Opiate Withdrawal Detox

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Addiction to opiates in America is at epidemic proportions, as the crisis has been fueled by legal opiate medication prescriptions in addiction to illicit opiates on the streets. It is the number one substance being abused in America. Legal opiate medications include Oxycodone, Oxycontin, Hydrocodone, Morphine, Oxymorphine, Tramadol, Codeine, Percocet, or Vicodin. Heroin is a natural opiate but it is only available on the streets. Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate, that is 50 times more potent than heroin. Heroin and fentanyl are pretty much street drugs.

Prescription opioid pain medications are legally prescribed by doctors to treat acute pain, especially post-surgical pain or cancer-related pain. The problem is that these highly addictive medications can be prescribed by any physician and even nurse practitioners also known as APNs. Indeed, over 60% of opioid pain prescriptions are written by primary care physicians and APNs, who usually do not have the expertise to treat the underlying condition. These medications are very powerful and addictive and are meant to be used for a short period of time to relieve acute pain. However, reality is different! They are used for longer-periods than necessary and in higher quantities than prescribed, which leads to dependence on these medications. The medical term for opiate addiction is Opiate Use Disorder.

Opiates are known as the lion of drugs because of their addictive potential and individuals who abuse opiates repeatedly for even a few days can become addicted.  Once opiate dependence sets in, trying to stop opiate use is very difficult because opiate withdrawal symptoms are severe and highly discomforting. Heroin and all opiate pain pills are derived from opium but fentanyl is a synthetic version of heroin and can be manipulated to made as powerful as desired.

Once an individual becomes opiate dependent, he/she experiences severe opiate withdrawal symptoms when they attempt to stop using the substance. However, unlike alcohol withdrawal or benzodiazepine withdrawal they usually do not face the risk of seizure or stroke.

Severe opiate withdrawal symptoms lead them right back to using as they seek relief from these symptoms. Oftentimes, these individuals manage to stop use for a few days, but this leads to worsening withdrawal symptoms. If they cannot bear the withdrawal symptoms any longer, they go right back to using opiates in order to obtain quick relief. The only fly in the ointment is that a few days of abstinence lowers their tolerance for the drug and the risk of overdose jumps even if they use the amount of opiates they abused previously.

With the above as a background, it is easy to see why a detox program would benefit individuals trying to quit opiate use. Medications such as buprenorphine, Suboxone, Subiutex, Zubsolv, and others fully address opiate withdrawal symptoms and make it far easier to quit opiate use.

 

Outpatient Opiate Detox in New Jersey

Withdrawal symptoms from Opiates can be severe, but, by themselves, they are unlikely to be life threatening. However, the risk comes from lowered tolerance after opiate use is stopped even for a short period of time, as tolerance is lowered and risk of overdose increases if the individual trying to stay abstinent returns to opiate use.

Fortunately, FDA approved medications, such as buprenorphine, Suboxone, Subutex, Zubsolv, etc. are very effective in addressing withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings. At, CNT we utilize Suboxone, Subutex, Zubsolv and other supporting medications to not only address opiate withdrawal and opiate cravings, but also address co-occurring psychiatric issues.

Outpatient Opiate Detox in New Jersey

More Men Abuse Opiates than Women

Around 4.3 million males aged 12 and older reported misusing opioids in the past year. More than 33 million males aged 12 and older reported using prescription pain relievers in the past year. Men may be more likely to think they don’t need treatment. They may also feel embarrassed about seeking help and they worry about losing income or employment

Women Abuse Opiates to Self-Medicate

Women are more likely to be prescribed opioids, opiate pain pills such as Oxycodone, Oxycontin, etc., for chronic pain conditions. Abuse quickly leads to dependence, as women progress from initial use to dependence more quickly than men. Teenage girls, in the 12-17 age range, are more likely to misuse prescription opioids and stimulants compared to boys of the same age.

Women are more likely to misuse prescription opiates to self-medicate for anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues. Women usually do not inject drugs, unless they face social pressure or influence from sexual partners.

Women face more health consequences than men from opioid abuse. They usually experience higher levels of craving for opioids compared to men and more severe medical, psychiatric, employment, and family-related problems. Women are also at greater risk of fatal overdose, with prescription opioid overdose deaths rising more rapidly among women (596% increase) compared to men (312% increase) from 1999 to 2016. Higher likelihood of experiencing panic attacks and anxiety disorders related to substance abuse.

Secret of Treating Women Addicted to Opiates

Women crave “connection,” which is the secret sauce and, often, the antidote to addiction. Hearing from and communicating with other women in the same situation accelerates the recovery process for women. Apart from connecting with treatment providers, and physical self-help groups such as AA, online groups such as Sober Sis, Luckiest Club and Sober Mom Squad offer ways to connect with women in recovery online. Seeing other women – teachers, mothers, doctors, writers – grappling with their dependence helps people realize that they are not alone.

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Frequently Asked Questions on Alcohol withdrawal

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When does alcohol withdrawal start?
It differs from one individual to the other. The more heavily you drink alcohol, the more likely you are to be in dire need for alcohol withdrawal.

When an individual has been consuming alcohol heavily for weeks, months, or years, he or she may experience physical and mental issues when they try to stop drinking alcohol. The combination of these uncomfortable effects is called alcohol withdrawal. Symptoms can range from mild to dangerous, depending on the length of use and amount of use.
An individual who has been consuming alcohol for a long period of time, but in limited quantities of irregularly, is unlikely to experience withdrawal symptoms if they stop drinking alcohol. If an individual has experienced alcohol withdrawal once in their lifetime, they are more likely to experience it again when they stop drinking alcohol.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as tremors can last anywhere between three days to several weeks.
The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal tend to start within 6 to 24 hours after the person’s last drink of alcohol.
It depends on how long it takes your body to flush every trace of alcohol. 

Alcohol is a “downer,” as it depresses an individual’s central nervous system. The functioning of the brain slows and it changes the way in which messages are sent back and forth from the brain.
Over time, the central nervous system of the person abusing alcohol adapts to having alcohol in the system all the time. The system works harder to keep the brain in a more awake state and the nerves communicating with one another.
When the individual abusing alcohol stops alcohol use abruptly, their brain stays in high gear and causes alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

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