Escaping the cycle of abuse, withdrawal and relapse can be especially difficult in the case of opiate drugs. Opiates are somewhat infamous for their potency and painful withdrawals, making them one of tougher addictive conditions to beat without professional help.

Prescription Opiate Abuse FAQ

The powerful addictive properties of prescription painkillers could be likened to heroin–these drugs are, after all, in the same gripping family of substances whose interplay with the brain’s opioid receptors produce an addiction quite unlike any other drugs.

What are prescription opiates?

Prescription opiates are drugs, whether man made to mimic the effects of naturally occurring opium or derived from the plant itself,which are prescribed for pain relief. For example, pills like Vicodin, oxycodone, OxyContin and hydrocodone which are also often referred to as “opioids” (synthetic opiates).

How many people abuse prescription painkillers?

According to reports from the US Centers for Disease Control, over 12 million people reported non-medical abuse of prescription painkillers in 2010.

Are prescription pills safer than street drugs?

No.

How does prescription opiate addiction develop?

Prescription opiate dependency develops gradually and through continued use. Physical tolerance contributes to the body’s need for increasingly larger doses. Eventual withdrawal symptoms can manifest, making it more and more difficult to stay away from the pills.

Painkiller Withdrawal Symptoms

Prescription drugs are intended for specific short-term use under the close supervision of the prescribing doctor. Many painkillers and medications can have serious reactions when mixed with alcohol or other drugs.

After long-term use or misuse of a prescription painkiller, withdrawal symptoms can present themselves

Diarrhea/nausea/vomitingwhen an individual has gone too long without taking any drugs. Some of these withdrawal symptoms can include:

• Chills
• Drug cravings
• Body aches (muscle/bone pain)
• Stomach pain
• Fatigue
• Severe mood swings
• Depression/anxiety

 

Brandi’s Opiate Recovery Journey

Brandi used prescription opiates for many years. She was exposed at a young age by a cousin who had a painkillers for chronic pain management.

She quickly develo

“I finally got in trouble with the police for selling drugs out of my apartment,” recalls Brandi. Her arrest served as a blinding wake up call. “I knew it was now or never,” she says. “I called my mom and told her I needed her to help me get into rehab.”ped an addiction to the pills, and as she got older Brandi started buying these pills in bulk–finding that she never could get enough. Brandi struggled to hold a job while her family eventually cut her off completely. She eventually began selling other drugs to support her own habit.

After a week-long search, Brandi and her family found the Narconon Program. “It really stuck out to me,” says Brandi’s mother. “The counselors really seemed like they cared and the program itself sounded absolutely phenomenal.”

The next day, Brandi and her mother arrived at Narconon to get Brandi checked in. “When we arrived at Narconon I thought it was absolutely beautiful. We walked in, and everyone was smiling and happy. I knew this was the place for my daughter,” says Brandi’s mother.

“I finished the program, and now I’ve been clean and sober for about two years. It feels amazing to be drug free and not have the constant worry of getting caught or thinking about where my next high is going to come from.”

A life without drugs is possible. For more information, call Narconon Arrowhead today at 800-468-6933.

 

Source: http://www.cdc.gov/homeandrecreationalsafety/rxbrief/

Source: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/breaking-an-addiction-to-painkillers-treatment-overvew