Volunteering For Opiate Addiction Treatment Is The Only Solution For Addicts

By Paul Peterson


There are countless people that are addicted to some substance. They can be found in any society, regardless of wealth, culture, religion or race. Many of these addicts live their entire lives focusing on where and when they will be getting their next batch of substances from. This is not true for addicts of illegal drugs only. Numerous people are addicted to seemingly innocent substances such as prescription pain killers. The only solution for such addicts is professional opiate addiction treatment.

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.

The loved ones of substance abusers are often in the dark. They do not offer help or support because they do not know that a loved one is totally dependent upon a substance such as pain killers. There are some signs, however. Abusers often see different doctors and get their medication from various suppliers. The will also become irritable and even aggressive if they do not have enough pain killers at hand.

Even if there is no doubt whatsoever that a loved one is addicted to pain killers, no treatment program will help unless the addict himself admit that he has a serious problem and that he needs help in overcoming his addiction. Even then rehabilitation centres will only admit a patient once they are sure that the patient really wants to overcome his problem and that he is committed to the success of rehabilitation.

The first step in any treatment program is to detoxify the addict. This can be difficult because patients often suffer from withdrawal symptoms and some may even experience severe pain. Many patients feel helpless and they become depressed, display high levels of anxiety and even become suicidal. In some cases medication can be used to ease the side effects of withdrawal, but this is used very sparingly.

The next step in the program is to teach the patient how to live a healthy, balanced life. They are taught techniques to cope with stress, pain and anxiety. They learn how to use exercise and a proper diet to prevent a need for artificial gratification from developing. This process can take some time and may require numerous individual and group therapy sessions.

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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