Tag Archives: Addiction Therapy

Opioid Addiction Treatment

Opioid use disorder, or opioid addiction, is a medical condition that can affect any race, gender, income level, or social class. Some people begin taking prescription opioids to manage pain after a surgery or injury. And some people begin taking them to manage chronic pain. No matter what the circumstance is, prescription opioids can be addictive and dangerous, but recovery is possible. Treatment can help people get their lives back before it’s too late. No single treatment method is right for everyone, but research shows that combining behavioral therapy with medications for opioid use disorder is the most effective approach for overcoming opioid addiction.

Read on to learn more about the opioid addiction epidemic and what YOU can do to get the help you need. 

What are opioids?

Opioids, sometimes called narcotics, are a type of drug. They include strong prescription pain relievers, such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, fentanyl, and tramadol. The illegal drug heroin is also an opioid. A health care provider may give you a prescription opioid to reduce pain after you have had a major injury or surgery. You may get them if you have severe pain from health conditions like cancer. Some health care providers prescribe them for chronic pain. Prescription opioids used for pain relief are generally safe when taken for a short time and as prescribed by your healthcare provider. However, opioid misuse and addiction are still potential risks.

What is the best treatment for opioid addiction?

People have become addicted to opioids for centuries. However, opioid use has escalated since 2000 with the development and marketing of powerful painkillers that are highly addictive and carry an enormous risk of overdose. Prescription opioid painkiller addiction has a lot in common with heroin addiction, but there are important differences that influence the kind of treatment that will be most effective. Opioid addiction is one of the most challenging addictions to overcome. But there are treatment options available that can help with the physical, psychological, and social aspects of substance use disorders.

Evidence-Based Addiction Treatment

When considering addiction treatment, it’s important to establish that it’s evidence-based. This means that the treatment has been studied and shown to be effective for many people with the condition. If all of the physical, social, and mental health aspects of opioid addiction are not addressed, the treatment is not likely to be successful and the person may relapse. Therefore, these treatments should be part of a comprehensive treatment plan that is consistently followed before, during, and after the person quits opioids.

Which medication is frequently used to treat opioid addiction?

Methadone, when administered properly, is included in treatment with counseling. It is always provided in a clinic setting when used to treat opioid use disorder. It helps to relieve withdrawal and address cravings.

The medicine buprenorphine also relieves opioid cravings without giving the same high as other opioid drugs. Prescribed by many physicians from office settings, this is typically a daily dose placed under the tongue and also can be delivered as a once-a-month injection or through thin tubes that are inserted under the skin and that last six months. 

These medicines both activate opioid receptors in the body that suppress cravings and are effective and similar in safety and side effects, and typically used for maintenance treatment. They also can be used to taper a person off of opioids. However, it is common for patients to relapse, and physicians must try something different with those patients who relapse several times. Patients who are highly motivated and have good social support have a tendency to do better with these therapies.

Naltrexone is a very different medicine and doesn’t turn the opioid receptor on, but instead blocks the euphoric/sedative effects of opioids. A patient’s system must be completely free of all opioids before beginning naltrexone. It can be taken orally or as a once-a-month injection. 

Emergency

Naloxone can be used in an emergency situation when respiratory arrest, due to an opioid overdose, has occurred or is imminent. Naloxone flushes out receptors and can reverse the overdose but is not a form of addiction treatment.  

Talk with a doctor to find out what types of treatments are available in your area and what options are best for you. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease; be sure to ask your doctor about the risk of relapse and overdose.

How Successful is Opioid Addiction Treatment?

The success of therapy for substance use disorder varies by patient and by the severity of the disorder. And also can be influenced by complications of comorbidities, such as alcohol use or mental illness. Research has shown that there is a higher rate of substance use in patients with diagnoses such as depression and those who use other substances such as alcohol. Integrated treatment for both mental health and substance use disorders are needed in cases where these occur together. The environment and family or friend relationships can also play an important role. Some patients will repeat therapy and relapse many times before having success.

How to Encourage Someone to Seek Help for Opioid Addiction

With substance abuse, when patients are ready to deal with their issues they need an open door and help immediately. The person with an addictive disorder should want to participate in treatment. Navigating that change can be challenging for friends and family members. As with most other chronic diseases, addiction is treatable. If you or someone you know is struggling, treatment is available. While no single treatment method is right for everyone, recovery is possible, and help is available for opioid addiction.

