Published May 14, 2021 · Reviewed by Sergey Litvinov, MD · ~619 words

Opioid addiction hits the person with the substance use disorder and everyone around them: friends, family, people they work with. It is a disease, and getting out of it takes professional help. Recovery can bring someone back to sobriety and to a life worth being in. At Pines Recovery Life Detox we help patients through detoxification and into sober living.

What is an opioid?

Opioids come from the opium poppy, a flowering plant. The drug affects the body by working on opioid receptors in the spinal cord, the brain and elsewhere in the body. That is how they take down pain.

Opioids are often used for pain that does not respond to other types of pain medications.

There are dozens of opioid medications, including:

• Hydromorphone
• Meperidine
• Oxycodone
• Fentanyl
• Codeine
• Naloxone
• Hydrocodone

These and other opioids are sometimes taken by mouth or through a patch.

Opioids need a prescription because they can cause addiction and serious side effects. Some people build tolerance and dependence fast, which is why a medical professional should be watching.

What are the signs of opioid addiction?

The first sign of opioid addiction is an increasing tolerance to the drug. At that point, the body needs more of the medication than usual to get the same results, so a patient may find that their pain is not relieved as well as it once was.

People will seek out pain medications compulsively once an addiction and dependency sets in. This is because of withdrawal symptoms, including heavy drug cravings, anxiety and irritability.

Some signs of opioid misuse include:

• Changes in appearance
• Low energy levels
• Loss of interest in social activities
• Decreased concentration
• Running out of a prescription before the appropriate time to refill
• Cravings
• Withdrawal symptoms

Opioid addiction responds to detox and rehabilitation. Recovery is possible.

What is life like after opioids and drug addiction treatment?

After seeking treatment for an opioid use disorder, many people move on to a sober living facility or community to live with others going through the same challenges.

Going back to normal life next to people who are doing the same thing cuts the chance of relapse. You keep each other honest and pointed at a sober life.

What comes after treatment depends on what you want. One person moves into a sober living community to work on sobriety somewhere with few triggers. Another goes home and rebuilds with family around them. Some people go on to work as sober coaches. If you are still in pain, physical therapy or a doctor can help you manage it without opioids.

Contact Pines Recovery Life Detox about addiction recovery

At Pines Recovery Life Detox, we know opioids can turn into addiction fast, even for people who take them exactly as directed. We get patients through the risks of withdrawal and detox and into recovery. Call us at 800.263.3869, or contact us online to find out more about our recovery services and how we can assist you or someone you love as you work toward a life free from opioid addiction.