Thursday, April 27, 2017

How Opiate Addiction Treatment Can Save Lives

By Paul Peterson


There are countless people that are addicted to some substance. They can be found in any society, regardless of wealth, culture, religion or race. Many of these addicts live their entire lives focusing on where and when they will be getting their next batch of substances from. This is not true for addicts of illegal drugs only. Numerous people are addicted to seemingly innocent substances such as prescription pain killers. The only solution for such addicts is professional opiate addiction treatment.

Many agencies involved in health matters have said that the number of people addicted to prescription pain killers have risen dramatically over the past few years. There are many reasons for this trend. Pain killers are easy to obtain, often as simple as asking the doctor for a prescription. Using pain killers is not illegal and it is socially much more acceptable than the use of most other addictive substances.

The loved ones of substance abusers are often in the dark. They do not offer help or support because they do not know that a loved one is totally dependent upon a substance such as pain killers. There are some signs, however. Abusers often see different doctors and get their medication from various suppliers. The will also become irritable and even aggressive if they do not have enough pain killers at hand.

Therapists will normally not admit an addict to a rehabilitation program if they do not admit that they are addicted, that they realize the dangers of the dependency and that they are truly motivated to overcome the dependency problem. If these conditions are not met the chances of a successful rehabilitation are very small and scare resources would have been wasted.

When a patient is accepted in a treatment program the immediate priority is detoxification. This is a very traumatic experience for most patients. They have to accept side effects such as pain, insomnia and a constant craving for pain killers. Some patients develop psychological problems such as depression and anxiety during this withdrawal phase. In severe cases medication is prescribed.

As soon as the patient is completely detoxified the real rehabilitation program can begin. The patient will have to learn techniques to cope with life without needing help from addictive substances such as pain killers. Patients are taught how to prepare balanced meals, exercise properly and cope with stress. They are also encouraged to communicate their feelings when things are difficult.

When a patient completes a rehabilitation program he, as well as his loved ones, are warned that a dangerous period awaits. The patient will have to take up life again and all too often they quickly fall back into their old harmful habits. The only solution is to continue with therapy, to become part of support groups and to speak to loved ones when things seem dark and futile.

Addiction to any substance is difficult for all parties concerned. There is no shame in admitting such a problem and asking for help. In fact, admitting that there is a problem is a sure sign of inner strength. The earlier help is sought, the better the chances of living life free of drugs.




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