Opiate Addiction Treatment

Opiates come in different forms, from street heroin to prescription drugs such as Vicodin, but one common thread found in all types of opiate addiction is the damage it causes to both addicts and their loved ones. For help in combating opiate addiction, call Treatment Solutions Network today at 877-417-6237.

What are opiates?

Opiates are a group of drugs that are derived from the Asian poppy seed. According to the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, opiates "have a high potential for abuse." It is difficult for regular users of opiates to avoid getting hooked.

Drugs that fall under the opiate family include heroin, morphine, opium, codeine, oxycodone and hydrocodone.

Prescription opiates typically are taken in pill form, while heroin can be a white or brownish powder which is usually dissolved in water and then injected.

What other names are opiates known by?

Heroin is known by a variety of street names, such as Smack, Big H, Hell Dust and Nose Drops (liquefied heroin). Prescription opiates, meanwhile, are often referred to not by their medical drug name, but by the brand names they are marketed under. These brand names include Vicodin^®, Percocet^®, Tylenol^® 3, and Methadose^®.

How are opiates taken?

The methods of ingesting opiates vary upon the specific drug being used. Heroin, for example, can be injected, smoked, or sniffed/snorted. Prescription opiates are typically taken in pill form, sometimes with alcohol to intensify the effects (a combination that also increases the health risks of opiate addiction).

The use of needles to inject heroin has serious health complications, as heroin needles have been linked to a significant number of new HIV/AIDS and hepatitis cases. Regardless of how opiates are taken, the threat of overdose is VERY REAL. Emergency rooms typically see more overdose deaths from prescription opiate abuse than from heroin abuse.

How widespread is opiate use?

Both heroin and prescription opiate abuse are serious problems in America. But while heroin is often – and correctly – seen as a dangerous threat to our society, the danger from prescription opiates is sometimes overlooked.

According to the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, nearly 400,000 Americans used heroin in 2004, including 120,000 first-time users.

The number of prescription opiate abusers was considerably higher – 11.2 million Americans used these drugs for "non-medical" purposes in 2003, according to SAMHSA. Many prescription opiate users eventually become heroin users as well.

What are opiates' short-term effects?

Opiate users will almost immediately feel a euphoric feeling from the drug (also known as the "rush"). This feeling will last several hours. According to the LSU Health Science Center, other, less-enjoyable short-term effects include:

Restlessness
Nausea
Vomiting
User may go "on the nod," drifting back and forth between alert and drowsy
With large doses, user cannot be awakened, pupils become smaller, and the skin becomes cold moist and bluish in color. Breathing slows and death may occur.

What are opiates' long-term effects?

Long-term, continued opiate addiction has serious health consequences. According to the Partnership for a Drug-Free America, these include:

Infection of the heart lining and valves
Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia
Clogging of the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys or brain – causing infection or death
Physical dependence and addiction, including severe withdrawal symptoms when the user attempts to quit
Liver disease
Higher tolerance to the drug. This forces the user to ingest higher amounts of heroin to achieve the same high – increasing the risk of a fatal overdose

The Drug Abuse Warning Network estimates that there were 93,519 heroin-related emergency-room visits in 2002. Other opiates – primarily prescription drugs such as oxycodone – accounted for 119,185 emergency-room visits that year. For more information on opiate abuse call us today at 877-417-6237.

What are the risks of opiate addiction during pregnancy?

Opiate addiction can have severe, tragic consequence during pregnancy. According to the LSU Health Sciences Center, nearly half the women who are dependent on opiates suffer anemia, heart diseases, diabetes, pneumonia, or hepatitis during pregnancy and childbirth. Infants born to these women often have withdrawal symptoms which may last several weeks or months. Many of these babies die.

The Western Journal of Medicine has found opiate use during pregnancy can lead to infants being born with mental retardation and behavioral abnormalities.

Why is opiate addiction so hard to overcome?

The fact that many prescription opiates are legal – though intended to be used only for medical purposes – can lead some opiate addiction to be overlooked. Friends and relatives of a prescription opiate addict may not think there's a problem because the addict isn't buying an illegal substance.

The withdrawal symptoms experienced by opiate addicts who attempt to quit are another serious obstacle to beating opiate addiction. Many addicts who try to stop using find themselves going back to opiates just to make the unpleasant withdrawal feelings – diarrhea, cramps, sweating, nausea – go away.

Opiate addiction treatment is the answer

Opiate addiction treatment can help you or your loved overcome withdrawal symptoms through a caring opiate detox program. During detox, our medical staff will provide medications that can ease, and in some cases even eliminate, withdrawal symptoms.

After the detox period is over, our comprehensive opiate addiction treatment centers give clients the encouragement and relapse prevention skills to stay clean and sober in the future. Treatment Solutions Network provides a free referral service that will connect you to the best opiate addiction program for your needs. Our recommendations are based solely on quality and what center is a good fit for our clients – we are not affiliated with any particular treatment facility.

Overcoming opiate addiction isn't always easy, but it CAN be done with the right help. Call Treatment Solutions Network today at 877-417-6237.

No matter your insurance, be it Cigna, Aetna, Humana, Blue Cross / Blue Shield (BCBS), Assurant, Unicare, United Health Care, Anthem, Carefirst, Asuris Northwest Health, Golden Rule, Celtic Insurance, Fortis, Health Net, Kaiser, Vista, Shelter, Wellpoint, Tri Care, Accordia or even Medicare, and state insurance – we can help you find opiate addiction treatment. We also offer many affordable self pay options as well as luxury opiate rehab.