Recovery from Opiates in
a
Safe Environment
- Written By: Ava
- January 31, 2024
- Medically-Reviewed: Audrey Grimm, PMHNP-BC
Table of Contents
Audrey Grimm, PMHNP-BC
Sequoia Recovery Centers
Audrey Grimm is one of Sequoia’s original founders and Chief Executive Officer. Audrey has spent her career working in behavioral health. She has over 10 years of nursing experience, half of that working in inpatient psychiatric and detox facilities. She graduated as a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner in 2023.
Opiate addiction treatment
Getting Help for Opiate Addiction
Opiate drugs are some of the most addictive substances available. Medical and mental health providers write millions of prescriptions each year for prescription opiates. Often, users of these drugs, will develop a dependency on the effects of the drug after only a few doses.
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What Exactly Is OpiateAddiction & How Can Sequoia Help?
Opiates are synthetically manufactured drugs made to replicate the effects of opioids such as heroin or morphine. These drugs produce a short-lived euphoria, which has been proven addictive. According to the National Institute of Drugs, it is estimated that between 26.4 million and 36 million people abuse opioids worldwide. Familiar names of opiate medications are hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, codeine, and methadone.
The opiate epidemic in the United States has been the leading cause of accidental deaths, surpassing vehicular collisions. Drug users who start with prescription pill abuse can easily lead to full-blown heroin addiction. The harder opiates are to find, the more attractive heroin becomes. Heroin produces the same high as opiates and is substantially cheaper on the street.
Even when prescribed, this category of drugs can take such a physical and mental toll on their users that traditional “cold turkey” methods of detox are often ineffective. Thus, other detox methods are paramount and vastly superior. At Sequoia Recovery Centers, we believe in a proper medical detox and therapy because it is safer, far more comfortable, and the best way to start a successful recovery.
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We Work With Most Major Insurance
We Work With Most Major PPO & HMO Insurance Providers.We Cannot Accept Medicaid Or Medicare.
We Are An In-Network Provider For Kaiser And Lifewise Insurance Carriers.
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What are Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms?
Anyone who uses opiates, whether prescription or otherwise, is at an increased risk for addiction and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop taking the drug. Sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish the signs and symptoms of addiction from desired effects of the drug, at least early on. However, it is crucial to understand the potential indicators of addiction to ensure you or a loved one have early access to treatment at an opiate detox center.
The journey to healing from opiate addiction looks different from person to person. Because addiction impacts everyone in unique ways, the path to sobriety also looks different. Although everyone in an opioid detox program will experience individual symptoms, several are common in most instances.
Some opiate withdrawal symptoms include:
- Muscle Aches
- Yawning uncontrollably
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Goosebumps on the skin
- Nausea & Vomiting
- Dilated pupils and possibly blurry vision
- Rapid Heartbeat
- High blood pressure
- Restlessness
- Anxiety
- Lacrimation (eyes tearing up)
- Runny Nose
- Excessive sweating
- Inability to sleep
Detox Timeline
What is the Timeline for Opiate Detox?
The duration of opiate withdrawals depends significantly on the severity of the dependence. Scientifically we can pinpoint different symptoms of the withdrawal process, but it is hard to verify a specific opiate withdrawal timeline due to the varying factors in usage severity, length, age, and other determining factors.
Acute withdrawal symptoms are the symptoms you feel after you stop taking a drug. Acute withdrawal symptoms tend to be the opposite feelings or emotions of those produced by the drug. Acute withdrawal symptoms typically last between three and seven days; however, in some cases, they can persist up to a month. Symptoms that last beyond this period are referred to as protracted withdrawal symptoms or sometimes post-acute withdrawal.
- During the first 24 hours of opiate withdrawal, most people experience mild to moderate detox symptoms. These generally include appetite changes, headaches, body aches and pains, agitation, difficulty sleeping, and cravings. In some cases, urges to use again can be very intense and often worsen as withdrawal continues.
- Other symptoms occur during the second day of withdrawal (between 24 and 48 hours). In addition to the day one symptoms, many people experience a runny nose, worsening stomach issues, insomnia, sweating, and panic.
- Days three and four generally mark peak intensity of symptoms for short-acting and long-acting opiates. In addition to symptoms from the first 48 hours of detox, new detox symptoms that may occur include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, fatigue, shivering, and enlarged pupils.
- In most cases, opiate withdrawal symptoms resolve after one to two weeks.
Without any medical intervention, withdrawal from opiates can last anywhere from a couple of days to weeks or more as the body cleanses itself of the drugs and goes through various intense withdrawal symptoms.
For anyone trying to detox from opiates, it is essential to seek the help of a professional medical detox program in Washington.
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Wondering if you or your loved
one
needs addiction treatment?
We understand how challenging it can be to know if and when you or your loved one needs help with addiction. By taking this quiz, you can get a quick assessment of some signs that may indicate whether or not you need to reach out for help.
WHAT TO EXPECT
What to Expect from Our
Opiate Treatment in Washington
Our opiate center’s team of highly skilled medical and mental health providers will work with you to develop an opiate treatment plan that addresses your individual needs and goals. Addiction is a disease that affects each person in different ways. Similarly, everyone will experience various symptoms and challenges as they detox and work towards sobriety. The best opiate treatment centers offer detox and therapeutic programs that address the holistic challenges of overcoming addiction.
If you receive treatment for opiates using FDA-approved medication for MAT detox, your next step is to transition into your treatment plan, which involves several forms of therapy and counseling services at our facility.
Our licensed facility incorporates ongoing support to tackle three key levels of your recovery:
Detox is the first level which helps you deal with your physical dependence on substances.
After that you transition into therapy and counseling sessions as well as holistic care that gives you an opportunity for reflection. reflection might happen in individual therapy sessions where you reflect on things that have contributed to addiction or exacerbated your addiction such as:
- External circumstances
- Relationships
- Lifestyle habits
- Other personal factors
Understanding bad habits or harmful relationships in your past can help you better understand where you want to make improvements, what healthy habits you want to adopt, and what your personal triggers might be when you leave the treatment center.
The final phase is where you focus on your growth, learning new coping skills and healthier lifestyle habits that can contribute to improved success. Much of the growth that happens during this stage takes place during group therapy sessions and other holistic therapy sessions, offering an opportunity to share stories of success, failure, growth, struggles, personal histories, and more.
Treatment Length
How Long is Treatment
for Opiates?
It’s recommended that clients participate in at least 90 days of treatment but that target can be completed through several levels of care.
Many clients start with 1 month of residential care before they complete the remainder of their structured treatment with an outpatient program.
The specific schedule you receive will vary from one program to the next based on your needs.
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Let Our Opiate Detox Center in Washington Help You Recover
An opiate addiction treatment plan comes with intense therapy sessions, including individual and group settings, education on the disease of addiction, family support groups, relapse prevention, aftercare programs, and so much more.
At Sequoia Recovery Centers, we aim to support our clients during their recovery journey and always encourage their continuous growth. We feel that the more supported our clients feel, the more courage they will have to continue in their battle against addiction. If you are ready to begin healing from opiate addiction, contact us to learn more about our Spokane, Washington detox center.
