Opioid Addiction, Withdrawal & Treatment
Learn about opioid addiction and find treatment options to help you reach recovery.
Opioid Use Disorder and Treatment
Opioid Addiction Information
Opioid Addiction Treatment
Rehab Features & Amenities
What Are Opioids?
Opioids are a class of drugs derived from the opium poppy plant that includes both prescription painkillers and the illegal street drug heroin.
Common prescription opioids include:2
- Oxycodone (OxyContin, Percocet).
- Hydrocodone (Norco).
- Morphine (Duramorph, Kadian).
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
- Fentanyl (Duragesic , Actiq, Subsys).
- Methadone (Methadose).
- Codeine.
- Tramadol (Ultram, Conzip).
These drugs act on opioid receptors in the brain to relieve sensations of pain. These drugs can also produce feelings of relaxation and euphoria, especially at high doses, and have a very high addiction potential.2
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 153 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers were written in 2019. The rate of opioid prescriptions has dropped significantly from a decade prior; however, some areas continue to struggle with very high prescribing rates. In 2019, in about 5% of U.S. counties, enough opioid prescriptions were written for each resident to have one.3
Unfortunately, taking any painkiller—even one prescribed to you—can put you at risk for developing an opioid addiction. The CDC estimates that for every 4 people receiving long-term opioid therapy in a primary care setting, at least one person struggles with an opioid addiction.1
Opioid Effects & Risks
Opioids are effective at reducing pain and at producing other pleasurable feelings, such as relaxation and euphoria. However, the effects are not all positive.
Side effects of opioid use include:1,2
- Drowsiness.
- Confusion.
- Nausea.
- Dry mouth.
- Vomiting.
- Constipation.
- Itching.
- Sweating.
- Slowed breathing (which can cause brain damage or death in overdose).
- Increased sensitivity to pain.
- Depression.
Some long-term side effects of opioid use include increased potential for falls and fractures, lowered sex drive, fertility problems, severe constipation and bowel obstruction, sleep-disordered breathing, immune system suppression, physical dependence, addiction, and the ongoing risk for overdose.1,4
Misuse of opioids has become a significant problem in the U.S., contributing largely to the country’s overdose epidemic.5 In Massachusetts, 88% of all overdose deaths reported in 2018 involved at least one opioid.6
Between May of 2019 and May of 2020, the U.S. saw its highest rate of overdoses in a 12-month period in the country’s history. This historically high number suggests the disruption of daily life associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative impact on overdose rates. Illicitly manufactured fentanyl (IMF) is the main substance driving this increase in overdose deaths.7
Opioid Overdose Symptoms
Opioid overdose symptoms can include:9
- Pinpoint (tiny) pupils.
- Loss of consciousness and cannot be awakened.
- Very slow and shallow breathing.
- Slowed or absent pulse.
- Vomiting or gurgling or choking noises.
- Limp body.
- Cold, pale skin.
- Fingernails or lips are purple or blue.
Combining opioids with other substances, like benzodiazepines, alcohol, or xylazine can increase your risk of overdose and death.10
Unsure If You Are Witnessing an Overdose?
It is not always immediately clear if someone is overdosing on opioids, but it is crucial to seek immediate medical attention if you think someone you’re with may have overdosed.
- Immediately call 911 and stay with the person at least until emergency personnel arrives.
- Lay the person on their side to prevent choking.
- If you have naloxone (Narcan)— the FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal drug—on hand, you should administer it immediately. If the person has not overdosed on opioids, it will have no effect.11
Opioid Addiction Treatment
The first step in treating an opioid use disorder is going through the withdrawal process. Opioid withdrawal syndrome can be severely uncomfortable. The signs and symptoms of opioid withdrawal can mimic that of the flu and may include sweating, runny nose, nausea, vomiting, racing pulse, and other distressing symptoms.12,13
Because withdrawal symptoms can be unpleasant and upsetting, and having severe cravings can also make it challenging to endure, some users start to take opioids to relieve withdrawal symptoms. Beginning treatment in a medical detox environment can help reduce the likelihood of a return to opioid use.12,14
During medical detox, medical doctors and nurses provide all-day supervision, comfort care, and medications to alleviate withdrawal symptoms as well as drug raving. They can also quickly intervene in case you experience any medical complications. Therapists and psychiatrists are also often on staff to provide support and initiate counseling and other behavioral therapies that will support your long-term recovery.12
The reason detox is the first step—and not the only step—in treatment for opioid use disorder is that it only addresses your body’s physical reliance on opioids but not the other issues that underlie your addiction.15 Treatment staff in a detox program can help you to move into another form of care to address these issues as well as educate you on healthy coping skills once you’re stable enough to do so.12
Opioid Addiction Treatment at AdCare
During inpatient rehab at AdCare, patients struggling with opioid addiction may begin with detox and move directly into a residential program.
