an epidemic level in the United States. If you are caught up in opioid addiction it is easy to feel isolated and alone. You are not. There are numerous treatment options available now. As the disease has become more prevalent, knowledge of how to treat the disease has grown apace.

Finding treatment, assessing the right treatment options for you, and working through specific treatment modes along with medical interventions vastly increase the likelihood you will recover from opioid addiction.

Is important that you begin addressing your opioid addiction immediately. You cannot treat opioid addiction on your own. Finding the best treatment available is the key to being drug-free and on the path to a healthy life. Riverwalk Ranch can help! Call us today at 1-877- 863-3869.