Getting Treatment for Opioid Withdrawal

Prescription opioids are some of the most widely abused drugs in the world. Opioid drug misuse is dangerous, leading to a massive number of overdoses. According to the DEA, in 2014 alone, over 16,000 people died from overdosing on prescription opioids. That number does not even include the deaths from heroin overdoses. The United States is now facing what is considered to be an opioid epidemic.

When taken recreationally, opioids provide a euphoric effect and relieve bodily pain. Opioids can be taken orally, injected intravenously, or snorted intranasally. They work by binding to opioid receptors in the brain and disrupt the nervous system’s ability to sense pain. The most dangerous aspect of opioids is how fast the body starts to build up a tolerance to them, leading to addiction and dependence.

After prolonged opioid use, people who take the drugs build up a high tolerance and their bodies become dependent. Addiction is so prevalent because the withdrawal symptoms that occur when people stop taking opioids are so severe. People who stop taking opioids start to feel painful and dangerous withdrawal symptoms within just a few hours and it may take over a week for them to fully subside, depending on the particular opioid drug and the individual.

Opioid withdrawal symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Muscle Cramps
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Sweating
• Drug Cravings

Opioid withdrawal is an extremely uncomfortable experience. Most people cannot make it through the entire withdrawal period without either relapsing or getting professional medical assistance. Even though there are medications that are designed to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms, some people try to treat their symptoms on their own using inappropriate and even dangerous methods and medications.

In an effort to self-treat opioid withdrawal symptoms, many people struggling with opioid addiction have turned to over-the-counter remedies. Loperamide, sold under the brand name Imodium, is a medication used to treat various forms of diarrhea. Because the drug binds to the same opioid receptors, it can provide similar effects to those of prescription opioids and heroin when taken in extremely large amounts. However, this is not a safe or effective way to treat opioid withdrawal symptoms since taking high doses of loperamide can actually lead to fatal cardiac and respiratory complications.

The most effective way to relieve opioid withdrawal symptoms is to use one of the approved opioid replacement treatments currently available. Certain opioid medications that are specifically made to treat withdrawal symptoms are given to the patient under the close supervision of medical professionals. Treatment centers that offer opioid replacement and other therapy and addiction management services have been effective in treating opioid addiction and dependence. Attempting to self-treat opioid withdrawal symptoms is not recommended and could be extremely dangerous to people suffering from opioid addiction.