How to maintain and live a life in recovery from opiate addiction.
Addiction is never purely a physical battle. Indeed, often the social, emotional, or psychological aspects of addiction can be far more challenging to overcome. A negative self-image is a particularly difficult battle for the addict. An opiate addict, for example, can easily believe that she is not worth anything, simply because she is an addict. […]
When you struggle with an opiate addiction, it is important to pursue healthy activities instead of being a participant in drug abuse. When you spend your time with a focused hobby or passion, this helps your recovery on multiple levels. First, it helps the brain heal, the body rebuild and your memory improve. A healthy […]
Hope for recovery comes from within, and it also comes from community, family and professional support. When one of these elements is missing, recovery is still more than possible, but it becomes more challenging. National Recovery Month helps break stigmas surrounding mental health and addiction issues so that those in need of help are better […]
In the early stages of addiction recovery, addicts can receive great support from residential and outpatient addiction services. These programs provide individual therapy, group therapy, psychoeducational training and a variety of complimentary therapies that help begin recovery. These programs also recommend that when you leave the treatment facility, you continue to sustain recovery through individual […]
Opiates bind to specific receptors in the central nervous system to relieve pain and produce euphoria. Some opiates, like heroin, are illegal and can oftentimes lead to abuse and addiction. Prescription opiates include: hydrocodone (one brand name for it is Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet are commonly seen brand names for it), morphine (alias Kadian […]
If you or someone in your family has suffered from addiction, you are likely familiar with the conflict, betrayal and disappointment it brings to the family unit. Because of these various negative impacts, many people actually consider addiction to be a family illness. This means that an addict’s family must devote their own time and […]
Many life changes take place in rehab, including learning how to take care of oneself in opiate addiction recovery. Maintaining recovery for the long haul is difficult, so it is crucial that people in recovery focus on whatever it takes to get to their best mental, emotional and physical health possible. (more…)
Opiates are used for treating pain caused by surgery, injury or a chronic condition. Using the drugs in larger amounts or for longer periods of time than prescribed by a physician can lead to addiction. Recreational or experimental use also leads to addiction and often does so at a much faster rate. Opiates are […]
The word opiates refers to a group of drugs that contain opium, which is a natural derivative of the poppy seed. It can also be made synthetically in a lab. People most often use synthetically produced opiates as pain relievers (analgesics), and they include morphine, codeine, hydrocodone and oxycodone, among others. Relapse is a major […]
Early recovery from opiate drugs is well-known for being a difficult experience. What many people don’t consider is that opiate recovery is a life-long process. The first stages of life without opiates can be much easier with the right support network, like the one found in addiction rehab treatment. After initial recovery, many people underestimate […]
