Opioid withdrawal and dealing with drug cravings can be extremely difficult for anyone. No matter how tough or determined a person who is addiction to painkillers is, the intense withdrawal symptoms that they experience can seriously demotivate their efforts to get sober. Opioids are designed as a class of drugs working in the brain to relieve pain or discomfort. They are often found in popular prescription medications like painkillers or even heroin. Opioids function by blocking certain receptors between the brain and the rest of the body so a patient doesn’t have to feel intense feelings of pain.
In addition to blocking certain receptors in the brain, opioids also are commonly known to make some people feel relaxed or very happy in a “high” that becomes addictive. It’s incredibly important for a person prescribed to opioids or currently taking other forms of the drug to understand the physical risks from its side effects and how to get over acute withdrawal.
With the current opioid overdose epidemic taking the United States by storm, make sure that you don’t fall victim to the clutch of its effect. Let’s break down how opioid and heroin withdrawal occurs along with what you can do to protect yourself in the long run.
What Are Withdrawal Symptoms?
Some of the most popular prescribed opioids are oxycodone, morphine, fentanyl, tramadol, and methadone. These might sound familiar if you’ve ever taken a trip to the doctor for an injury or were recovering from a surgery. These opioids allshare the main symptomsof passing euphoria, chronic drowsiness or lethargy, and easily build tolerance in one’s body to high doses.
Once a person wants to takes a break from using the drug for a few days to even a couple hours, they can easily experience other withdrawal symptoms that are unwanted. These include uneasy feelings like dry mouth, dizziness, trouble breathing, abnormal weight loss, headaches, random shaking or sweating, and even hallucinations in some people.
With those effects in mind, it becomes easier to understand why some people don’t want to fight the physical and mental struggle of becoming sober. In some circumstances with people who avidly use the drug, psychological symptoms that include drug cravings can go on for much longer than a week and go past the traditional opioid withdrawal timelinefor the drug. Someone who takes notice of its persistence should seek medically supervised detox services as soon as possible so they can work on their variety of symptoms.
Treating Opioid Withdrawal
While there is no magic fix for someone going through opioid withdrawal symptoms, there are three main components to successfully maintain a sober mind and body. If you’re currently suffering from acute opioid withdrawal and don’t know what to do first, pay attention.
With the help of a detox facility, a person can learn much more about their health and organize a battle plan for getting over symptoms that may arise in the future. The first pillar of reaching sustainable health is receiving thorough education about an opioid addiction. It is important that every patient understands that it is okay to not feeling completely healthy and recovered during the beginning of a sobriety process. Good things take time, and when it comes to safely easing your body off a powerful drug you need as much patience as possible. This is especially crucial for opioid addiction because quitting cold-turkey could be lethal. Learning about all the symptoms of protracted withdrawal can also help you create your own realistic views of the healing process overall. Once you can identify what the common symptoms in your body are, you will be more confident to know what to watch out for and manage with appropriate support.
The second pillar to successful detox from opioid withdrawal includes receiving enough encouragement throughout the entire process. If you are hooked on to having a dose nearly every day and are suddenly tapering your use, you might be experiencing difficult memory and concentration difficulties. However, with enough support from mental health professionals you can learn how to deal with feelings of demotivation when uncomfortable symptoms or a risk of relapse arise. No matter how different our bodies are, we all can benefit from consistent encouragement from professionals and our loved ones. Knowing you have a team to back you up and keep you accountable is key to stay on track.
The third pillar is ensuring the body gets enough rest to recover from withdrawal effects. Many detox professionals can help you identify whether your current sleep issues are due to acute withdrawal or are a result of other causes in your life. Throughout the process you can also gain education about the benefits of keeping great sleeping habits, setting up an environment for consistent sleep, and tapering the use of substances like caffeine that may interfere with sound rest. Believe it or not, our body works hard to repair our cells and repair muscles while we sleep every night. Make sure you get enough quality shut eye to feel your best the next day!
It’s Never Too Late
Even if starting the process of opioid detox sounds too frustrating and drawn out, think of the long term benefits your body, mind, and spirit will gain. Would you rather stay reliant on using an opioid for years or spend a few months with some discomfort to come out stronger, more confident, and more independent than before?
No matter how subtle or intense your symptoms are, it’s always a good idea to swallow your pride and see a detox specialist in your local area who can hear out your experiences. After gaining more knowledge about your drug use history and lifestyle, they can form a pinpointed plan to get your body on the right track to sobriety. Don’t be afraid to reach out!