Painkiller abuse has become an epidemic in the United States. Unfortunately, it’s extremely difficult for individuals to stop abusing painkillers, strongly due to the withdrawal symptoms. Below, we’ll discuss various painkiller withdrawal symptoms to watch out for as well as how to get treatment.
Why Do People Develop Addictions to Painkillers
The painkillers that individuals develop addictions to are usually opioid-based. An opioid is a class of drug with extremely addictive properties.
In fact, heroin is a type of opioid as well. Heroin and opioid painkillers share a lot in common. This causes individuals who are struggling with painkiller addiction to transition to heroin addiction quite often. This is because heroin is cheaper and often easier to find.
Of course, no one starts off wanting to have an addiction to painkillers. Instead, people often receive painkiller prescriptions for genuine reasons. Doctors and surgeons provide these prescriptions to their patients to treat severe pain. The pain may be from an accident, an injury, chronic health problems, or for post-surgery recovery.
Because painkiller addiction can develop so quickly, many people are caught unaware that they have a problem. Sometimes, painkiller addiction happens as a result of experimentation rather than a legitimate prescription. Individuals may steal prescriptions or the pills themselves just to “get high” and feel the benefits of taking these drugs.
Painkiller Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal symptoms occur when individuals stop taking these drugs. Their bodies have developed a dependence on having the opioids in their system. This means that they literally get sick if they try to stop.
Painkiller withdrawal symptoms are severe. They include the following:
- Flu-like symptoms
- Depression and anxiety
- Extreme irritability
- Exhaustion
How Can I Get Help for a Painkiller Addiction?
Of course, the only way to fully recover from painkiller addiction is to attend a painkiller addiction rehab center.
Many people attempt to go through withdrawal on their own. Doing so is dangerous and can be detrimental to your health. Moreover, it nearly always leads to relapse, which can be deadly. Therefore, if you or a loved one is struggling with painkiller addiction, you need to seek help from professionals. Fortunately, Crestview Recovery in Portland, Oregon can help.
Call Crestview Recovery Today
At Crestview Recovery, we provide the help people need for painkiller addiction. We understand how hard it is to go through this, many of us in recovery ourselves, and we don’t want you to do it alone.
At Crestview Recovery, we offer numerous treatments that can help you get back on your feet. These include:
- Dual diagnosis
- Intensive outpatient treatment
- Standard outpatient treatment
- Partial hospitalization treatment
It’s understandable that you don’t want to go through painkiller withdrawal symptoms alone. However, the beauty of the situation is that you don’t have to. You can get help by simply picking up the phone and dialing 866.262.0531 now. Crestview is here to help.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