Preventing overdose death and finding treatment options are the first steps to recovery. Treatment may save a life and can help people struggling with opioid addiction get their lives back on track by allowing them to counteract addiction’s powerful effects on their brain and behavior. The overall goal of treatment is to return people to productive functioning in their family, workplace, and community.

Managing Pain in Recovery

Most people experience some kind of pain during their lives. Pain serves an important purpose: it warns the body when it’s in danger. But ongoing pain causes distress and affects the quality of life. Pain is the number one reason people see a doctor. Providing pain control for the 5% to 17% of the U.S. population with a substance abuse disorder of some type presents primary care physicians with unique challenges. When these individuals experience pain, they are less likely to receive adequate pain management than individuals in the general population. To find effective treatment options, talk to your doctor about managing your pain safely. 

A conversation with your doctor can help you understand nonopioid pain management options after opioid addiction treatment. Discuss:

  • your health history,
  • how your activities have been impacted by pain, and
  • what you hope to gain from managing your pain.

Having detailed discussions with your doctor about your pain management and function goals can help your doctor identify the best treatment with the lowest level of risk.

Addiction Treatment with Harmony Ridge Recovery

Many people are able to make significant changes in their lives and maintain remission by finding or creating social networks and environments supportive of recovery efforts. Seek out recovery supports, including mutual aid groups, recovery coaches, and peer recovery services. They can be an important part of each person’s recovery journey.

Has your addiction left you feeling helpless with no way out? Has your loved one’s opioid addiction made them unrecognizable? We understand what you are experiencing and are here to help! Addiction not only negatively impacts the life of the user, but it also wreaks havoc upon the lives of their family and friends. Things may feel hopeless at the moment, but there is a way out. Recovering from alcohol or drug addiction is feasible. 

With dedication, the right support system, and choosing an accredited drug and alcohol treatment program, countless individuals have achieved and maintained sobriety. It’s truly a magical experience to watch patients transform into the confident, happy, and healthy human beings that they once were. That’s what our team does – help those who are struggling to get back on the right track!
Researching the right drug and alcohol treatment facility is the first step towards recovery. Learn more about our commitment to achieving and maintaining long-term recovery.

The girl hold her hand in front of her face

Addiction Warning Signs

Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medication. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. As time passes, you may need larger doses of the drug to get high. Soon you may need the drug just to feel good. As your drug use increases, you may find that it’s increasingly difficult to go without the drug. Attempts to stop drug use may cause intense cravings and make you feel physically ill (withdrawal symptoms). The key to fighting an addiction early is to notice the addiction warning signs as soon as they appear. Today we will take a look at these signs, note where to notice them most often, and discuss what to do if you suspect your addiction is out of control. 

Addiction Warning Signs

Signs and Symptoms 

Recognizing the signs of addiction is the first step to getting help for yourself or guiding someone you care about to rehab. For this reason, it is critical to have an understanding of the signs of addiction. There are behavioral, physical, and psychological aspects of addiction. Symptoms can only be experienced by the person with the addiction, whereas signs can be observed by other people. You can never know what someone else is experiencing unless they tell you, so if you are concerned that someone else may have an addiction, look for signs as well as for symptoms. You might see some of these signs and symptoms but not others in an addicted person, but you can still be addicted even if you do not have all of them.

Addiction Warning Signs to Look For

Recognizing addiction warning signs in someone you know can be harder than it seems. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) defines addiction as a chronic disease that affects the brain’s reward, motivation, and memory functions. Someone with an addiction will crave a substance or other behavioral habits. They’ll often ignore other areas of life to fulfill or support their desires.

General signs of addiction are:

  • lack of control, or inability to stay away from a substance or behavior
  • decreased socialization, like abandoning commitments or ignoring relationships
  • ignoring risk factors, like sharing needles despite potential consequences
  • physical effects, like withdrawal symptoms or needing higher dosage for effect

These addiction warning signs are commonly linked. The degree of intensity for each sign may depend on how long the addiction has been going on.

A healthy person can usually identify a negative behavior and get rid of it. This is not the case with someone with an addiction. Rather than admit the problem exists, they’ll find ways to justify and continue the behavior.

