Withdrawal from opiates brings about many positive effects to the overall wellbeing of an individual, but it cannot be denied that the process through complete withdrawal from this narcotic is not easy. Victims of opiate addiction tend to suffer from a number of opiate withdrawal symptoms that are often painful and discomforting. The severity and length of time an individual has to suffer from withdrawal actually varies from one person to another.
Opiates are helpful pain relieving drugs when used properly. However, many people misuse opiates such as codeine, heroin, morphine, oxycontin and methadone until they have found themselves in complete dependence with the drugs for daily survival. Opiates are considered to be highly addictive and sudden withdrawal from it can trigger the manifestation of a series of opiate withdrawal symptoms. In fact, statistics revealed that 9% of the global population is suffering from opiate addiction. Many people are having a difficulty in stopping themselves from using these drugs in the fear of suffering from a number of discomforts and pain brought about by opiate withdrawal symptoms.
Opiate addiction usually happen as a result of prolonged use of the drug and wrong dosage. More often than not, opiate addicts are not aware that they are already addicted to the drug. In fact, they deem that their usage of drug is still under control and they are not willing to admit that they are a drug addict. They do not even care to notice their significant unexplainable losing and gaining of weight. They do not even seem to detect that they have unusual breath and clothing odor and their eyes are red and puffy. Some victims of opiate addiction tend to have needle marks on their legs and arms. Furthermore, they are not aware that they talk very fast, produce slurring words and becoming hyperactive.
Severe cases of opiate toxicity can lead to life threatening conditions such as seizures and dehydration. Opiate withdrawal symptoms often occur a short period of time after the discontinuation. Morphine and heroin tend to produce withdrawal symptoms easily and fast compared to other opiates like fentanyl and methadone. In fact, withdrawal symptoms are expected to occur six and a half hours after the last usage of heroin and morphine. For fentanyl and methadone, opiate withdrawal symptoms are more likely to transpire after twenty-four hours.
Codeine is often prescribed to treat cough and as a pain reliever. However, the misuse of codeine makes others experience mild codeine withdrawal symptoms when they have decided to stop taking this drug. While others are having an easy way with codeine withdrawal, others tend to suffer from undesirable psychological and physical opiate withdrawal symptoms.
The most common opiate withdrawal symptoms are nausea, cramps, profuse sweating, shakes, chills and intense cravings for drugs. Other victims of opiate addiction tend to suffer from runny nose, frequent yawning, goose bumps, vomiting, diarrhea, muscle aches and dilated pupils. Through the length of time spent on taking opiates, the central nervous system has adapted to the effects of opiates which leads it to work faster and become more sensitive. When an individual quits taking opiates, the central nervous has to return back to normal from being hyperactive. This results to the manifestation of the above withdrawal symptoms.
People who cease from using opiates have to suffer from annoying opiate withdrawal symptoms such as irritation, insomnia, agitation and extreme levels of anxiety. Insomnia should also be expected from people who withdraw from opiates because of the hyperactivity of the nervous system during the withdrawal process. Elevated pulse rate, depression, indigestion or dyspepsia and anorexia are also some of the most common opiate withdrawal symptoms experienced by opium addiction.
Other victims of opium toxicity who stopped from taking opium experience disturbing withdrawal symptoms like fever, body aches, muscle twitching, restless legs, sneezing and intense lethargy. Pain and aches are normal in the process of opiate withdrawal because the nervous system is having a difficulty in readjusting and going back to normal. The degree, intensity and duration of pain actually depend upon the kind of drug used and the length of time spent in opiate addiction.
After a few hours, people who withdraw from taking opiates are having difficulty with opiate withdrawal symptoms such as hot and cold sweats, loss of appetite watery eyes and stomach cramps accompanied with intense desire to lie down and take a nap. Other opiate withdrawal symptoms include rhinorrhea, lacrimation piloerection, tachycardia and hypertension.
Complete withdrawal from opiate actually takes a lot of time, perseverance and motivation. It is something that cannot be achieved overnight. Abrupt withdrawal from opiates usually brings about a number of undesirable opiate withdrawal symptoms which the body may not be able to endure in a long period of time. This can just lead to the failure to completely withdraw from opiates.
Treatments for opiate withdrawal symptoms usually involve medication and support groups. Medication such as clonidine is often prescribed to people who desire to withdraw from opiate because it relieves sweating, muscle aches, runny nose, aching bones and joints, stomach cramps, agitation and anxiety. Buprenorphine is also prescribed to victims of opiate addiction because it shortens the time of detoxification and it deals effectively with different opiate withdrawal symptoms.
People should seek for medication whenever the desire to take opiates is getting out of control. Treatment should immediately be sought after to prevent any physical, social and emotional disasters which the condition can bring about. Those who have been severely addicted with methadone often undergo a long term detoxification wherein gradual decrease in the dosage of methadone is given to the victim. This way, the burden and intensity of opiate withdrawal symptoms are also reduced.
Overcoming withdrawal is not easy but there are always ways on how to deal with it. More often than not, opiate withdrawal symptoms are discomforting and annoying but it is never harmful unless they inflict harm and danger to other people. Nevertheless, with adequate perseverance and motivation, opiate withdrawal symptoms can always be overcome.
