Opiates, which are both natural and synthetic derivatives of opium, are immensely powerful painkillers. Opiates block pain sensors in the brain while depressing a person’s respiratory system as well as their nervous system. Many people who take opiates feel a euphoric sensation when they take the drug, which causes them to become addicted to the drug. People who abuse opiates form rapid dependencies to the drug resulting in them needing to increase their dosages of the drug to receive the effects they desire.
Opiate abuse has increased throughout the years and has become an enormous problem controlling the lives of millions of Americans each year.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), some individuals are prescribed opiate medications and use them correctly without abusing the drug and without having any adverse effects from the drug. However, even though the drugs help out many people dealing with pain legally, opiates are one of the most commonly abused substances in America. Around two million people will begin to use opiates each year illegally.
Due to the intensity of the effects of opiates and the painful withdrawal symptoms that occur when a person stops using the drug, many people need help from an opiate rehab to overcome their opiate addiction.
The Length of Opiate Rehab
There is no magic number for the length of treatment needed to help end an opiate addiction. It changes from person to person.
Opiate rehab will help a person have a safe and healthy detox and provide a person with resources to help them get through the difficult withdrawal symptoms, such as medication and therapy.
There is not a particular length of time that is dedicated to opiate rehab because the length of time needed to conquer a drug addiction or detox from opiates will vary from person to person. Some rehabs will only allow a person to stay for a few days whereas long term rehabs will allow a person to stay for up to a year. The most common time frame found in opiate rehabs is between one month and three months.
Opiate addiction will cause a person both mental and physical withdrawal symptoms, and although the physical withdrawal symptoms usually subside within the first week, the psychological symptoms tend to take longer for a person to overcome and can be the hardest part of a detox for a person to go through. Psychological symptoms are the main reason why people relapse from an opiate addiction and need to be addressed and given the proper amount of time so that a person can manage their urges. Every person’s addiction is different and every person has different strengths and weaknesses, which is why there are numerous opiate rehabs that vary in length to help people overcome their addictions.
