Opiate Addiction Treatment Options

Various options exist to assist patients in recovering from the physical dependence and psychological strongholds that opiates can have on them. When an individual is addicted to opiates such as heroin or certain prescription painkillers, there is a high risk of overdose or other potentially hazardous consequences of occurring. Fortunately, there are a number of opiate addiction treatment options that can help those suffering from addiction to effectively, and most importantly, to safely heal and recover. The primary methods of treatment for opiate addiction include detox, inpatient treatment and outpatient treatment.

Opiate Detox

The first phase of any opiate addiction treatment is to undergo detox. This sometimes painful and difficult time of the treatment process involves dealing with the physical dependence that an individual has on opiates by eliminating the opiate based drug from their routine use. This may include methods of medication replacement or medication maintenance therapy that include substituting methadone, Suboxone or buprenorphine in place of the opiate to help the patient to control cravings and effectively cope with the withdrawal symptoms that they feel when they no longer use opiates. Not all treatment centers will allow patients to detox in their facility. Some facilities require patients to undergo opiate detox first and then enroll into their inpatient or outpatient treatment program.

Inpatient Opiate Addiction Treatment

The most heavily monitored and controlled type of opiate addiction treatment takes place in an inpatient opiate addiction treatment center or facility. Here the patient will literally move into the facility for a period of 30 days or more to undergo treatment which consists of counseling and therapy with a primary focus on helping them to overcome addiction to harmful opiates. Inpatient opiate addiction treatment is ideal for those who are heavily addicted to opiates such as heroin and who have already tried to quit on their own but may have been unsuccessful for a number of reasons.

Outpatient Opiate Addiction Treatment

During outpatient treatment for opiate addiction the patient will come to a facility to be counseled or to take part in group therapy sessions on a regular basis but after the therapy or counseling sessions are finished the patient will return to their normal daily routine. This type of addiction treatment is great for the recovering addict who has already finished an inpatient treatment program and who just needs to continue to receive guidance and support in order to maintain their recovery. Outpatient opiate addiction treatment is also effective for those who have mild or not so severe addictions to opiates.