The first step in an addiction treatment program is detox. You need to cleanse your system of the substance you have been abusing in order to move forward with a healthier mind and body. Successful recovery depends on a quality treatment for opioid addiction and that treatment depends on the detox process. When you know what to expect from opiate detox, you’ll be better prepared to complete your treatment program and move on with your sober life.

Opioid Addiction

Opioids include heroin, synthetic opioids such as fentanyl, and pain relievers available legally by prescription, such as oxycodone (OxyContin®), hydrocodone (Vicodin®), codeine, morphine, and others. The drugs work in the nervous system of the body or in specific receptors in the brain to reduce the intensity of pain. Addiction to these drugs is a chronic disease. When you are addicted, you compulsively seek out drugs even though you know they cause you harm and greatly impact many areas of your life. According to the CDC, more than 750,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose. Deaths involving opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl), have increased almost six times since 1999. In 2018, two out of three drug overdose deaths involved an opioid. Overdoses involving opioids killed nearly 47,000 people in 2018.

The Detox Process

Detox is about getting rid of the harmful drugs in your system. The process also involves a focus on clinical therapies and nutritious meals, designed to improve your mental and physical health while you are cleansing your system of the opioids. While it is critically important that you cleanse your body of the drugs, it is also vital that you know how to be healthier as you move forward through a successful recovery. The challenges of detox can be psychological as well as physical. You may fear losing the effect of the drug as it leaves your system. You will likely experience withdrawal symptoms. A medical detox program can help alleviate some of the severity of the symptoms. Methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone are commonly used in medical detox programs to help you through the process of eliminating harmful substances from your system.

Withdrawal Symptoms

Understanding what to expect from opiate detox will help prepare you for the stages you might experience, including withdrawal symptoms. The length and severity of these symptoms will depend on how long and how much of the opioids you were using. Symptoms typically appear several hours after you have taken your last drug. For example, opiates that are known as short acting, including heroin, can produce more intense symptoms in a shorter timeframe. Common withdrawal symptoms include:

• Aching muscles
• Stomach pain
• Anxiety or agitation
• Increased heart rate
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Tremors
• Depression

The symptoms you experience in opiate detox will also depend on your overall health, how stressful detox is for you, and your family history of addiction.

Professional Treatment for Opioid Addiction

Even when you know what to expect from opiate detox, you should never try it on your own. Professionally supervised detox is safer and healthier for you. Professional treatment includes physical and psychological help that can ease the symptoms, monitor your overall health, and help prevent relapse in your recovery. Professional treatment for your opioid addiction will include not only ridding your system of the harmful substances to which you’ve become addicted, but also learning how to live healthier. Your treatment program will oversee your physical and mental health and guide you safely through the process of detox and recovery. Seeking help for an opioid addiction will improve your overall health and reduce your risk of relapse, accidental overdose, and complications related to opioid addiction. The overall improvement in physical and mental health is worth the pain and discomfort of withdrawal.

Treatment for Opioid Addiction at Makana Path

At Makana Path, we tailor each program to you and your specific needs. Individual daily sessions focus on strengthening your motivation for treatment, identifying the next steps for you once your detox is complete, and empowering you to achieve total health and wellness. Our Medical Detox Program is the first step in your recovery from addiction. We understand the challenges of staying at home and social distancing during COVID-19 and remain open to provide the help you need during these challenging times. To learn more about our Opiate Detox Program, contact Makana Path today by calling 1-866-313-0978.