By the time most people realize that many of their health, social, and occupational problems have been caused by opioids, chemical dependence prevents them from quitting. One of the greatest benefits to living in the developed world is the ability to use opioids to skip most of the pain involved after a major injury or surgery. However, when opioids are used over long periods of time, the brain loses its ability to produce feel-good chemicals in response to feel-good situations.
Anyone can develop a problematic pattern of opioid use that leads to cognitive impairment and emotional distress. While any drug used in excess can be dangerous, this is especially true for opioids. Most overdose deaths in the United States involve opioids. While overcoming opioid addiction isn’t easy, our opioid detox program at Spokane Falls Recovery Center makes withdrawal tolerable. Contact us to learn more about our opioid detox program by calling 844.962.2775.
Opioid Withdrawal Needs to Be Tolerable
People who are addicted to opioids lose the ability to tolerate any sort of pain or discomfort, and they believe the drugs are necessary for their survival. If someone you love is experiencing the devastating effects of opioid addiction, helping them get into treatment might save their life. Contact Spokane Falls Recovery Center to learn more about our remarkable opioid addiction treatment programs. We offer detox programs to treat addictions to the following opioids:
- Fentanyl
- Morphine
- Codeine
- Heroin
- Oxycodone
- Hydrocodone
- Oxymorphone
- Hydromorphone
Overdose After Detox
All habitual opioid users will develop tolerance to the drugs over time. Tolerance forces users to consume more of the drugs in order to get the desired effects. While rapidly increasing tolerance is dangerous, having a low tolerance can be dangerous also. Using opioids after sustained periods of sobriety can be dangerous when the body is no longer able to metabolize the high doses consumed pre-treatment. This is one of the many reasons that detox alone will not work unless the patient attends a drug addiction treatment program immediately following detoxification.
Treating Opioid Addiction with More Opioids?
Until recently, the only medication approved to treat opioid withdrawal was methadone (also known as liquid handcuffs), which is an opioid itself. Because methadone is metabolized by the liver, patients with severe liver damage need to be closely monitored when taking this drug. At Spokane Falls Recovery Center, we prescribe buprenorphine to patients in order to alleviate the most uncomfortable opioid withdrawal symptoms, including:
- Acute anxiety
- Insomnia
- Nausea
- Dysphoria
- Abdominal pain
What Is Buprenorphine?
Buprenorphine, also known as Subutex, is a semisynthetic opioid that is classified as a partial agonist. When used as prescribed, buprenorphine’s potential to depress breathing, produce addictive euphoria, and cause a fatal overdose are lower than other opioids’. While its adverse side effects are similar to the side effects of opioids, buprenorphine has been given a better safety profile in regard to respiratory depression and overdose potential.
When taken as directed, the risks of experiencing a lethal buprenorphine overdose are extremely low. While there is no magical cure for opioid addiction, buprenorphine can help people avoid symptoms of withdrawal when used as part of a tapered opioid detox program. If you find that your life has become unmanageable, a buprenorphine medical detox program or substance abuse treatment program could be life-saving.
Seek Treatment at Spokane Falls Recovery
Medical detox followed by addiction treatment therapy can help people take back control of their lives. Mental health care is important for people in addiction recovery to understand underlying issues that contributed to the addiction and learn the skills to manage stress and other mental health symptoms in the future. The effective management of mental health symptoms is among the most important aspects of lifelong recovery from addiction. Contact Spokane Falls Recovery Center to learn more about our medical opioid detox programs by calling 844.962.2775.