What Are Opioids?
Being prescribed an opioid is something that is fairly common in today’s day and age for a variety of reasons. For example, if you’re suffering from chronic pain as a result of a health issue or due to a recent injury or surgery, your health care provider wants to provide you with medication that will help you to manage the pain that you’re experiencing. However, one of the risks of taking opioids is that there is the possibility that it could result in developing a substance abuse issue. Therefore, it’s imperative that you talk to your doctor about the risks of taking this medication and understand the warning signs of possible substance abuse.
Commonly Prescribed Opioids
There are several different types of opioids that a doctor may prescribe you. Some of the common examples include:
- Oxycodone
- Morphine
- Fentanyl
- Codeine
- Hydromorphone
- Hydrocodone
What To Ask Your Doctor Before Taking Opioids
It’s understandable that you may have several questions associated with taking prescription opioids which is why it’s imperative that you talk to your doctor when you’re prescribed an opioid. Here are just a few questions that you should ask your health care provider if you’re being prescribed opioid pain medication:
- What are the potential side effects of taking pain opioids?
It’s important to understand that there are several potential side effects associated with taking this medication to relieve pain. Opioid addiction is something that can take hold quite quickly, especially depending on the type of opioid you’ve been prescribed. It’s critical that you’re open and honest regarding how you’re feeling when you’re taking these pain medicines so that your doctor can adjust your dosage if you begin to exhibit any indication that you may be becoming addicted to opioid pain medication.
- Are there any dangers in combining opioid medication with another substance such as alcohol?
Although a medical professional will tell you that there are always dangers associated with taking these types of pain medicines, one of the most dangerous things you can do is to combine opioids with any other substance. Unfortunately, there are numerous people who fall into the trap of taking opioids and alcohol, or other types of substances that could
- Will taking pain opioids cause anxiety and trouble sleeping?
There is a strong possibility that prescription pain opioids can cause anxiety and sleep issues. Therefore, if you already experience sleep issues or issues with anxiety, it’s imperative that you talk to your doctor about those issues ahead of time so that opioid use does not exacerbate any other physical or mental health conditions.
- What should I do if I experience sleeping problems or seizure issues?
If you experience any type of sleep issues or even think that they may have experienced or may be experiencing a seizure, the first thing that they should do is call 9-1-1. Having a seizure is not something that should be taken lightly and cause a variety of other issues. Depending on the severity of your sleep issues, this will likely be something that can be addressed with your doctor.
Signs of Opioid Addiction
There are several signs that you or someone that you can be about could be starting to struggle with an addiction to opioids. Here are a few examples of telltale signs of opioid addiction:
- Physical signs of addiction
There are several physical signs that you may be struggling with addiction. For instance, you may begin to shake or experience extreme cravings for that substance. Once you’ve become chemically addicted to this substance, it becomes almost impossible for you to do anything else during your day unless you consume this substance. At a certain point, you will come to a place where you won’t be able to do even regular tasks because your life will continuously revolve around your substance of choice.
- Frequently changing doctors
Constantly changing doctors is a clear sign that you or a loved one may be struggling with opioid addiction. Although there is always the possibility that a person could obtain opioids illegally, most people opt to change doctors so that they can legally continue to maintain their opioid addiction.
- Issues with work or school
Over time, your addiction will take over every aspect of your life. Therefore, if you’re taking opioid medication and you notice that this is interfering with your work or school responsibilities, this is something that you should report to your doctor or reach out for help from a treatment facility.
Treatment for Opioid Addiction
Opioid addiction is something that should always be taken seriously. If you do develop an opioid addiction, one of the first things that you should do after you alert your doctor is to reach out to an addiction treatment facility that will help you to navigate the different dynamics of your addiction. One of the important decisions that you will need to make once you commit to treatment revolves around deciding the type of recovery program you commit to working through. This is something that you should speak at length to your loved ones about as well as the treatment team at the facility that you want to go to.
An important decision that you will need to make is whether you’re going to go through an inpatient or an outpatient treatment program. There are many clients who feel as though they need to remove themselves from the people, places, and things that may have contributed to their addiction. An inpatient addiction treatment program will provide you with a sober and supportive environment that you need to change your life and provide you with the care that you need to understand and overcome your addiction. If you opt to come to Muse Treatment Center, you will also have access to different luxurious amenities which will help you to relax and recover and the type of atmosphere that you need.
An outpatient treatment program, on the other hand, will provide you with more flexibility than you may need if you have work or school responsibilities. Outpatient treatment will help you to work through your addiction treatment without feeling as though you need to give up or forego these important responsibilities in your life. Your treatment team will work around your unique schedule and make any adjustments that may be needed along the way. Keep in mind that you can also take advantage of an outpatient treatment program after you complete your inpatient treatment program if you would like to continue on in your recovery journey.
Regardless of whether you decide to commit to an inpatient or an outpatient treatment program, you will need to participate in different forms of addiction therapy. Although it’s true that therapy is something that could feel uncomfortable or awkward, addiction therapy will help you to navigate the contributing factors associated with your recovery. Some of the examples of addiction therapy that you will experience during the time that you’re in treatment include:
- Individual therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Group therapy
- Family therapy
- Trauma-based therapy
The ins and outs of these different forms of therapy are something that your treatment team will review with you during the beginning of your recovery program and continue to check in with you throughout treatment to ensure that you’re on the right path.
Muse Los Angeles Opioid Rehab and Detox
If you’re suffering from an addiction to prescription opioids, you should not only tell your doctor but also reach out to an addiction treatment center that specializes in helping you to stop taking opioids. The effects of opioids on the life of a person can be life shattering which is why you should always reach out for help if you’re experiencing risks and side effects associated with misusing opioids. When you initially reach out to Muse Treatment Center, our addiction treatment team will take into account your history of addiction. This will help our team to understand if you’re at serious risk of developing withdrawal symptoms which is something that is fairly common when it comes to addiction. Unfortunately, opioid withdrawal is something that can severely impact your physical health and mental health which is why you should always turn to an addiction treatment team that will help you to work through the challenges associated with the effects of opioids.
On average opioid detox is something that will last approximately seven days with the worst of your time in detox taking place within the first three days of your time in detox. However, toward the end of your week in detox, you will begin to feel better both physically and psychologically which will put you in a better place to truly take advantage of your addiction treatment options.
Regardless of whether you have five questions or an abundance of questions associated with the risks of addiction and opioid use, the Muse Treatment Center team is here and ready to help you to work through the contributing factors of your opioid abuse. For more information, we encourage you to get in touch with us today at (800) 426-1818. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you to navigate this part of your life.
