If you’re wondering how to get off opiates, learning about detox and withdrawal should be your first step. From the outside looking in, it may seem like an easy task to just stop taking pain pills. However, the issue is that addiction is a much more powerful disease than many people know.
Whether it’s you or a loved one who is suffering from a pain pill addiction, it’s important to know the best way to get sober and begin a new life. If quitting was something someone could easily do on their own, many people would have been sober ages ago.
Need to know more about opiate addiction rehab? Call us today at 866.957.7885.
Pain medications are derived from opioids, which can cause a physical dependence. One of the primary reasons individuals aren’t able to quit is because their bodies crave the medication as if it were food or water. When the pain medications aren’t running through the system, the body can experience some of the following symptoms of withdrawal:
Many times, when individuals begin to experience withdrawal symptoms, it may seem easier to simply return to the pills. Thankfully, medical science has made many advances in addiction medicine, so qualified addiction centers can help with the detox process. In turn, those in detox won’t have to deal with severe withdrawal symptoms.
One of the hardest things for someone with an addiction to do is to admit that there’s a problem. Generally, it’s easier for someone who simply started using the medications as a form of getting high to admit. On the other side of that coin, it’s much more difficult for someone whose doctor prescribed the medication for chronic pain.
A person who suffers from chronic pain feels justified in using the medications since the doctor ordered them. However, what he or she may not realize is how the drug abuse is negatively impacting his or her life. In order for individuals to admit that they have a problem, they must be able to cope with the fact that they’ve developed a mental obsession and physical craving. Once they take one pill, they can’t stop or moderate their use.
Therapy is one major way how to get off opiates. Addiction therapy is a follow-up to detox, which heals the body. Psychotherapy instead focuses on healing the mind, tackling the roots of addictive behaviors.
Therapy also handles co-occurring mental disorders through dual diagnosis treatment. Dual diagnosis treatment is a type of therapy that addresses both mental illness and substance abuse simultaneously. This approach is also sometimes called integrated treatment or co-occurring disorders treatment.
There are many benefits to dual diagnosis treatment, as it can address the underlying causes of both disorders and help prevent them from exacerbating each other. It can also lead to better outcomes overall, as each disorder is less likely to relapse if the other is being treated at the same time.
Ultimately, the types of therapy used in countering opiate addiction can be split into the holistic approach and evidence-based modalities. Why do you want to have access to both? Actually, there are a few reasons.
First, different people respond to different approaches. So, while one person might benefit from an evidence-based approach like cognitive behavioral therapy, another person might find more relief from a holistic approach like meditation.
Second, some conditions are best treated with a combination of approaches. For example, someone suffering from PTSD might benefit from both cognitive behavioral therapy to address the negative thoughts and meditation to help with the anxiety.
Finally, combining approaches can create a more well-rounded treatment plan. For example, someone who is struggling with depression might benefit from medication to help with the chemical imbalance, but they might also find relief from therapy to address any underlying issues.
Want to know how to get off opiates through therapy? San Antonio Recovery Center offers:
At San Antonio Recovery Center, we know that recovering from active addiction is a marathon and not a sprint. The best thing that you can do is get the appropriate treatment, which is why our 90-day treatment program is available to anyone who comes to our facility.
While in treatment to learn how to get off opiates, it’s not only important to overcome the physical dependence, but it’s crucial to learn about how addiction works. You’ll also learn about the specific parts of your mental, emotional and spiritual state that’s led you to your abuse of opiates. Give us a call at 866.957.7885 to find out more.
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