If you or someone you love is showing signs of opioid addiction, it’s time to consider how to detox safely from opioids and how to get the right treatment.
What are Opioids?
Anyone who is addicted to opioids needs to know how to safely detox from opioids so that they have the best chance of recovery and the most comfortable recovery experience. So what are opioids?
Opioids are a specific group of drugs that are all derived from the poppy plant. Opioids are used to block the pain signals that are sent from your brain to the rest of your body, so they are commonly used as prescription painkillers.
Which Drugs are Opioids?
There are many types of opioids, such as prescription Oxycontin or Vicodin. Other drugs that are opioids include fentanyl which is a synthetic opioid 100 times more potent than Morphine. Morphine is another example. Outside of prescription drugs, the illegal version of opioids is heroin.
Others include:
- Oxycodone
- Hydrocodone acetaminophen
- Hydrocodone ibuprofen
- Morphine
- Hydromorphone
- Fentanyl
- Codeine
- Methadone
- Meperidine
- Tramadol
- Carfentanil
- Buprenorphine
Symptoms of Opioid Use
Using opioids brings with it a high level of risk, even if they are prescription-based. Regular use of any opioid increases your tolerance to that drug. An increased physical tolerance means an increased dependence. The more you use a given opioid, the more you will need it. And each time you use it, you will need more of it to get the same response.
This can be particularly dangerous in situations where you are given a prescription for pain management after surgery or after a car accident. Each time you take your prescription opioid to help with your pain, your body becomes more dependent on it, and you require more of it. So instead of taking just one pill each day as your doctor advised, you start taking two pills, and then the next week, you start taking three pills. Before long, you have used all of the pills in your prescription, but you still have a few weeks left before you can get a refill.
There are many common symptoms manifested by those who are struggling with opioid use. Some of them take a while before your friends and family, or even the user starts to notice that there is dependence:
- The inability to control how many opioids you use
- Changes in sleep
- Uncontrollable cravings
- Decreased libido
- Lack of hygiene
- Changes to exercise or social activity
- Isolation from friends and family
- Stealing or other legal problems
- Financial difficulties
Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal
If you are addicted to opioids, you need to know how to safely detox from opioids. Opioids are a class of drugs that require medically-assisted detox in order to safely withdraw from drug use.
Early symptoms will typically include things like insomnia, runny nose, anxiety, agitation, muscle pain, severe sweating, and yawning. But after a few days, the later symptoms can include nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, dilated pupils, and goosebumps.
Depending on your situation, your current level of health, and any other addictions or mental health problems, proper opioid detox programs can help you overcome the safety risks associated with a detox. Medically supervised programs will help wean you from your opioids by giving you other FDA-approved medications as you overcome the symptoms, and help ease your comfort while also being on call for any medical complications that arise.
Opioid Detox Programs in Dallas, TX
If you are ready to get guidance on how to safely detox from opiates, let Dallas Detox help. Our facility is a state-of-the-art alcohol and drug treatment center. Our residential campus gives clinical care using evidence-based practices for people looking to safely detox from their substance abuse. We offer residential inpatient care using evidence-based treatments and medically supervised opioid detox programs.
To help you along the lifelong journey that is recovery, our staff provides lifetime aftercare so that you not only learn skills to help you cope with your addiction and stay sober, but you get the chance to practice them and to enhance them throughout the course of your life.
Reach out to us today for help with your addiction to opioids.
