Opioid use disorder is a mental health disorder that has devastating physical consequences. It occurs when someone becomes addicted to using opioids, such as heroin and fentanyl. These drugs have a chemical impact on the brain that results in your brain telling your body that you need more opioids. It results in a chain reaction where, even though you know the opioids are hurting you, you cannot resist taking them.
Opioid use disorder is one of the fastest-growing epidemics in South Africa and around the world. In addition to the thousands of people who die from drug overdoses, opioids can cause a number of other physical problems and illnesses. On top of that, people who are addicted to opioids struggle to maintain relationships, hold a job, and perform other activities of daily living. As such, it is important for people with an opioid use disorder to get the treatment they need.
Any time you get addicted to a substance or drug, your body will have to go through a detoxification period. The detoxification period is a process where your body weans itself off the drug in question. This is often a very painful and dangerous experience that causes fevers, sweating, intense nausea, vomiting, body aches, headaches, diarrhoea, fatigue, and other uncomfortable symptoms.
While withdrawal is painful and uncomfortable, you will not be able to overcome your addiction until your body no longer craves opioids.
Because of how uncomfortable and dangerous opioid detox can be, many people have started turning to medication-assisted withdrawal. As the name implies, medication-assisted withdrawal is where you use medications to wean your body off of a drug. Although you are substituting one drug for another, medication-assisted withdrawal is monitored by a medical professional who only gives you enough of the drug to keep you safe.
Here are some of the medications used in medication-assisted withdrawal.
Naltrexone is effective at blocking opioid receptors in your brain, which means that you will not be able to get high when you take opioids. Therefore, naltrexone is a good drug to take once you are finished with withdrawal and want to avoid relapsing.
Methadone, and similar drugs like methadose and dolophine, are some of the most common drugs used in medication-assisted detox. Methadone is a long-acting drug, which means it stays in your system for a long time. However, because it does not actually get you high but merely satisfies the part of your brain craving opioids, it is a safe option for drug detox. Methadone also eases withdrawal symptoms.
Buprenorphine is very similar to Methadone in that it activates the opioid receptors in your brain but does not actually get you high. As such, taking buprenorphine can reduce your desire to take opioids and other harmful substances.
Medication-assisted withdrawal is a great way to get through detoxification and eliminate your desire for drugs. However, opioid relapse is extremely common, and you do not want to take medications forever, so you will likely need various forms of psychotherapy. Specifically, counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy are extremely beneficial in helping you avoid relapse. Other forms of therapy, including family therapy and group therapy, are also helpful.
While it is possible to overcome opioid use disorder on your own, it is extremely difficult, and you are more likely to remain addicted or overdose than you are to recover. As such, it is a good idea to seek treatment at a local inpatient or outpatient facility where you will be under medical supervision at all times. This can make for a safer and smoother withdrawal process. It is also easier to overcome opioid use disorder when you have supportive people by your side.