What Happens If I Stop Taking Opiates?
Signs of Opiate Abuse
Opiates are most often prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain. However, people with stressful jobs also run the risk of addiction to opiates prescribed for anxiety, panic attacks, insomnia, and other stress-related conditions. Often a person will continue to take opiates because of the euphoric feeling, loss of pain, and to avoid any future outbreaks of panic. Unfortunately abuse of opiates may cause a person to experience the following problems:
- Depression and/or suicidal thoughts
- Unkempt physical appearance, including weight loss
- Social withdrawal
- Lethargy and drowsiness
- Constricted pupils and reduced vision
- Shallow breathing
- Excessive perspiration, shaking, vomiting, chills
Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
If you decide to stop taking opiates, you need to be supervised by a medical professional so that you can avoid the following withdrawal symptoms:
- Strong cravings
- Nausea and vomiting
- Cramps
- Sweating and chills
- Diarrhea
- Shakes
- Irritation
- Agitation and anxiety
- Muscle aches
- Insomnia
- Dilated pupils
Things to Consider
How to Stop Taking Opiates Safely
There are several reasons to get treatment if you feel that you are abusing opiates. One reason is to receive assistance in managing the withdrawal symptoms, which can be very uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. Inpatient treatment facilities provide the following services that can help you stop abusing opiates:
- 24-hour care
- Medically supervised detox
- Nutritional guidance
Another reason to receive assistance is to help you understand the disease of addiction. You will receive information from trained professionals and other addicts about the damage that addiction can cause. Through the following services, you can resolve the underlying issues associated with your addiction:
- Holistic strategies including recreational therapy and art therapy
- Behavior modification
- Dual Diagnosis treatment if applicable
- Individual and group therapy
Simply being in a quality drug treatment facility does not guarantee that you will live the remainder of your life without drugs. You need a support network of friends, family members, and colleagues who understand how they contribute to your ongoing recovery. Through family therapy, you can repair damaged relationships and your family can learn how to support you.
Finally, as most people are aware, relapse is a real possibility even if you have successfully completed a treatment program. This is where aftercare comes into play. By exploring options and identifying your needs, you can get the assistance you require to transition to everyday life with greater success.
Opiate Addiction Help
Finding the right detox program to meet your needs or the needs of someone you love can be an overwhelming experience. You need advice determining the most appropriate treatment for your needs. While recovery is difficult, it is possible and we can help, so please call our toll-free helpline today. We are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you might have about opiate addiction and detox programs. We are here to help.