Dangers of Opium Abuse
Opium is derived from the seed pods of the poppy plants, and has been has known to possess mind-altering qualities. It belongs in the narcotic class due to its highly addictive qualities. While it may not a primary substance for drug users in the United States, raw Opium is still abused all over the world.
It is not so common in our country anymore but it is important to understand that many illicit and prescription drugs in this country are based from Opium derivatives. Drugs that are derived from Opium are: Morphine, Codeine, Heroin, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Buprenorphine. All these well-known drugs are commonly abused in the United States and the rest of the country. If it wasn’t for Opium, these drugs wouldn’t exist.
The reason Opium is not as popular as it once was because of the drug Heroin. Heroin has been found to be more potent and easier to illegally transport between countries. That being said, Heroin produces more money for the distributors which has put Opium on the back burner. Just because Opium isn’t as popular as it once was doesn’t mean it is less dangerous. The drug still causes many health problems for its users.
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Street Names for Opium
Opium abuse is not as popular as it once was 100s of years ago. There are still times where an Opiate based abuser would find Opium. To keep the Opium a secret the abuser will have street names for the drug such as:
- big O
- OP
- Hop
- Midnight oil
- Tar
Opium Effects
Opium is a substance that is highly addictive. It does not take very long to develop a dependency to Opium. It is an Opiate based drug that when taken, produces high that the user will then try to reach every time they use. The person using Opium will develop a tolerance, which creates a need to use more and more of the drug in order to reach the same feeling they received in the beginning. Someone abusing Opium will show signs such as: sudden mood swings, slow reflexes, slowed breathing, depression and apathy, criminal activity to obtain more Opium, financial troubles, isolation, and neglect of hobbies and things that hold importance to the user such as family, friends, work, or school. The long-term effects are drug tolerance, which could lead to addiction. Over time, there comes the threat of overdose with continued use.
In the United States, opiates, primarily heroin, account for nearly 20 percent of drug treatment admission.
Warning signs of Opium abuse in a loved one
Opium addiction isn’t easy to spot in a loved one. It will take a few months before you may notice the damage your loved one is causing. There are so many signs to look out for in someone you think is abusing Opium. Not all the signs have to show at once for your loved one to be addicted. Some are better at hiding addiction from others. It is your job to really pay attention to his or her behaviors and physical appearance. Some signs to be on the watch for are:
Opium takes over the mind, body and soul of the abusers. It has a powerful hold on them making them think the only thing that takes importance in their life is Opium. This can cause the user to lose interest in things that once held value in their life.
Because addicted people are constantly on the lookout for Opium, they may lose interest in their physical appearance. This doesn’t mean he or she just stops dressing up. The individual will also not care about their personal hygiene.
Another sign to look out for in someone you suspect abusing Opium is depression or isolation. When the Opium abuse becomes an Opium addiction the only thing the user will want to do is get high and be away from anyone who could mess that high up.
Factual Dangers: Opium
Opium has and continues to destroy lives of innocent people who were just in the wrong place at the wrong time or looking for an escape from the craziness of life. It is a powerful drug that will bring the abuser down as low as it possibly can before it takes their life by overdose. If you have reasonable suspicion a loved one is abusing Opium and aren’t totally sure, here are some of the signs and symptoms an Opium user would show:
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True Stories of Addiction: Susana’s Story
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Opium Rehab Treatment
When people realize that they are powerless over their addiction, they will need to seek out help in the form of a rehabilitation center. Finding the right treatment facility to meet your individual needs is huge. Some facilities are better at dealing with certain drugs, some offer a faith perspective. You should find the facility that best meets you where you are at and one that offers individualized treatment plans.
Some rehabilitation facilities have a one-size-fits-all method to treatment, but these plans can fail to help people in addiction. Opium addiction needs to be taken seriously. The drug is very dangerous and can take the life of the abuser at any moment. It is ideal that the rehab treatment you attend has a multitude of therapies to cover every aspect of your life. Two of the most valuable therapies you should be on the look for is group and individual therapy.
Group therapy is used for a multitude of reasons. Because it was so common for you to isolate in your addiction, group therapy will help you reestablish yourself in a social setting and get you to reach out for help and not be afraid to when you need it. In individualized therapy, you would work one on one with the therapist to get to the root of your problem. Getting to the root of your problems and working through them will prevent relapse in the future. – Learn More
Opium Detox Treatment
A detoxification occurs when someone stops using drugs, such as Opium, and the body starts to process out all of the toxins that have been ingested. This process can be hard for someone who has become chemically dependent upon a substance. The best way to go through a detox process for Opium addiction is in an inpatient detox facility.
