If you’re like most people suffering from addiction to opioids, you’ve probably experienced times where you want to quit but can’t. This is a very common issue for anyone struggling with an addiction to this type of drug, primarily because opioid withdrawal is harsh. In most cases, people continue using just so they can feel well, but there’s good news. Overcoming your opioid addiction starts with a quality detox. First, though, you should understand opioid withdrawal.
Why Does Opioid Withdrawal Happen?
Your body is always trying to find balance, which becomes very difficult when you begin abusing substances regularly. It takes time for the body to adjust to opioids coming into the body regularly, but eventually, it gets used to it and considers this influx normal. Now that you have a dependency, different parts of the body like the brain and nervous system go into shock without opioids. When you don’t have them in your system, you can experience a wide range of symptoms, including:
- Anxiety
- Stomach pains
- Flu-like symptoms
- Body tremors
- Insomnia
Relieving Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms with Medication
Opioids bind to specific receptors in the brain in order to block pain signals. The problem is that when you stop using opioids, the receptors in the brain are vacant, which triggers withdrawal. There are different medications like Suboxone that trick the brain by occupying these receptors. The detox facility tapers off this non-narcotic medication gradually to help ease the symptoms.
Most people only think about the symptoms that they can see and feel, but there are many more symptoms occurring as well. When you’re going through withdrawal from opioids, your blood pressure is extremely high because your heart has to work so hard. A detox facility helps to keep your blood pressure under control throughout this entire process. These methods can also help anyone who is trying to overcome a heroin addiction.
Holistic Methods for Detox
Some people choose to not go the medical route when detoxing from opioids. For these individuals, there are many holistic methods available. These methods can also work to help speed up the detox process even if you’re taking some of the medications for withdrawal. Holistic methods can involve learning mindfulness meditation and yoga or other light exercises. The process also includes changing your diet and eating healthy, nutritious foods to help heal the body naturally.
Mindfulness meditation and yoga are some of the best ways to overcome withdrawal, and they work with PAWS as well. These practices teach you how to gain control of your mind and reduce the physical symptoms as well as the psychological ones. During yoga and light exercise, your muscle tissues and nervous system begin to heal, which helps lessen withdrawal symptoms. The best part is that these holistic methods can also greatly help you in your journey of staying clean and sober.
After opioid withdrawal, it is time to start your rehab process. You will spend a great deal of this process in therapy. We offer a variety of therapy programs for opioid addiction treatment, such as:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavioral therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Family therapy
- Art therapy
Call Crestview Recovery today at 866.262.0531. We can help you find a quality detox center and then help you learn to stay sober.
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.
