Opioid use disorder is a health issue that impacts many people in the United States nowadays. Tens of thousands of people die from opioid overdose every year, and many more are having problem with opioid addiction. Unfortunately, instead of going to the healthcare facility to get treatment for substance abuse carries a bad preconception, people try to fight the addiction by themselves. This often leads to failure and relapse.
The issue of opioid use disorder in New Orleans, Louisiana
Even though, nowadays, effective treatments for opioid misuse are ending up being more accessible, a lot of people still struggle with this issue. They regularly blame themselves and their lack of willpower for the inability to fight drug addiction. In reality, this condition is not a form of bad habits or an indication of moral failure. It is a chronic medical condition that includes substantial changes in certain parts of the brain, a physical dependence that is very difficult to eliminate without expert help. Only recently, physician came close to understanding the mechanism of opioid addiction and developing better opioid treatment programs.
The New Orleans, Louisiana, opioid addiction treatment center provides numerous methods of treating substance use disorder. Keep reading to discover the nature of opioid addiction and which kinds of treatment provide the clients a higher chance of successful recovery.
Opioid addiction treatment rehab services
National institutes for health care established different techniques of helping patients with opioid dependence. Some of them include taking addiction medicine to handle opioid cravings. In many cases, treatment retention is suggested. It is necessary to honestly discuss your circumstance with health care providers to pick the most efficient treatment plan.
Substance abuse treatment consist of a number of types:
- Treatment retention. Some people wish to avoid the environment that motivates opioid misuse. They can not battle drug abuse when they are surrounded by triggers and their family members or pals have simple access to opioids. The downside of this approach is the need to take a break from work. The favorable 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 receiving health and human services. They go to medical facility for systematic reviews, counseling and medications. This is a less extreme change of lifestyle compared to living in the treatment facilities. Such clients do not run the risk of losing their tasks but require to be accountable about remaining on track.
- Behavioral therapy. This type of treatment includes educating patients on how to make favorable modifications in their habits gotten in touch with opioid use disorders. They get access to the entire variety of mental health services such as cognitive behavioral therapy, specific therapy, contingency management, family therapy, support groups, and so on.
- 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 kind of treatment of opioid misuse has shown to be really reliable. Unfortunately, it is frequently misunderstood and treated with suspicion. Medications that are used to treat opioid addiction belong to 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 factors. First, the medicines do not produce the euphoric effects unlike other opioid drugs. And second, the data reveal that applying medical assisted treatment helps to considerably decrease the number of deaths from overdose
- The downside of this kind of treatment is that it is not commonly readily available. Before the practitioners can prescribe these medications, they require to undergo specific training. And after they complete the course, they can just prescribe this treatment to a minimal variety of clients. For that reason, facilities that offer MAT often have a long waiting list. The benefit of this kind of therapy is that thanks to the medications, the clients do not experience severe withdrawal symptoms. The cravings are not so strong also, so many people stay in treatment and are less likely to regression.
Just an expert clinician educated on substance use disorder can select the best treatment. The physician needs to understand and consider all the factors that led an individual to drug abuse and mental health problems. Contact the opioid addiction treatment center in New Orleans, Louisiana, to get certified help.
Mechanism of opioid addiction
Opioid drugs hack the reward system of an individual’s brain and make the individual feel excellent if they take opioids. Typically, satisfying such needs as eating or recreation lead to the release of dopamine. This hormonal agent is accountable for the sensation of pleasure or fulfillment. It rewards individuals for doing things that are very important for the survival of humankind.
When opioids reach the brain, they attach themselves to particular receptors, which activates the reward system and develops the feeling of high. People want to experience that sensation once again. More significantly, their brain indicates them that taking opioids is the most essential thing for their survival. That is how the addiction settles in.
There are two outcomes of this change in the brain:
- The very first one is the development of drug tolerance. Individuals need more drugs to reach a state of ecstasy. Opioid use disorder regularly begins with prescription pain relievers. Often 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 second outcome is opioid dependence. Individuals continue substance abuse to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Due to breakdown of the reward system, without the drugs people feel uneasyness and have a horrible mood.
Other signs of opiate withdrawal include:
- Body aches;
- Absence of sleep;
- Nausea;
- Diarrhoea;
- Goosebumps, and so on.
Knowledge about the nature of substance use disorders can help doctors inform their patients on what withdrawal symptoms to anticipate and how to handle the cravings. Depending on the patient, doctors pick the most effective treatments that may consist of medicine prescription and behavioral therapies. It might not be possible to totally get rid of the opioid addiction, but mental health services can substantially reduce the opioid misuse and the variety of heroin overdose deaths.
Opioid addiction needs to be treated the method one would treat a persistent disease. People struggling with drug addiction are encouraged to join the New Orleans, Louisiana, rehab programs and improve their health and general quality of life. As soon as you quit the drugs, return for maintenance treatment.
Who can get treatment for opioid abuse in New Orleans, LA?
Individuals typically feel ashamed to go to the health center for opioid abuse treatment. There are two main reasons for this: they are either afraid to have a bad image in the neighborhood or have actually already quit on themselves. But these concerns ought to not dissuade patients from fighting substance use disorders. Anybody is complimentary to reach rehab centers and see what aid they can get.
2 main classifications of opioid use disorders are treated with New Orleans, Louisiana, rehab programs:
- Prescription drug abuse. Opioids are usually recommended in the form of painkillers for chronic 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 developed suggestions on how to assist these clients slowly taper off the drug use.
- Heroin addiction. This disorder routinely comes from the previous one. But some individuals rely on this drug for recreational functions. Combating heroin addiction is really hard, and patients ought to use all the treatment resources they can gain access to. Even then, it frequently takes numerous efforts to beat the disorder.
The most effective treatments generally consist of both mental health services and medications.
Frequently Asked Questions – FAQ
Is opioid addiction a mental illness?
Opioid use disorder is a chronic brain condition. At first, individuals might rely on drugs because of individual problems. That is why substance abuse and mental health are often dealt with simultaneously. A lot of clients take advantage of counseling, behavioral therapies and support groups. But it is very important to bear in mind that opioids make considerable changes to the brain, making it extremely hard to fight the addiction without medications.
What medications are used to treat opioid use disorder in New Orleans, Louisiana?
National institutes approved three medications for treatment of opioid drug abuse: methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. They have various names and effects on the brain. The very first 2 medications change the opiates and smooth the withdrawal symptoms without making the clients high. Naltrexone obstructs the mu-opioid receptor, working as an opioid antagonist.
How do I get medication-assisted treatment in New Orleans, Louisiana?
Just a licensed clinician can prescribe you medications for opioid use disorder. Go to the office of a health care supplier that completed the required training and make an application for a program of medication-assisted treatment.