Detoxing from painkillers is the first step in beating your addiction. Doing so in a safe, professional environment improves the likelihood that sobriety will be achieved.
Importance of Detoxing at a Treatment Center
Learn about the importance of detoxing from painkillers at a professional treatment center
Prescription painkillers have had highly positive impacts on individuals throughout Pennsylvania and the United States. Their ability to relieve pain has dramatically improved the quality of life for those who have been afflicted with a number of diseases, conditions, and disorders. Of the most commonly prescribed painkillers are opioid-based medications including Vicodin and OxyContin, which contain the opioids hydrocodone and oxycodone, respectively.
Sadly, in addition to being very valuable for medical purposes, prescription painkillers are typically abused for purposes of self-medication and/or recreation, and pose risks that include the development of an addiction. Some people have become addicted to prescription painkillers after consuming these substances for medical purposes, while others develop dependence primarily because of recreational substance abuse. Regardless of why an individual first consumes a prescription painkiller, developing an addiction can be extremely distressing and can produce a number of risks to the individual’s physical and mental health.
Defeating an addiction to prescription painkillers can be complicated by a number of factors, including the prevalence of these substances, their ability to offer beneficial effects, and the onset of withdrawal symptoms when an individual stops, tries to stop, or is prevented from abusing them. When an individual develops an addiction to prescription painkillers, his or her body will adapt to the presence of them. When these substances are not consumed in a timely manner, the body will negatively react in many unpleasant ways. These reactions are known as withdrawal symptoms. Depending upon the nature and severity of an individual’s prescription painkiller abuse and addiction, withdrawal symptoms can include intense cravings for the drug(s), depression, agitation, anxiety, sleep disturbances, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramping, and tics and tremors.
Since the pain of withdrawal can be reduced by consuming the prescription painkiller that the individual has become addicted to, attempting to end an addiction on one’s own is often an exercise in futility. However, a much safer, effective, and less painful method does exist: detoxification. Also referred to as detox, this process often occurs in a clinical setting under the supervision of qualified professionals. In an environment such as this, individuals can clear their bodies of prescription painkillers in a way that dramatically increases their chances at establishing long-term recovery.
Benefits of Detoxing at Pocono
Benefits of detoxing from painkillers at Pocono Mountain Recovery Center in Henryville, PA
As noted in the section above, safety and comfort are benefits of engaging in detox for a prescription painkiller addiction. However, detox offers many additional advantages. Below are some of the many positive aspects of completing detox at a reputable program:
- Transition: Once a person has successfully completed prescription painkiller detox, he or she can usually transfer directly into residential rehab, outpatient care, or whatever option has been decided that will be best suited for him or her. This direct transition can be crucial in the effort to prevent relapse and encourage continued recovery.
- Security: During withdrawal, an individual may be tempted to escape physical or mental discomfort by relapsing into prescription painkiller abuse. In a detox programs, any prescription medications will be stored safely and participants will not have access to substances of abuse, thus preventing them from relapsing.
- Support: During detox, individuals can benefit from the support of others who are completing the process as well as from the guidance of professional staff members. Depending upon the specifics of the program, support can range from informal encouragement to various types of formal therapy sessions.
- Safety: Though it can be painful, withdrawing from prescription painkillers is usually not a dangerous experience. However, complications can always arise. In a medically monitored detox program, professional supervision ensures that participants are safe throughout the entire process.
- Comfort: Pain management can take many forms in a detox program, including the administration of certain medications and therapeutic interventions. Detox professionals are experts in helping patients to avoid and address discomfort as it occurs throughout the process.
Many obstacles can prevent an individual from effectively defeating an addiction to prescription painkillers. However, worries or fears regarding the pain of withdrawal or the likelihood of being unable to clear one’s body of these deadly substances should never stand in the way of an individual’s attempts at obtaining professional treatment, from a reputable addiction rehab center, that can dramatically change his or her life. In an effective detox program, people who have battled with addiction can obtain the supervision, guidance, and support that will enable them to stop their painkiller abuse and start a successful like filled with long-term recovery.
At Pocono Mountain Recovery Center in Henryville, Pennsylvania, we understand the stresses that an individual can experience when attempting to receive help for prescription painkiller addiction, and we respect the strength of each woman and man who makes this courageous choice. Our caring and compassionate staff members at our addiction rehab center are ready to supply the comprehensive services that can help an individual out of his or her deadly cycle of addiction and into a healthier, happier, drug-free future. If you or someone you care for can benefit from the rehab that we offer, please feel free to contact us at your convenience. We look forward to supplying you with the information you need to make the best decision for you or your loved one.