Common Symptoms of addiction include:

  • Tolerance, which is the need to engage in the addictive behavior more and more to get the desired effect
  • Withdrawal happens when the person does not take the substance or engage in the activity, and they experience unpleasant symptoms, which are often the opposite of the effects of the addictive behavior
  • Difficulty cutting down or controlling the addictive behavior
  • Social, occupational or recreational activities becoming more focused on the addiction, and important social and occupational roles being jeopardized
  • The person becoming preoccupied with the addiction, spending a lot of time on planning, engaging in, and recovering from the addictive behavior
  • Extreme mood changes – happy, sad, excited, anxious, etc
  • Sleeping a lot more or less than usual, or at different times of the day or night
  • Changes in energy – unexpectedly and extremely tired or energetic
  • Weight loss or weight gain
  • Unexpected and persistent coughs or sniffles
  • Seeming unwell at certain times and better at other times
  • Pupils of the eyes seeming smaller or larger than usual

Red Flags

If someone in your house is having a problem with drugs or alcohol, watch for red flags and  addiction warning signs. Frequent use of eye drops or air fresheners can be warning signs. Finding alcohol hidden around the house or in the garage is another. Be suspicious if money goes missing or a bank account starts to get low.

Locked doors and the need for lots of privacy also can be a warning. Also take note of any missing prescription drugs from your medicine cabinet, especially pain medicines. If you spot any of these warning signs in yourself or someone you know, don’t wait to take action. As difficult as it can be to discuss addiction and substance abuse, the disease will only get worse without treatment. Start by talking to your primary care doctor, who can provide guidance on steps you can take to seek treatment, either for yourself or a loved one.

Long-Term Life Consequences

In the middle or later stages of an addiction, the negative effects will be more permanent or have long-term consequences. Someone with a serious addiction problem may allow, ignore, or trivialize these outcomes in favor of continuing their habits.

Potential long-term consequences include:

  • Getting a communicable disease. People who are addicted to a drug are more likely to get an infectious disease, such as HIV, either through unsafe sex or by sharing needles.
  • Other health problems. Drug addiction can lead to a range of both short-term and long-term mental and physical health problems. These depend on what drug is taken.
  • Accidents. People who are addicted to drugs are more likely to drive or do other dangerous activities while under the influence.
  • Suicide. People who are addicted to drugs die by suicide more often than people who aren’t addicted.
  • Family problems. Behavioral changes may cause marital or family conflict and custody issues.
  • Work issues. Drug use can cause declining performance at work, absenteeism and eventual loss of employment.
  • Problems at school. Drug use can negatively affect academic performance and motivation to excel in school.
  • Legal issues. Legal problems are common for drug users and can stem from buying or possessing illegal drugs, stealing to support the drug addiction, driving while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or disputes over child custody.
  • Financial problems. Spending money to support drug use takes away money from other needs, could lead to debt, and can lead to illegal or unethical behaviors.
  • Dropping out of school or getting poor grades
  • Damaged relationships with friends and family
  • Loss of good standing or tarnished reputation
  • Arrests or jail time
  • Eviction from the home or failed mortgage payments
  • Loss of job
  • Loss of parental rights

Similar events can occur in the lives of people without an addiction problem. But these can become more common when an addiction is present. Before approaching someone you think may have an addiction, determine if the problem is a result of a single incident or a growing problem with the addiction. 

Helping Someone In Need

If you’ve observed some of these addiction warning signs and symptoms of drug use in a friend or loved one, you might feel uncertain about addressing the issue. It can be difficult to communicate your concern, especially if you are worried it might result in a conflict. Still, it is crucial to reach out. 

Here are a few steps you can take to create an intervention plan:

  1. Work with a professional interventionist. Their entire purpose is to help you plan an intervention in the best and safest way possible.
  2. Invite close friends and family.
  3. Plan and practice what you’ll say.

Once you’ve taken action and hosted an intervention, you can discuss your options. In most cases, you’ll have three to choose from:

  • Outpatient detox, where your friend or loved one can detox at home with professional help.
  • Inpatient detox, where your friend or loved one gets the help they need under round-the-clock supervision at a medical facility.
  • Medical detox, which is a medically supervised withdrawal program that can be carried out under outpatient or inpatient supervision.

Addiction Warning Signs – Harmony Ridge Recovery is Here to Help

Recognizing addiction warning signs is the first step on the road to recovery, which often takes tremendous courage and strength.  If you’re ready to face your addiction and are willing to seek help, you have the opportunity to build a satisfying, drug-free life for yourself. Harmony Ridge Recovery Center is here to help. Our substance abuse treatment center offers comprehensive programs tailored to your needs. Whether you need addiction treatment for alcohol or drugs, we can help you recognize your substance abuse problem and, ultimately, overcome it.