Opioid Addiction Treatment In Denver
Magnolia Medical Group provides opioid addiction treatment programs to help you find freedom and recovery from opioid addiction.
Call us today!
Suppose you struggle with an addiction to opioids. In that case, you may be familiar with the opioid addiction crisis that has affected millions of families in the United States within the past few decades.
According to the CDC, 500,000 people have died from a prescription opioid overdose since 1999. This makes the current opioid problem an epidemic — and it also means that you or someone close to you has probably been affected by this crisis.
What Are Opiates?
Opiates are drugs that can alter the mind and result in relief from severe, chronic pain. They are also highly addictive. These drugs are both synthetic and naturally occurring, and most are derived from compounds extracted from the opium poppy plant. Even though poppy flowers’ psychoactive components can be helpful for people who are dealing with pain, the addictive properties can cause problems, including abuse, physical dependence, severe withdrawal symptoms, and death from drug overdoses.
Common Opiates and Opioid Drugs
Though these terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there are a few differences between opiates and opioids. Opiates, including heroin, codeine, and morphine, are naturally occurring substances. Opioids refer to these substances as well as another category of semi-synthetic opiates that include drugs like fentanyl, oxycodone, percocet, hydrocodone and more.
How Do Opioids Work?
Opiates and opioid drugs both work on the opioid receptors in the central nervous system that includes the brain and the spinal cord. When the narcotics you’ve taken attach to these receptors, they interfere with the peptides that naturally occur in your body.
Opioids and Addiction
Over time, your opioid system becomes “confused” as both medical and naturally occurring opioids can activate the opioid receptors in the human body. If you abuse opioids or opiates, the way your brain functions daily can change over time. Choosing to stop taking opioids suddenly when your body is used to them can be dangerous: Withdrawal symptoms can cause severe sickness and even death.
What Are Signs of Opioid Abuse?
Like other addictive drugs, opioid use can be tough to identify from an outside perspective and can cause a cycle of dependence and withdrawal when they are abused. Some people may become addicted after they were prescribed multiple courses of pain medication, while others may seek out illicit substances such as heroin. The end result is often the same — opioid users of any type regularly are at high risk for developing a habit and often develop opioid use disorders. This condition may also be called opioid dependence or fixation, depending on the source.
Other Signs of Addiction
Signs of addiction or other various substance use disorders may vary from person to person as everyone has their own symptoms and tolerance levels — but there is a pattern that remains much the same. You may notice a loved one taking regular doses of medication and becoming highly irritable when they do not have the pills on hand. Alternately, suppose you are struggling with addiction. In that case, you might experience cravings that you cannot overlook, isolation from those you love, and a persistent need to gain access to your narcotic of choice regardless of the consequences. Addiction is as much mental as it is physical.
Opiate Withdrawal
Opiate withdrawal is a serious medical condition that often must be managed carefully by a team of professionals. If you suddenly stop using opioids, you may experience a dramatic increase in cravings followed by physical symptoms such as sweating, heart palpitations, fevers, and shaking.
Treatment for Opioid Addiction
Opioid use, like other addictions, can be treated with a dual approach of counseling and medication. Medication-assisted treatment options often include Buprenorphine-Naloxone treatment using the following opioid agonist medications to mimic the effect of opioids on the central nervous system and to reduce cravings for the drug:
- Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine treatment is a medication often marketed under brand names such as Suboxone, Sublocade, Zubsolv, and Subutex to treat illicit opioid addiction and prescription opioid dependency.
- Naltrexone (Vivitrol): Vivitrol is a monthly injection form of naltrexone that can help rehabilitate people with opiate addiction and other substance dependence. Oral Naltrexone medication is also an available form of MAT.
- Antabuse: This medication can help treat alcohol addiction.
Therapies for Recovering From Opioid Addiction
We offer individual therapy and counseling sessions, as well as group counseling as part of the effective treatment of opioid use and prescription painkiller abuse. Most patients benefit from a combination of both types of therapy. Getting to know other people in the program and listening to them talk about their own lives can help you identify your triggers — and perhaps most importantly, help you understand that you are not alone in dealing with your struggles.
Is There Rehab for Opiate Addiction in Colorado?
There are several options and forms of rehabilitation for opiate addiction in Colorado, but it’s important to seek out a facility with quality health care providers that understand what you are going through and are fully-licensed psychiatrists and counselors. At Magnolia Medical Group, we use a combination of evidence-based treatment methods, medication-assisted treatment and different kinds of counseling in our clinic to help our patients recover.
Get Help for Opiate Addiction Today in Denver, CO
If you or a loved one is struggling with opioid addiction, we know that seeking out a treatment center for the first time can be scary. You may be wondering if it is possible to recover, whether it is worth it, and what your life will look like after you get treatment for opioid dependence.
At Magnolia Medical Group, we strive to treat all of our patients with respect regardless of their background. Start getting better today: Contact us for an evaluation and start living a different kind of life sooner than you thought was possible. We offer outpatient treatment.
Contact Us To Begin Your Recovery Today
Sources:
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/brochures-and-fact-sheets/treatment-alcohol-problems-finding-and-getting-help
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19004504/
Image Credit: By Syda Productions
We are accepting new patients. Treatment can be started in-person or through Telemedicine.