For those who prefer outpatient therapy after detox, AdCare offers multiple levels of outpatient addiction treatment.
AdCare has two inpatient locations:
There are also two outpatient AdCare locations:
AdCare locations provide the option of medication for addiction treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction, which means the use of therapy combined with medications.
In addition to the conventional MAT protocols, AdCare Rhode Island also offers unique enhanced methadone MAT protocols for opioid use disorder.
Therapies such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which helps you develop skills to change unhealthy thoughts and behaviors, are used in conjunction with medications like Suboxone or naltrexone to support long-term recovery.16
Most insurance plans are required to offer some form of coverage for rehab. Learn how to use health insurance to pay for rehab and what your plan covers by checking your insurance benefits through our .
For questions about how to get admitted to rehab for opioid addiction, call us today at 866-739-7692.
FAQs
Opioids work by binding to the opioid receptors in your brain to dull feelings of pain and create feelings of well-being.17,18
All opioids—even those prescribed to you—have risks, including the potential for misuse and addiction. Taking prescription opioids to relieve pain for a short time is generally safe when taken only as prescribed but it does not eliminate the inherent risks of opioids.
If you have concerns about the safety of a drug prescribed to you or have a personal or family history of substance misuse, you can speak with your physician. He or she can discuss with you the risks vs. benefits of prescription painkillers and go over any alternatives for pain relief.17
Exactly how long it takes to develop a physiological dependence on opioids varies by individual, but it can happen quickly for some people—within a couple of weeks.19
No, alcohol and prescription opioids both slow your breathing, and taking them together can slow it to dangerous levels, potentially resulting in a fatal overdose.10
It is possible to detox from opioids alone; however, the withdrawal can be very intense, and many people seek medical support to ease the discomfort and prevent them from returning to opioids for relief.12
Medication provided in a detox facility by qualified staff can keep you safe and comfortable and help you avoid relapse.12
Opioid use during pregnancy may result in the baby being born dependent on opioids and going through withdrawal symptoms after birth (known as neonatal abstinence syndrome).2
If you are currently pregnant and using opioids, do not stop taking them without talking to your doctor because you can put your baby at risk. Speak to your physician about the safest way to end your opioid use.2
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2017). Prescription Opioids.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Prescription opioids DrugFacts.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). U.S. Opioid Dispensing Rate Maps.
- Baldini, A., Von Korff, M., & Lin, E. H. (2012). A Review of Potential Adverse Effects of Long-Term Opioid Therapy: A Practitioner’s Guide. The primary care companion for CNS disorders, 14(3), PCC.11m01326.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Understanding the Epidemic.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020). Massachusetts: Opioid-involved deaths and related harms.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Overdose deaths accelerating during COVID-19.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). Fentanyl.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Opioid overdose: Overdose prevention.
- Tori, M. E., Larochelle, M. R., & Naimi, T. S. (2020). Alcohol or benzodiazepine co-involvement with opioid overdose deaths in the United States, 1999-2017. JAMA Network Open, 3(4), e202361.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (n.d.). Preventing an Opioid Overdose.
- Center for Substance Abuse Treatment. Detoxification and Substance Abuse Treatment. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 45. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 15-4131. Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 2006.
- Shah M, Huecker MR. Opioid Withdrawal. [Updated 2021 Jan 25]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2021 Jan-.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder. Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series 63. Publication No. PEP20-02-01-006. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2020.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2018). Principles of Effective Treatment.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2020). MAT Medications, Counseling, and Related Conditions.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). Opioid addiction.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2014). Mind over matter: The brain’s response to opioids.
- Johns Hopkins Medicine. (n.d.). The Science of Addiction.