Here they will manage the symptoms of withdrawal by utilizing medicine that will control withdrawals. They use a taper format starting with a dose that is enough to stop withdrawal symptoms and gradually working down to taking no medication, this will prevent severe symptoms of withdrawal that relate to Opium abuse. Some of these withdrawal symptoms are cold sweats, chills, Severe aches and pains, insomnia, extreme anxiety, restlessness and tension, vomiting. The person going through Opium withdrawals will feel like he or she is dying but death from Opiate based substance withdrawal is extremely rare.
When you successfully detox from Opium, your next step in bettering your life will be treatment. Detox is just one step in your journey of recovery. You will need more intense therapy to understand your problem and learn how to deal with stressors and triggers. Detox is for the body and rehab treatment is for the mind and soul. Never give up on yourself. Detox may seem scary but it is better than the life you are living now. – Learn More
Addiction to Opium
People who are introduced to Opium usually end up becoming addicted. There are very few people who use it and put it down right after. People who start to abuse Opium start by smoking or ingesting it orally but as time goes by and the addicted individual builds a tolerance they will usually start using it intravenously to achieve a greater high.
The effects of Opium are almost identical to the effects of Heroin. This is not hard to understand either because they are basically the same substance just produced a little differently. It is common for abusers to become sick to their stomach when they first try Opium. They may throw up and feel very nauseous. When abusing Opium, you are usually likely to experience feelings of relaxation and warmth, relief from pain and discomfort, euphoria, feeling of well-being, and a lack of inhibitions.
Opium has the ability to take the user out of reality and put them in their own little world for a short while. It doesn’t take long for a mental and physical addiction to form once the users feel all their problems have been pushed away once they get their fix. Once the disease of addiction sets in, the abuser will then be locked into the miserable cycle of being addicted to Opium. They may lose everything that was worth living to them but they think nothing compares the high Opium produces. – Learn More
Opium deaths, such as those related to heroin, account for 80 percent of drug related deaths in Europe.
Opium Dependency
There are very few people who abuse Opium in its pure form because it is hard to find, and the use of Opium based drugs, such as Heroin are now easier to abuse because of how much is produced. The ingredients found in Opium are key for relieving the majority of pain any individual is feeling. This natural ingredient from the Opium plant has created the majority of narcotics on the market.
Even though finding Opium is next to impossible, there are still individuals out there who have a connection to getting it. When abusing Opium, you are at high risk of creating an Opium dependency for yourself. Keep in mind, if you are using Opium based pills for medical purposes you are facing the same risk as Opium or Heroin abusers do. With great sadness, the cycle of abuse doesn’t just end when someone becomes dependent on the drug- this is just the beginning. When the dependence is left untreated, how most of them are, the Opium dependence will take the user far into the ground and will create an addiction that is more than difficult to beat.
When the addiction hits, nothing else matters to the abuser, they can lose their children, home, spouse, and family support but nothing seems to change their mind about abusing Opium. The only thing left for them is jail, death, or treatment. The choice is theirs whether they want to get the help they deserve or be trapped by their addiction for years to come. – Learn More
Seeking help for a loved one.
- What Do I Say in A Opium Intervention?
You will speak directly to your loved one, only speaking in love and concern while leaving out judgment or anger. Let him or her know the negative impact their Opium addiction causes you. - What If My Loved One Does Not Go To Opium Rehab?
If your loved one does not accept Opium treatment, he or she will know there is help when he or she is ready. Keep showing them support without enabling your loved ones’ behavior.
Intervention for Opium Abuse
If you, or someone you love, struggles with Opium addiction, it is very important to seek help as soon as possible. Recovery is within your reach if it is approached properly within a proper treatment center. An intervention is a crucial component of the recovery process, as it often precedes either a downward spiral into escalated use, or an admission into a treatment center.
An intervention is paramount when confronting issues of addiction. People who are addicted may not be able to notice the destruction they are causing while in the grips of addiction. They may not be able to comprehend the reach that their addiction goes, with the help of a professional interventionist, families are able to express their feelings without worrying about upsetting or hurting the person who is in active Opium addiction. It is very easy for Opium abuse to become an addiction and destroy the life of the abuser and everyone around him or her. Someone who only experiments with it once or twice is still at risk of falling in the trap of addiction.
The very first time people use any kind of Opiate drug, their natural chemicals and hormones will be changed. The brain perceives pain in a different way, but it quickly becomes tolerant to it. After this, the user is always chasing that first high, and will need very higher levels of Opium to achieve it. At this point, addiction is almost inevitable and the chances of an Opium overdose go up. If you recognize any of the signs of use, you may have to arrange an intervention. – Learn More
Recovery from Opium Abuse
If you are dealing with opium addiction, there are different options within your area, as well as outside your town or state. If you want to break from your home environment to pursue treatment, it may be within your best interest to travel out of town or state to pursue recovery. Oftentimes, staying at home may cause more difficulties with the treatment process, as you are constantly surrounded by familiar elements may act as relapse triggers.
