Opioid use disorder is a health problem that affects many people in the United States nowadays. Tens of thousands of people pass away from opioid overdose every year, and much more are dealing with opioid addiction. Regrettably, instead of going to the hospital to get treatment for substance abuse brings a bad stigma, individuals try to eliminate the addiction on their own. This often results in failure and regression.
The issue of opioid use disorder in Athens, Georgia
Despite the fact that, nowadays, effective treatments for opioid misuse are becoming more accessible, a great deal of individuals still suffer from this issue. They frequently blame themselves and their absence of determination for the inability to combat drug addiction. In reality, this disorder is not a type of bad behavior or an indication of ethical failure. It is a chronic medical condition that involves substantial changes in particular parts of the brain, a physical dependence that is very difficult to fight without professional support. Just just recently, physician came close to understanding the mechanism of opioid addiction and developing much better opioid treatment programs.
The Athens, Georgia, opioid addiction treatment center offers a number of ways of dealing with substance use disorder. Keep checking out to learn more about the nature of opioid addiction and which types of treatment give the clients a higher chance of successful recovery.
Opioid addiction treatment rehab services
National institutes for healthcare established different techniques of helping patients with opioid dependence. A few of them involve taking addiction medicine to manage opioid cravings. In many cases, treatment retention is advised. It is important to honestly discuss your scenario with health care providers to pick the most effective treatment plan.
Substance abuse treatment include a number of types:
- Treatment retention. Some people wish to escape the environment that encourages opioid misuse. They can not fight drug abuse when they are surrounded by triggers and their family members or pals have easy access to opioids. The downside of this method is the necessity to take a break from work. The positive aspect of this program is meeting individuals with the same battle and getting their assistance.
- Outpatient opioid addiction treatment. Clients can continue to work and live as they did while getting health and human services. They go to healthcare facility for systematic reviews, counseling and medications. This is a less extreme modification of lifestyle compared to residing in the treatment facilities. Such clients do not risk losing their tasks however require to be responsible about remaining on track.
- Behavioral therapy. This type of treatment involves informing clients on how to make positive modifications in their habits connected with opioid use disorders. They get access to the entire variety of mental health services such as cognitive behavioral therapy, individual counseling, contingency management, family therapy, support groups, etc.
- Medication assisted treatment (MAT): medicines plus counseling. Whether it is a residential program or an outpatient health care service, any treatment plan can include taking medications. This type of treatment of opioid misuse has proven to be really reliable. Sadly, it is often misinterpreted and treated with suspicion. Medications that are used to treat opioid addiction come from the group of opioids themselves, so there is a misconception that by taking them you merely change one addiction with another. This is not real for 2 reasons. First, the medications do not produce the euphoric effects unlike other opioid drugs. And 2nd, the stats show that using medical assisted treatment helps to considerably reduce the number of deaths from overdose
- The downside of this type of treatment is that it is not widely offered. Prior to the specialists can prescribe these medications, they require to go through particular training. And after they finish the course, they can just prescribe this treatment to a limited number of patients. Therefore, facilities that supply MAT often have a long waiting list. The benefit of this kind of therapy is that thanks to the medications, the patients do not experience serious withdrawal symptoms. The yearnings are not so strong too, so the majority of people remain in treatment and are less most likely to regression.
Just an expert clinician informed on substance use disorder can pick the best treatment. The medical professional needs to understand and take into account all the aspects that led a person to drug abuse and mental health issue. Contact the opioid addiction treatment center in Athens, Georgia, to get certified help.
Mechanism of opioid addiction
Opioid drugs hack the reward system of an individual’s brain and make the person feel excellent if they take opioids. Generally, fulfilling such needs as consuming or recreation lead to the release of dopamine. This hormone is responsible for the feeling of enjoyment or complete satisfaction. It rewards individuals for doing things that are very important for the survival of humankind.
When opioids reach the brain, they connect themselves to specific receptors, which activates the reward system and produces the feeling of high. People wish to experience that feeling again. More significantly, their brain signifies them that taking opioids is the most vital thing for their survival. That is how the addiction settles in.
There are 2 results of this modification in the brain:
- The first one is the development of drug tolerance. People require more drugs to reach a state of ecstasy. Opioid use disorder regularly starts with prescription painkiller. Sometimes patients increase the dosage of prescription opioids to get high, and this causes opioid abuse. Some individuals even change to stronger drugs like heroin.
- The 2nd result is opioid dependence. Individuals continue substance abuse to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Due to malfunction of the reward system, without the drugs individuals feel uneasyness and have a terrible mood.
Other symptoms of opiate withdrawal include:
- Body aches;
- Absence of sleep;
- Nausea;
- Diarrhoea;
- Goosebumps, etc.
Understanding about the nature of substance use disorders can help doctors educate their clients on what withdrawal symptoms to anticipate and how to handle the yearnings. Depending upon the patient, physicians select the most effective treatments that might include medicine prescription and behavioral therapies. It might not be possible to completely get rid of the opioid addiction, but mental health services can significantly reduce the opioid misuse and the number of heroin overdose deaths.
Opioid addiction must be treated the way one would treat a persistent disease. Individuals struggling with drug addiction are motivated to sign up with the Athens, Georgia, rehab programs and improve their health and overall quality of life. Once you give up the drugs, return for maintenance treatment.
Who can get treatment for opioid abuse in Athens, GA?
People frequently feel ashamed to go to the health center for opioid abuse treatment. There are 2 primary reasons for this: they are either scared to have a bad image in the neighborhood or have actually already quit on themselves. But these concerns need to not prevent patients from battling substance use disorders. Anyone is totally free to reach rehab centers and see what assistance they can get.
Two primary categories of opioid use disorders are treated with Athens, Georgia, rehab programs:
- Prescription drug abuse. Opioids are generally prescribed in the form of pain relievers for persistent or severe pain. It is possible to develop addiction to these medications. As a result, some clients start to misuse opioids and take bigger doses of them. National institutes such as the Center for disease control produced recommendations on how to help these clients slowly reduce the drug use.
- Heroin addiction. This condition routinely comes from the previous one. But some individuals turn to this drug for leisure purposes. Fighting heroin addiction is very hard, and clients must utilize all the treatment resources they can access. Even then, it frequently takes several efforts to beat the disorder.
The most effective treatments normally consist of both mental health services and medications.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Is opioid addiction a mental illness?
Opioid use disorder is a persistent brain condition. At first, individuals may rely on drugs because of individual problems. That is why substance abuse and mental health are often dealt with all at once. The majority of patients gain from therapy, behavioral therapies and support groups. However it is essential to bear in mind that opioids make substantial modifications to the brain, making it extremely hard to combat the addiction without medications.
What medications are utilized to treat opioid use disorder in Athens, Georgia?
National institutes approved three medications for treatment of opioid drug abuse: methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. They have different names and results on the brain. The first 2 medications change the opiates and smooth the withdrawal symptoms without making the patients high. Naltrexone blocks the mu-opioid receptor, working as an opioid antagonist.
How do I get medication-assisted treatment in Athens, Georgia?
Just a licensed clinician can recommend you medications for opioid use disorder. Go to the office of a health care provider that finished the necessary training and look for a program of medication-assisted treatment.
