Recent statistic for opiates in Tampa are staggering. 6.4% of adults filled an opioid prescription last year and rates of synthetic opioids jumped another 4.1% in just the last year. No wonder why 130 Americans are dying from this epidemic (accounting for two-thirds of all overdose deaths).
Opioids play (or attack on) the human brain’s reward systems. When someone take an opiate they are taking something that binds to receptors in the brain, spinal cord, and other areas that release large amounts of dopamine. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays on our pleasure/reward system. This is what creates those intense feeling of euphoria (or pain relief when taken medically). Over time the brain relies more on the dopamine generated from the opiate and starts reducing it’s natural production of dopamine. This causes intense physical addiction. As the cycle continues the body build a tolerance and requires more opioids to reach the same high. This deadly combination of physical dependence and relief from pain or stress creates a cycle of addiction that can be almost impossible to break.
Opiate withdrawal symptoms are physically demanding and dangerous. Symptoms can be mild but are generally pretty severe. These symptoms include muscle aches, bone pains, anxiety, insomnia, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dilated pupils, an increase in heart rate, cardiovascular issues, and blood pressure issues. The cravings can become so strong, and withdrawal symptoms so bad, it becomes extremely hard to start the detox process.
Many loved ones find out that someone is on pills by finding the pills themselves. Opioids can typically be identified by the pill. If you are to find an opioid pill you can tell the strength by the pill itself. We will use OxyContin as an example. This is a widely known opioid pain medication that was originally marked as OC. These pills are commonly in dosages 10 mg, 20 mg, and 40 mg. The OC identifies the drug and the number (10-40) represents the amount.
These pills were designed to release oxycodone over time but could be easily manipulated by addicts. When opiate addiction would form users would commonly crush, snort, and inject these pills for a more intense and immediate high. This contributed to misuse, addiction, and overdoses. Due to the widespread issue and the Opioid Epidemic Purdue Pharma introduced a reformulated version. This formulated version was marked with “OP”. The OP formulation is available in the same dosages (10 mg, 20 mg, 40 mg). This is the same drug, but it is designed to be harder to crush or dissolve. If you find a pill with OC 20 it is the crushable/snortable pill in 20 mg. If you see an OP 10 it is 10mg of the newly formulated pill, and so on.
Quitting opiates "cold turkey" is not advised. Suddenly stopping an opiate can put your body in shock and can cause dangerous complications. When someone stops using opiates using them regularly the body can react strongly. This can lead to dangerous symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches, high blood pressure, and seizures.
On top of these physical challenges you will fight intense cravings. Between intense physical withdrawals and crippling mental craving addicts often relapse when trying to quit at home. With opiates this happens repeatedly making an individual discourage. A relapse after a period sobriety can be more dangerous than before, because the body’s tolerance drops. This increases the risk of overdose if the person returns to their previous level. For these reasons professional help is recommend when detoxing from opiates. Quitting at home, especially cold turkey, is risky and should be approached with extreme caution or avoided altogether.
Quitting opiates without going to rehab is possible, but it often comes with significant challenges. These challenges are extremely difficult to handle and come with a low long-term recovery success rate compared to individuals who attend opiate detox and rehab. Since detox comes with a physical danger some people choose to detox under medical supervision but skip the rehabilitation phase. This may leave you physically safe from the withdrawals but leaves you far from a successful recovery. Keep in mind opiate detox focuses on addressing the withdrawal symptoms, but it only removes the substance from the body – not the mind. It doesn't address the underlying issues that contribute to opiate addiction.
Without ongoing support an addict will struggle with unexpected and intense cravings, triggers, and the mental health challenges. This can make it difficult to maintain sobriety in the long term. Those who skip rehab miss the necessary components of a successful recovery such as support systems, DRUG COUNSELING, peer support groups, and therapy.
Florida Treatment Center provides everything you would need to quit opiates for good. We help verify your insurance, provide local resources, and create you a tailored recovery plan that gives you the highest chance of long term recovery. This personalized opiate rehabilitation program addresses the physical and psychological aspects of opiate addiction through time tested modalities.
Florida Treatment center offers evidence-based therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and drug counseling. We help patients develop healthier coping strategies and use talk therapy to find and confront the root causes of their opiate addiction.
Florida Treatment Center also helps with relapse prevention and future planning. Our goal is to ensure that our patients have the tools and support to maintain sobriety long after they leave our facility. Florida Treatment Center helps individuals break free from opiates and achieve lasting recovery.
The golden rule in helping an opiate addict is to take the non-judgmental approach. Opiate addiction is a complex disease that targets both the mind and body. Your loved one is not alone and neither are you. Help is available and expressing your concern is the first step in getting your loved one to accept that help. Our opiate addiction specialist help you help them by connecting the individual with resources, drug counseling, addiction counselor, and treatment programs that can make a difference. Providing ongoing encouragement, attending support group meetings with them, or helping them stick to an aftercare plan can be key to maintaining long-term sobriety. These are components we can help you with by simply contacting one of our opiate addiction specialists .
Whether recovery is at Florida Treatment Center or somewhere else, seeking help for opiate addiction will always be the most important step toward recovery. Our addiction specialists, support groups, hotlines, and online resources are here for you 24/7 to take this first step.
As we stated before, the 1st step is determining if detoxing will be needed. Detoxing off opiates involves the process of safely withdrawing from the opiates. This phase of recovery is typically uncomfortable and potentially dangerous. Medically assisted detox can help ensure a safer, more manageable experience. We can help get you started on the crucial first step toward recovery. It is important to keep in mind this is only the beginning of breaking free from opiates
By contacting one of our opiate addiction specialists you are starting to create a plan for sobriety. First, we must considered that level of care that best fits your individuals needs. It is important to note the severity of the addiction, the support systems in place, and the personal commitment a patient may have. After getting to know an individual’s situation we can asses a time frame, level of care, and aftercare support to set up a long term recovery.
The Florida Treatment Centers Opiate Helpline is for anyone struggling with opiate addiction. We offer confidential, compassionate support 24/7 whether you are seeking information on treatment, opiate programs, or simply need someone to talk to. The opiate helpline is staffed by trained professionals who understand the challenges of opiate addiction. We journey with you through the first steps of recovery, answer any questions, and connect you with the best resources Tampa has to offer.
Psychologists and psychiatrists both work in the mental health field, but they differ in their approaches. Psychologists primarily use talk therapy and counseling to address emotional and behavioral issues, while psychiatrists are medical doctors who can prescribe medication in addition to therapy.
Psychologists employ a variety of research methods, clinical techniques.
Are you or a loved one struggling with heroin addiction? Our rehab center is designed to help you reclaim control over heroin. Start your journey to recovery with Florida Treatment Centers.
Are you or a loved one struggling with cocaine addiction? Our rehab programs are designed to help you reclaim control over cocaine. Start your journey to recovery with Florida Treatment Centers.