Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Understanding Opiate Addiction Treatment And How To Avoid Becoming Addict

By Peter Cole


The problems of drug addiction are more than just that, it is a disease, and needs treatment just like any other disease. For centuries, our social fabrics have been threatened by a few of us who succumb to this deadly disease. In most cases, it is not our problem. However, when one of our loved ones become a victim is when we get the wake-up call. The more we know about the opiate addiction treatment plans, the better the chances that we can save those who become victims.

In the pharmacies and medical centers, opium and its extracts are considered a double-edged sword. While the pharmacists use to formulate medicines that are so crucial to pain management and other medical solutions, they know very well that using it in high doses comes with fatal consequences including death.

In hospitals, these opiates are used for pain suppression and anxiety management. However, they produce a euphoric state when used in high doses. It is for this reason that they are used as recreational drugs. However, when used in high doses frequently, it leads to a psychological and physical dependence which results in addiction.

In the state of dependence, the body adjusts to the use of opiates so much that a larger dose will be required to produce the same euphoric effects. The immediate danger occurs when the addict takes a large dose that the body cannot handle. It results in a fatal respiratory failure, which means death. Whether for a medical reason or for recreational purpose, the drug can be snorted, swallowed, smoked or injected. However, the intravenous injection is the most common method that the addicts use given that it produces the quickest results. However, it is the method that comes with the highest risk of contracting HIV and other infectious diseases.

The common ways in which the opium extracts are taken include swallowing, smoking, direct injection, and snorting. The direct intravenous injection is the most popular way, perhaps for the reason that it takes the shortest time for the effects to be felt in this way. The injection comes with the highest risk of spreading the infectious diseases like the HIV leaving the addicts most vulnerable as they share needles.

The addicts most commonly introduce the drug into the body by a direct intravenous injection which brings immediate effects. However, the sharing of needles (which is very common with addicts) substantially increases the risk of contracting HIV and other common infectious diseases. The drug can also be smoked, sniffed, or swallowed. Overdose comes with immediate and clear signs such as low blood pressure, pupil dilation, slow and a shallow painful labored breathing, muscle spasticity, dry mouth, constipation, and intestinal spasms. The addicted also experiences drowsiness and disorientation most of the time.

To them, the need to get the drug becomes their primary goal every other day, leaving everything else including their job as a secondary activity. This can lead to job loss living the dependent members of the family neglected with no means of survival. The addict also becomes prone to criminal activities including stealing to buy the drugs.

The initial phases of withdrawal and treatment process is characterized with hot and cold flashes, the goose bumps, anxiety, restlessness, tremor, muscle spasms, bone and muscle pain, fever, vomiting, insomnia, and diarrhea. The treatment programs usually integrate the medication (pharmacological) methods such as detoxification using methadone or buprenorphine and the behavioral therapies like the cognitive management approach and the cognitive-behavioral therapy all which target to monitor and restore the patient to their normal life without the addiction problems.




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