Opioid use disorder is an illness that impacts many individuals in the United States nowadays. Tens of thousands of people die from opioid overdose every year, and much more are dealing with opioid addiction. Sadly, instead of going to the healthcare facility to get treatment for substance abuse brings a bad preconception, individuals attempt to eliminate the addiction on their own. This often causes failure and regression.
The issue of opioid use disorder in Washington, District of Columbia
Even though, nowadays, effective treatments for opioid misuse are becoming more accessible, a great deal of people still suffer from this problem. They frequently blame themselves and their lack of willpower for the inability to eliminate drug addiction. In reality, this disorder is not a form of bad habits or a sign of moral failure. It is a chronic medical condition that involves considerable modifications in specific parts of the brain, a physical dependence that is really difficult to combat without professional help. Just just recently, medical professionals came close to comprehending the system of opioid addiction and developing much better opioid treatment programs.
The Washington, District of Columbia, opioid addiction treatment center offers numerous ways of treating substance use disorder. Keep reading to discover the nature of opioid addiction and which types of treatment provide the clients a higher opportunity of successful recovery.
Opioid addiction treatment rehabilitation services
National institutes for healthcare established various approaches of helping patients with opioid dependence. Some of them include taking addiction medicine to deal with opioid cravings. In many cases, treatment retention is advised. It is necessary to openly discuss your circumstance with health care providers to select the most effective treatment plan.
Substance abuse treatment include numerous types:
- Treatment retention. Some individuals wish to avoid the environment that encourages opioid misuse. They can not combat drug abuse when they are surrounded by triggers and their family members or friends have easy access to opioids. The disadvantage of this method is the necessity to take a break from work. The positive element of this program is satisfying individuals with the same battle and getting their support.
- Outpatient opioid addiction treatment. Clients can continue to work and live as they did while receiving health and human services. They go to health center for systematic reviews, counseling and medications. This is a less drastic modification of lifestyle compared to residing in the treatment facilities. Such patients do not run the risk of losing their jobs but require to be accountable about remaining on track.
- Behavioral therapy. This kind of treatment includes informing clients on how to make favorable changes in their behavior connected with opioid use disorders. They get access to the entire range of mental health services such as cognitive behavioral therapy, specific therapy, contingency management, family therapy, support groups, etc.
- Medication assisted treatment (MAT): medicines plus therapy. Whether it is a domestic program or an outpatient health care service, any treatment plan can include taking medications. This type of treatment of opioid misuse has actually shown to be extremely effective. Regretfully, it is often misunderstood and treated with suspicion. Medications that are utilized 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 two factors. Initially, the medications do not produce the euphoric effects unlike other opioid drugs. And second, the data reveal that using medical assisted treatment helps to significantly decrease the number of deaths from overdose
- The downside of this type of treatment is that it is not commonly offered. Before the professionals can prescribe these medications, they need to undergo particular training. And after they finish the course, they can only prescribe this treatment to a minimal variety of patients. Therefore, facilities that supply MAT typically have a long waiting list. The advantage of this type of therapy is that thanks to the medications, the patients do not experience serious withdrawal symptoms. The cravings are not so strong too, so most people stay in treatment and are less most likely to regression.
Just a professional clinician informed on substance use disorder can select the best treatment. The physician requires to know and consider all the aspects that led an individual to drug abuse and mental health issue. Contact the opioid addiction treatment center in Washington, District of Columbia, to get certified assistance.
Mechanism of opioid addiction
Opioid drugs hack the reward system of a person’s brain and make the person feel excellent if they take opioids. Typically, fulfilling such needs as consuming or reproduction results in the release of dopamine. This hormonal agent is responsible for the feeling of enjoyment or fulfillment. It rewards people for doing things that are necessary for the survival of humankind.
When opioids reach the brain, they attach themselves to specific receptors, which activates the reward system and produces the sensation of high. People wish to experience that sensation again. More notably, their brain indicates them that taking opioids is the most crucial thing for their survival. That is how the addiction settles in.
There are two results of this change in the brain:
- The first one is the advancement of drug tolerance. People need more drugs to reach a state of ecstasy. Opioid use disorder often begins with prescription painkiller. In some cases patients increase the dose of prescription opioids to get high, and this leads to opioid abuse. Some people even change to more powerful drugs like heroin.
- The 2nd outcome is opioid dependence. People continue substance abuse to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Due to malfunction of the reward system, without the drugs people feel restlessness and have an awful mood.
Other symptoms of opiate withdrawal include:
- Body aches;
- Lack of sleep;
- Queasiness;
- Diarrhoea;
- Goosebumps, etc.
Knowledge about the nature of substance use disorders can help doctors inform their patients on what withdrawal symptoms to anticipate and how to deal with the cravings. Depending on the patient, medical professionals select the most effective treatments that may consist of medicine prescription and behavioral therapies. It may not be possible to entirely eliminate the opioid addiction, but mental health services can significantly reduce the opioid misuse and the variety of heroin overdose deaths.
Opioid addiction needs to be dealt with the method one would deal with a chronic disease. People suffering from drug addiction are motivated to join the Washington, District of Columbia, rehab programs and improve their health and total lifestyle. When you give up the drugs, come back for maintenance treatment.
Who can get treatment for opioid abuse in Washington, DC?
People often feel embarrassed to go to the medical facility for opioid abuse treatment. There are two primary reasons for this: they are either afraid to have a bad image in the neighborhood or have currently given up on themselves. But these issues must not dissuade clients from combating substance use disorders. Anybody is free to reach rehabilitation centers and see what assistance they can get.
2 primary categories of opioid use disorders are treated with Washington, District of Columbia, rehab programs:
- Prescription drug abuse. Opioids are usually recommended in the form of pain relievers for persistent or severe pain. It is possible to establish addiction to these medications. As a result, some patients start to misuse opioids and take larger dosages of them. National institutes such as the Center for disease control developed suggestions on how to help these patients gradually taper off the drug use.
- Heroin addiction. This condition routinely originates from the previous one. However some individuals rely on this drug for leisure functions. Fighting heroin addiction is extremely hard, and clients ought to utilize all the treatment resources they can access. Even then, it frequently takes several attempts to beat the condition.
The most effective treatments usually 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, people may rely on drugs because of individual concerns. That is why substance abuse and mental health are often treated concurrently. Many clients benefit from counseling, behavioral therapies and support groups. However it is necessary to remember that opioids make considerable modifications to the brain, making it really hard to fight the addiction without medications.
What medications are used to treat opioid use disorder in Washington, District of Columbia?
National institutes authorized 3 medications for treatment of opioid drug abuse: methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. They have various names and effects on the brain. The first two medications replace the opiates and smoothen the withdrawal symptoms without making the clients high. Naltrexone blocks the mu-opioid receptor, working as an opioid antagonist.
How do I get medication-assisted treatment in Washington, District of Columbia?
Only a certified clinician can prescribe you medications for opioid use disorder. Check out the office of a healthcare company that finished the required training and request a program of medication-assisted treatment.
