I Am Having Opiate Withdrawals. Do I Need Detox?

There are a ton of depictions of “cold turkey” withdrawal in television and movies. Essentially, people simply stop using substances and then weather the pains of withdrawal for a day or two. After they get through the worst of it, they are able to break their drug addiction. This narrative is often played out for opioid addicts. How dangerous is that? You know that your opioid addiction is serious business. In fact, most addicts continue using because they can’t deal with the opiate withdrawals (or dope sickness), which is debilitating. It’s pretty well understood that withdrawal is so bad that people simply can’t get clean.

To perpetuate the idea that a person can just strong-arm their way through withdrawal and detox independently within a couple of days is irresponsible. Opioid detox is one of the most difficult, and people attempting to do it on their own may be setting themselves up for failure. It is always best to get help.

If you are experiencing withdrawals because you are trying to quit, then you should go through a structured, supervised detox. If you are dope sick because you simply haven’t gotten a hold of drugs, this might be the perfect time to continue the trend and get the support of a detox program. You really shouldn’t assume you have gotten this far and think that you can wait out the rest of it.

For help finding the detox program that you need, call 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) now. We will answer questions, help you with funding, and direct you to a detox program designed to meet your needs.

Opiate Withdrawals

Most who experience opiate withdrawals end up relapsing.

If you think you are experiencing withdrawal, it’s worth understanding exactly what opioid withdrawal entails.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) between 26.4 million and 36 million people across the globe abuse opioids. Among these people, 2.1 million in America suffer from addictions related to prescription opioid pain relievers. Approximately 467,000 people are addicted to heroin. Should these people take a break in their drug use,they will all deal with withdrawal.

The NIDA reports you will experience both early and late stage effects. As early as 12 hours after your last heroin usage, you can expect withdrawal to set in. For methadone users, 30 hours after last usage generally marks the start of withdrawal.

Early stage symptoms:

• Distress
• Nervousness
• Muscle pains
• Watery eyes
• Trouble sleeping
• Increased nasal mucus
• Perspiring
• Yawning

These early effects may be manageable and you might experience them and assume that you can easily make it through the rest of the process. But, the later symptoms are definitely harder to manage.

Late stage symptoms:

• Stomach cramping
• Loose stools
• Expanded pupils
• Goose bumps
• Queasiness
• Vomiting

Although, these symptoms are not life threatening, they are hard to tolerate. Your body will already be depleted from the drug use and the strain of these symptoms will hit you with mighty force.

Detox

The reality of professional detox is that you are generally given more than a cot in a dark room and expected to wait out your symptoms. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) actually recognizes three components of detoxification: assessment, stabilization, and developing patient readiness for and entry into treatment.

Assessment: You will be evaluated for the existence of drugs and/or alcohol in your body. Clinicians will also measure the amount of each substance currently in your system. This allows them to best treat you as you move through withdrawal. Screenings will also be performed to isolate any conditions you face in addition to your addiction. This means your physical and mental health, as well as your social condition, will be assessed.

Stabilization: You will be assisted through acute intoxication into a substance-free condition. This entire process will have the oversight of medical professionals who will ensure you maintain medical stability. This is both a medical and psychosocial process.

Finally, you will be urged to follow detox with formal rehabilitation.

Opioid Detox

Clinicians will focus on easing your symptoms and this may follow a medical model of detox, where doctors and nurses in a medical setting use medication and other therapeutic measures. On the other hand, you may opt for a social model, where a staff provides support to ease you through the symptoms.

For help finding a detox center that uses a model applicable to your addiction and needs, call 800-996-6135(Who Answers?) . We can help.