Natural opiates are derived from the opium poppy and are used to stop pain and give people euphoric experiences. Unfortunately, the United States is facing an opiate crisis. Natural opiates like morphine and synthetic opioids like OxyContin contribute to overdoses and death every day. An opiate detox center is the safest way to detox and mitigate withdrawal symptoms.
If you or someone in your life is using opiates, contact Atlanta Detox Center now. Detoxing from opiates and opioids at home can be dangerous, and our opiate detox center provides comprehensive care for this type of addiction. Call us today at 470.450.2355 or reach out to us online to learn more about common signs of opiate withdrawal or our opiate treatment center in Atlanta.
7 Signs of Opiate Withdrawal
1. Flu-Like Symptoms
These symptoms include a change in body temperature, profuse sweating, and body aches.
2. Mood Swings
Mood swings, irrational thinking, and extreme irritability are all common during this stage of recovery.
3. Drug-Seeking Behavior
Drug-seeking behavior includes risk-taking such as driving under the influence and seeking drugs one may otherwise not consider using.
4. Gastrointestinal Distress
These symptoms include constipation, nausea, and vomiting can all occur as the body adjusts to living without opiates.
5. Nightmares and Delusions
People can experience troubled sleep and hallucinations.
6. Confusion
During withdrawal, people may seem like they’re living in another reality.
7. Depression
The swift decline in dopamine in the brain can cause immediate depression.
How Do Opiates Affect the Body?
Opiates have a short-half life. This means they enter the bloodstream quickly and leave the body just as fast. They provide strong, fast pain relief and flood the brain with dopamine. However, because they leave the bloodstream quickly, this can cause withdrawal cravings and lead to addiction.
Prolonged use can cause opiate withdrawal symptoms such as:
- Mood swings
- Irritability
- Hyperactivity or mania
- Depression
- Acting intoxicated all the time
- Erratic behavior
- Increased alcohol consumption
- Disturbed sleep
- Gastrointestinal stress
- Changes in appetite
While on opiates, a person’s reflexes and spatial awareness change. By slowing down the nervous system and blocking pain receptors, opiates also slow their digestive system, causing constipation, stomach upset, and changes in nutrient absorption. The more often someone takes opiates, the higher their tolerance will become. This means they need more of the drug more often to feel the same effects. For many, this leads to mixing opiates with alcohol or other drugs and potential overdose.
Opiates change a person’s brain chemistry, meaning that when they are no longer present in the body, the brain believes it cannot survive without more opiates. This is called “dope sickness.”
Regular heroin users must take heroin every six to twelve hours to prevent withdrawal symptoms. Opiate and opioid withdrawal can be impossible to overcome without medical and psychiatric support from an opiate detox center. Unfortunately, many who attempt to quit cold turkey relapse or overdose.
Opiate Detox at Atlanta Detox Center
Many people believe opiate use and addiction affect only a small population. In reality, opiates affect people from all walks of life. Whether you or a loved one is struggling with heroin, fentanyl, or prescription opioids, Atlanta Detox Center can help. Our opiate detox clinic pairs traditional behavioral therapy with medically assisted detox. This can reduce withdrawal symptoms, prevent health complications, and significantly reduce the risk of reuse.
Our Georgia-based rehab clinic treats drug and alcohol addiction alongside co-occurring disorders for holistic health. With an emphasis on stress reduction and trauma-informed therapy, we help clients from initial detox to aftercare planning for long-term recovery. Let Atlanta Detox Center help you recover from opiate use with programs for both men and women.
Avoid Signs of Opiate Withdrawal at Atlanta Detox Center
Most people addicted to opiates will need to complete a detox program as their first step in recovery. At Atlanta Detox Center, our team understands how challenging it can be for some people to reach out for help with opiate addiction. That’s why our friendly staff treats each person in our care with the respect and dignity they deserve. Find out more about how our team can help you by calling 470.450.2355 or contacting us online.
