Friday, April 28, 2017

Volunteering For Opiate Addiction Treatment Is The Only Solution For Addicts

By Paul Peterson


One of the scourges of modern society is the large number of people that are addicted to substances. Many people think that addicts are people that abuse drugs, alcohol and other substances that are illegal. A very large number of people are totally dependent upon prescription pain killers and many of them will be indignant if they are described as addicts. It is medicine, after all. Only after professional opiate addiction treatment will such addicts learn how to lead normal, healthy lives again.

International health organizations have warned that dependency upon prescription painkillers is on the rise across all boundaries. Pain killers are readily available and a huge black market for these substances have developed. One problem is that so many doctors simply issue a prescription when asked to do so by the patient. Many patients abuse prescription pain killers, thinking that they are simply medicine and they do not realize the danger they pose.

One of the problems with opiate abuse is that there are often no tell tale signs as is the case with many other addictive substances. Addicts often regularly complain of severe pain, thus justifying their ongoing need for prescription pain medication. They may even resort to seeing different doctors in order to hide their dependency and they will buy their pain killers at different places every time.

Therapists will normally not admit an addict to a rehabilitation program if they do not admit that they are addicted, that they realize the dangers of the dependency and that they are truly motivated to overcome the dependency problem. If these conditions are not met the chances of a successful rehabilitation are very small and scare resources would have been wasted.

When a patient is accepted in a treatment program the immediate priority is detoxification. This is a very traumatic experience for most patients. They have to accept side effects such as pain, insomnia and a constant craving for pain killers. Some patients develop psychological problems such as depression and anxiety during this withdrawal phase. In severe cases medication is prescribed.

As soon as the patient is completely detoxified the real rehabilitation program can begin. The patient will have to learn techniques to cope with life without needing help from addictive substances such as pain killers. Patients are taught how to prepare balanced meals, exercise properly and cope with stress. They are also encouraged to communicate their feelings when things are difficult.

When a patient completes a rehabilitation program he, as well as his loved ones, are warned that a dangerous period awaits. The patient will have to take up life again and all too often they quickly fall back into their old harmful habits. The only solution is to continue with therapy, to become part of support groups and to speak to loved ones when things seem dark and futile.

People who become dependent upon prescription pain killers place their lives on the line. Many agencies have called for much stricter control over the availability of pain killers, but it is a lucrative market and it will be very difficult to control. It is up to each individual to take control of his own live and to resolve not to abuse any substance.




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