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For many years, the United States has been battling the war against opioid addiction. It is surprising to know that many sufferers are not those who get their drugs from the ‘street’, but rather at pharmacies and doctors’ offices. Opioid addiction is widespread because these types of drugs are easily prescribed, causing a problem of dependency for many.
The Current State of the Opioid Epidemic
Tracing its roots in the 1990s, prescription opioids were dubbed as one of the safest painkillers in the pharmaceutical market. Many experts claimed that they won’t be as addictive as morphine or heroin, but the opposite could not be more true. At present, the staggering statistics show us how potentially addictive prescription opioids are when misused:
With these things in mind, one should do their best not to allow themselves or their loved ones to go through that spiral of prescription opioid misuse that leads to addiction and possible loss of life.
Difficulty of Spotting a Prescription Opioid Addiction
There are many reasons why a prescription opioid addiction is harder to spot than other types of drugs. The changes can be so subtle that many will ask themselves how they got into the habit of misuse in the first place. Here are some of the common factors that delineate proper use and misuse:
Taking opioids more than the recommended dosage
The first sign that a person is crossing the line between proper use and misuse is taking more opioids than the given dosage. If a pill is recommended every 6 hours, one may be inclined in taking half a pill more to achieve the desired effect. Sadly, this habit is what pushes one further into dependency.
Drinking opioids more frequently
Even if you take single pills as mentioned by your doctor but still have them in increasingly shorter intervals, this is still considered misuse.
Taking opioids for other purposes than what is originally intended
The main purpose of taking opioids is for pain-relieving purposes such as in post-operation, post-delivery, or chronic pain problems. If you notice that you or a loved one is taking opioids for other reasons than what is recommended by your doctor, this is also a subtle sign of misuse.
How Prescription Opioid Addiction Progresses
The reason why it is important to take note of subtle signs of opioid misuse is that you would want to prevent the dangerous consequences of addiction. Often, drug addiction progresses in three levels, which are tolerance, dependency, and addiction.
Opioid tolerance
This phenomenon is a major contributor to opioid misuse. Since their brain and body becomes tolerant of the usual dosage of the drug, they would need more of it to achieve the same effect.
Opioid dependency
At this point, the person has challenges coping with everyday life without opioids. This is the time where mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms can exist, making abstinence highly uncomfortable and undesirable.
Opioid addiction
If the person is in a cycle of quitting, experiencing withdrawals and taking in more opioids or experimenting with other substances, this is a potential sign of addiction. It is very difficult to get out of substance abuse without support, and this is why prescription opioid addiction treatment is highly recommended.
How Does Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Help?
Many people wonder how addiction treatment is any different from trying to quit on your own. What commonly lacks in do-it-yourself strategies is the lack of accountability and safety concerns. When you are by yourself, you have no external guidance on how to quit safely and effectively.
Prescription opioid addiction treatment in trusted opioid rehab centers help by:
What Is Opioid Treatment Like?
A question that runs in the minds of those who are contemplating seeking help is: “What is opioid treatment like?” It’s hard to imagine the process when you don’t know what to expect, making it difficult for you to take the first step.
Put simply, here is what you can expect in an opioid treatment center, such as Mission Harbor, a Southern California rehab:
Assessment
The first part of the onboarding is an assessment of one’s addiction problem. You will be asked to fill out questionnaires or undergo some evaluation with an expert regarding your condition. Some questions that may be asked could be your drug of choice, your current level of use, addiction triggers, and if you have co-occurring mental health problems.
Treatment
Once experts have narrowed down your specific needs, they can now formulate a treatment plan that will work best for you. It is possible that you will undergo one-on-one talk therapy, support groups, diet and fitness changes, and other forms of a treatment protocol that is deemed appropriate for your needs.
Maintenance
After going through the whole course of rehab, the ‘real world’ awaits. One must have supports set in place, such as home programs, continued therapy, or other referrals that can help in your journey towards addiction recovery.
Prescription opioid addiction doesn’t have to rule over your life. At Mission Harbor is a Southern California rehab in Santa Barbara, and it is our goal to help those who suffer by taking them one step at a time towards a better quality of life. Reach out to us today to know more about our services.
The facilities at Mission Harbor are staffed with trained experts to best assist patients with their mental health issues. We are capable of dealing with any and all cases with a licensed staff, equipment, and approved techniques. Our mission is to help those who want to help themselves, and we support your decision in seeking help.
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