Opiate detox near West Palm Beach can seem overwhelming for anyone. But with the right medications and a network of supportive family and friends, you can overcome opiate detox symptoms. Trying to quit heroin on your own is nearly impossible. If you or a loved one is addicted to heroin, contact a detox center so you can create a customized treatment plan that is right for your particular needs and goals. Read on to learn more about how heroin detox symptoms progress, including initial symptoms, intermediate symptoms, and final symptoms.

Initial Symptoms

Opiate detox is most uncomfortable during the first few days, when symptoms can range from moderately painful to excruciating. The first two days of heroin detox are the most difficult for most patients. Within 12 hours of taking heroin, many people feel muscle aches and pain. You may also suffer from panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia, and loss of appetite. Cold sweats and even seizures are also common.

Intermediate Symptoms

As with any drug addiction, detox is a process. During the intermediate stages of heroin detox, patients will still be affected by uncomfortable side effects. While suboxone will make the process as comfortable as possible, you can still expect to feel nauseous. Proper nutrition is incredibly important during this time. Many patients will lose their appetites altogether, but eating well will boost your immune system response as your body struggles to recover from withdrawal. You may continue to have trouble sleeping during this time.

Final Symptoms

Heroin detox is different for everyone. Still, the worst of your side effects will conclude after about a week. Nausea, anxiety, and depression will be mild or moderate after this time. Your body will begin to regain its strength, and your appetite will return. You may still suffer from mood swings. Many heroin addicts feel irritated at their loved ones for no apparent reason. Others will continue to feel sad or emotionally empty for some time.

There is a lot of stigma surrounding opiate addiction in West Palm Beach and the rest of the country. People of all ages, economic backgrounds, races, genders, ethnicities, and social classes can become addicted to opioids. Opiates are very commonly prescribed to people who are in severe or chronic pain, and they are incredibly addictive and difficult to stop taking .

Watch this video for some more insight into opiate addiction. The video demonstrates that opiate addiction is a chemical process that occurs in the brain, and that has nothing to do with a person’s background, character, or walk of life. Drug detox can be a great choice for people struggling with addictions.

Opiate addiction is one of the most common reasons that people enter substance abuse treatment near West Palm Beach. Opiate addiction can quickly ruin a person’s physical and mental health, social and professional relationships, and finances. Here are some facts that might help you better understand opiate addiction, opioid withdrawal, and the need for swift intervention and substance abuse treatment.

Why Opiate Abuse is So Common

The most frequently abused opiates are heroin, morphine, codeine, Vicodin, OxyContin, Dilaudid, and Duragesic. Opiates are commonly prescribed to treat chronic or severe pain. In 2012, doctors wrote more than 259 million prescriptions for opiates. Four out of five heroin users admit that they moved on to heroin after abusing prescription opiates, either obtained legally or illegally. Almost all chose to use heroin because prescription opioids were more expensive and harder to obtain. Opiate use initially produces an intense feeling of wellbeing or euphoria that quickly becomes addictive to users. As opiate use continues, the user will need to take more and more in order to achieve that same initial feeling. This almost always leads to opiate abuse, and often leads to opiate overdose.

Dangers of Opiate Addiction

In high doses, opiates can cause cardiac or respiratory arrest. Attempts to illegally obtain opiates can put a user in risky or even life-threatening situations. Many users are arrested for possessing or attempting to purchase opiates. Opiate abuse puts incredible stress on a user’s family, friends, and professional relationships. Many users are unable to maintain relationships or hold down a job due to their drug use. Many also have unstable finances, as it becomes increasingly expensive to maintain their opiate addiction.

What Happens during Opioid Withdrawal

Opioid withdrawal symptoms are incredibly uncomfortable, but are not life threatening. Many people experience opioid withdrawal if they are unable to obtain more opiates before the ones in their system begin disappearing. Withdrawal symptoms include fatigue, insomnia, irritability, anxiety, agitation, muscle aches and pains, cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hot and cold sweats, a runny nose, and teary eyes. These opioid withdrawal symptoms can last from one week to one month.

If you or a loved one has an opiate addiction, you might be considering treatment with Suboxone in West Palm Beach. Suboxone treatment is an incredibly safe and effective form of opiate detox that manages opioid withdrawal symptoms, and reduces the likelihood of a relapse. Here is a look at the primary benefits of medication-assisted Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction.

Provides a Gradual Opiate Detox

When Suboxone treatment is provided in a drug treatment center under the supervision of a doctor and substance abuse counselor, it allows the patient to gradually wean himself off of opiates. This increases the likelihood that addiction recovery will be successful and long term, as studies have shown that patients who undergo rapid opiate detox are more likely to retain drug dependence and begin abusing opiates again. A more gradual opiate detox also gives the patient more time to work with his substance abuse counselor on an addiction recovery program.

Lessens Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms and Cravings

The symptoms of opiate withdrawal can be incredibly uncomfortable, and often cause people to begin using again in order to eliminate withdrawal symptoms. Suboxone treatment lessens opiate withdrawal symptoms, allowing the patient to focus fully on addiction recovery. The common symptoms of opiate withdrawal, such as depression, insomnia, fatigue, muscle pain, agitation, anxiety, vomiting, and diarrhea, can quickly discourage a patient from continuing with treatment at a substance abuse treatment center. Without Suboxone treatment, the risk of relapse is much higher. Suboxone treatment also reduces opiate cravings, which further increases the chances that a patient’s recovery will be successful and that he won’t experience a relapse.

Allows for Productivity in Daily Life

Because Suboxone treatment limits opiate withdrawal symptoms and cravings, it allows patients to maintain productivity in their daily lives. Rapid opiate detox is often an inpatient procedure at a drug treatment center, and patients will have to remain in treatment for a set period of time. Suboxone can be administered on an outpatient basis, and patients will be able to maintain a job and family life while in drug treatment.