Opioid Addiction Help

Opioids are intended to relieve pain. They include prescription medications like Tramadol, Hydrocodone and Oxycodone, as well as illegal drugs like heroin. These opioids work by reducing the number of pain signals sent between your body and brain, altering the response. 

Though opioids are generally safe when correctly taken, patients who don’t obey their doctor’s instructions may get addicted. When this happens, it’s important to know how to get opioid addiction help. Doing so can help someone pursue and remain committed to recovery. 

Here’s some easy-to-understand information on how to get medical help for opioid misuse disorder.

Recognize the Signs of Opioid Addiction

The first step toward opioid addiction recovery is to know the signs of opioid addiction. You may have a problem with opioid misuse if you find it difficult to stop using the drug, and you regularly take more than the recommended quantity.

Additional signs of opioid misuse include:

• Difficulty making quick decisions
• Being physically agitated (always feeling uneasy)
• Nausea and vomiting
• Reduced breathing rate
• Drowsiness
• Poor coordination
• Anxiety attacks
• Low motivation
• Depression
• Feeling high
• Mood swings
• Abandoning responsibilities at home and work
• Slurred speech

Find Out If You’re Addicted to Opioids

You may be addicted to opioids if you have excessive cravings for the drug or if you can’t control your urge to take the medication. You may also be addicted if you’re buying and using the medicine without your doctor’s approval. In some cases, you may also be visiting multiple physicians to request opioids without telling them you’re already on opioid medication. If you want to hide your activities and stay in isolation because of your drug use, you may already be addicted.

The easiest way to determine if you are becoming addicted is if you begin to feel painful, physical symptoms of withdrawal when opioids aren’t present in your body. If these withdrawal symptoms cause you to need to take opioids more and more frequently, then an addiction is probably forming.

Know the Value of Medication-Assisted Treatment

Studies have shown that treatment for opiate dependence or misuse requires long-term management or maintenance. Behavioral therapy alone produces poor outcomes, and about 80% of patients end up returning to opioid abuse.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) combining medications and substance use counseling is the gold standard of care for opioid addiction. The most frequently prescribed maintenance medications for recovering from opioids include Methadone, Buprenorphine and Naltrexone. Taking Methadone and Buprenorphine will help you restore balance in your brain, eliminate withdrawal symptoms and enable you to heal without making you feel high. You can take these medications continuously for as long as you need them. Combined with counseling, MAT offers a real chance at long-term recovery.

Ask for Treatment

Talk to your doctor immediately or call 844-341-4040 to get in touch with our patient care team. You can also link up with the nearest BAART Program Center. Treatment for opioid addiction varies slightly from person to person. The focus of treatment is helping you to quit using the opioid and to show you how you can avoid going back to it in the future.

Bear in mind that when you stop using opioid medication, your body will still crave it. You’ll notice specific withdrawal symptoms. Anxiety, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain are common examples. Your doctor will most likely prescribe medication to help reduce the withdrawal symptoms and control your cravings for opioids.

Get Help for Opioid Addiction

Do you need help learning about opioid misuse disorder or recovery from opioid addiction? Call the team at BAART Program Centers at 844-341-4040 to get all the resources you need. 

You can also browse through the rest of our blog or contact us for help today.