If you are struggling with opiates, the first step in the road to recovery is to undergo a detoxification. The good news about opiates is that the detoxification process is not life-threatening. However, the withdrawal symptoms can be very uncomfortable and you may want to find a less unpleasant way to detox.

Starting The Detoxification Process

Detoxification can take as long as a week. The initial few days are usually the worst, with symptoms subsiding afterward. The common symptoms that you might experience as a result of a detox include depression, muscle pain, anxiety, tremors, irritability, diarrhea and hot and cold flashes. Overcoming these symptoms is sometimes not possible through sheer willpower alone.

Medications That Help With An Opium Detoxification

For opiate addiction, there are several medications that can be prescribed that make it easier to recover from an addiction. The two most common medications are buprenorphine and methadone. Given that methadone is highly valuable on the illicit drug market, if you would like to take methadone, you will need to visit a clinic that dispenses legal methadone. Even if you are not able to stop taking methadone, the effects of methadone have been found to be less serious than the effects of opium. Buprenorphine, on the other hand, does not require that you visit a clinic because there is no market for it.

Rapid Anasthesia

One strategy is rapid anesthesia. First, you are given a medication to help you relax. Then, you are placed under a light anesthesia. Afterward, you are administered medications as necessary and your reaction to the medications you receive is monitored closely.

Choosing The Right Treatment

Carefully discuss with your doctor the medication that you will be using to help you recover from your opium dependency. Some medications can cause withdrawal symptoms after you are no longer taking the medication, so you may choose to not use them because the side effects might trigger you to abuse opiates again. Because of the muscle pain often caused by your withdrawal, you should ask about the best painkillers you can take that will alleviate pain without causing you to become dependent.

Overcoming Your Addiction

Detoxification is not usually the only step in overcoming your addiction to opium because most addicts will return to their abuse of the substance after completing a detox program. Therefore, you will want to participate in a rehabilitation program, like those at St. Luke's Rehabilitation, that will also provide you with counseling and support.