Opioid dependence has become a huge issue in America and is currently being called an epidemic. People are shooting up left and right, going to hospitals with false aches and pains, hurting themselves so they can get pain pills and robbing other people to get money to purchase their drugs. This problem can be fixed, but it is going to take the addicts to fix it, which can be an issue if they are not looking to quit.
You have to want to
The most important thing that a person should know before any kind of detox program, rehab or quitting is even discussed, is that the addict has to want to quit doing whatever drug they are doing, and with opiates this can be a huge problem.
Opiates are a pain reliever and they numb literally everything, including the brain. They also produce a euphoric and drowsy feeling. There is no reason that an addict would want to quit using opioids without being given one. This is where friends and family come in.
Friends and family have to start taking away things that the addict cannot live without. It needs to be a choice, either your drugs or this item you love. It will be something different for each addict.
For some of them their kids will work, threaten to remove their kids from their lives and they start to straighten right up, but for some this will not work at all.
You can take away lovers, family members, privileges, just keep removing things from their lives until they realize the drugs will make them loose everything. If you think this is a harsh method of making them want to quit then there are other ways.
Stop making excuses and intervene
Having an intervention is one way that you can get to the addict and make them want to quit. For some people this does not work because they do not care about anyone but themselves, however, normally there is at least one person in someones family that they are extremely attached to. Most of the time all it takes is for that one person to tell the addict how disappointed they are and they want them to straighten up.
How do we make them stop
Once you get past getting the addict one board with quitting then comes the hard part. There are several options that can be chosen when it comes to quitting and staying away from opiates, but there are 5 that people swear by; cold turkey at home, rehabilitation outpatient, rehabilitation inpatient, pain clinics (methadone clinics), and detoxification. None of these methods are easy, and without wanting to get off of the drugs can be extremely difficult to maintain, but the end result can be worth it.
Cold turkey with no medical help but advice
Cold turkey at home is definitely not the way that most people go when getting off of opiates. Opiates can be a very hard drug to stop using for anyone and the withdrawal from it is insane, however, it can be done. It’s smart to ween off slowly and taper down you opiates strategically to minimize withdrawal symptoms and reduce the chances of having seizures.
The first thing a person should do is get comfort medications items like ibuprofen, aspirin, cold medications, water, crackers, Pepto Bismol, stool softener, Excedrin and allergy medications. It can also be beneficial to take Kratom during or after this time period. If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of taking kratom to help manage withdrawal from opiates, you could check out the helpful resources over at Kratom.org.
You should also get very prepared to be very sick and sweat a lot. Make sure you start off with clean sheets and blankets and have as many backups as possible.
It is very important to remember this should not be done alone. You need the help of another person who will be willing to sit through your begging, feed you, help you stay clean, plus take your temperature and pulse every so often.
You should also talk to a doctor and tell them that this is how you want to get clean. They may be able to recommend a few remedies for the symptoms of withdrawal.
It is extremely important to know what your normal pulse and temp are before starting, that way if there is too much of a jump it will be easy to tell an ambulance what is going on.
You are going to get very sick and feel like you are dying. You are going to be violent, beg, whine cry and moan. This is why you need a strong support person. Look up ways before hand to push the drug out of your system quickly.
You are not going to want to eat or drink because you are going to be puking and have diarrhea, but eating and drinking things that will help to flush your system is highly recommended.
You’re also not going to want to exercise or get physical but you will go through everything faster if you get up, move and sweat. This is possibly one of the worst ways to quit, and not exactly the safest, but it is the most memorable.
Inpatient and outpatient rehab
There are two different types of rehabilitation you can do, based on how hooked you are and how much willpower you think you have. Inpatient rehabilitation is one of the most common types.
That is where you check yourself into a rehabilitation center, normally for thirty days or more, and you spend time with doctors, nurses and counselors to get clean.
Once you feel like you are clean and can stay that way you can sin yourself out, unless you are there on court order. There is also outpatient rehabilitation. With this form of rehab you need to be able to trust yourself and your support system around you. This form of rehabilitation is not easy.
Outpatient rehab is almost like inpatient, though it really makes you have to rely on yourself. After you go through the detoxification process you are assigned to a counselor who oversees your every move.
Normally you have therapy once a week and have to attend NA meetings. Sometimes outpatient rehab falls hand in hand with pain/methadone clinics.
Pain and methadone clinics
Pain clinics, or methadone clinics, prescribe you medications like methadone, Suboxone and Subutex in order to help get you off of the opiates. Some of these are opiate blockers that will make you violently ill if you use it with opiates.
Normally this medication is given to you at the clinic. You start off going to the clinic every single day. Once you can prove you are responsible enough to do this you start getting take homes and only have to go three days a week, then it goes to two days a week. Eventually you will only have to get your medication one day a week, if you can be trusted.
This program starts you off with a certain dosage, goes up to the highest dosage and then weans you off slowly. In addition to gettin a medication to help you, you also have to do counseling sessions and urine screenings. Unfortunately, sometimes people do not respond well to any of the programs and the best way to go is instant detoxification.
Instant detox
Instant detoxification is normally a method used by jails and psych wards, and is not really used for people looking to stay off of opioids because it removes the substance from your system, but does not curb the craving.
A detoxification drug is even to the addict and they are sick for less than 24 hours while all the harmful drugs are forced out of their system.
It is painful and it makes you violently ill, but the day after you have been detoxed you will feel better than you have ever felt in your life. Places like jails and psych wards give people this because they cannot spend the time to help people through the lengthy withdrawal process naturally.
Just stop
There are not too many other options out there that will help to get you off of and keep you off of opioids. You have to start with a certain amount of willpower and keep going with it. You cannot falter in your quest for treatment.
There are people who love you and care about you, and you are questioning how you will be able to quit hurting them so much, that is what probably led you here in the first place.
Do yourself a favor, do everyone who loves you a favor and just stop taking opioids. Get motivated, tell yourself you’re stronger than the opioid drug and just stop.