If you feel you need to make a break from your home environment, you may want to consider travelling for treatment. Where ever you decide to go is fine as long as you are willing to do what it takes to recover from your Opium addiction. Opium is a powerful drug that will be hard to recover from, but it is possible. There are millions of people who have recovered from Opium addiction. A good place to go when trying to recover from Opium addiction when you are done with treatment is a 12-step fellowship.
When you are in the fellowship and working the 12-steps your chances of long term sobriety and recovery increase dramatically. Even though you have learned a thousand things in treatment about your Opium addiction, it doesn’t mean you are cured. It is important to maintain your addiction because the disease can start talking in your mind at any time and without the support of the 12-step fellowship it may be difficult to say no to the high. The recovery community will be more than happy to take you in and involve you with all the fun activities that make recovery a ball.
- How Do I Recover from Opium Addiction?
Inpatient treatment is possibly the best way to recover from an Opium addiction, followed up with support groups like the 12-step program. - Will I Be Bored in Opium Recovery?
If you attend Opium support groups, you will connect with many people, attend various events and participate in numerous activities.
Dangers of Opium Overdose
It only takes one time to overdose on Opium. Your last time could be your last time- it’s not a game. Every overdose does not end in death, but the health complications of an overdose can be very detrimental. Some of the signs of an overdose are: slow breathing, unconsciousness, weakness, dizziness, limp body, clammy skin, vomiting, weak pulse, blue lips or fingernails, and seizures.
There are many risk factors that could increase your chances of an overdose also. If you have been sober for a period of time and decide to go back to using Opium your chances of an overdose increase because you may not realize how quickly your tolerance goes down and will try to use the same amount you did before you got sober. Another risk factor of on Opium overdose is abusing other substances with Opium such as Benzodiazepines or Alcohol. Both benzos and alcohol are depressants like Opium so they can increase the chances of an overdoes because it could be too many substances depressing your body at once. Also read about The Dangers of Mixing Opium and Alcohol
More than 13 million people worldwide use opium.
Regardless of how the overdose happened or what you or a friend did to overdose you need to call emergency services immediately. Emergency services will then take your vitals and if needed give you Naloxone, otherwise known as Narcan, to reverse the effects of the Opium in your body. There are many states that offer Naloxone as a prescription for people who don’t feel ready to stop using. So, if you aren’t quite ready to stop using but want to make sure you don’t overdose, give your doctor a call to talk with him or her about Naloxone. – Learn More
Opium Addiction and Abuse
Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious problem in the world we live in. Addiction doesn’t discriminate against age, religion, race or social class. It is a disease that effects people of all kinds, whether they grew up around it or are a business man trying to catch a break. All drugs and Alcohol are very dangerous and can cause a multitude of health problems, overdose or death. Opium and all of the Opium based substances are in the lead of the most addictive drugs available to man today.
Just like Alcohol and Cocaine, Opium will bring you its most damaging effects to your brain, behaviors and personality. Opium is highly capable of rewiring the brain to alter your morals, views on the world, actions, and beliefs.
Opium addiction is very dangerous and will not just alter your mind and change your behaviors, Opium will give you lasting physical effects that can cause death with long-term abuse. When you try Opium for the first time, you are dancing with the devil. There is no such thing as only using Opium once in a blue moon. You do it once and have the risk of entering the vicious cycle of addiction that will take your ability to function away from you within a blink of an eye.
The scary fact about Opium is that it comes in many different forms. Doctors prescribe it to patients in pain hoping they don’t become addicted and dealers on the street sell it to those who were unfortunate enough to become addicted. The street drugs and prescription medications that are Opium based are: Heroin, Morphine, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and Percodan.
The majority of drugs Opium produces are legal, if prescribed by a doctor for pain relief. However, with the drugs ability to interact with the chemicals in your brain, you still have the chance on becoming addicted and moving to something stronger like Heroin. There are individuals who are using these prescription Opium based medications to mask their emotions and escape reality. When using Opium based medication in that manner your risk of addiction increases considerably.
The brain can develop an addiction easily when someone is using Opium because of its ability to relieve mental and physical pain. Opium has a power to increase the amount of chemicals to relieve pain throughout the brain. These chemicals then have the ability to interrupt the nerve signals sent to the brain which prevents or reduces the chances of you feeling pain.
When your body stops feeling pain, it builds a tolerance, causing you to use more Opium to get the same effect as you did in the beginning. Taking larger doses of Opium will “fix” your problem and give you the desired effect you are looking for, however your chances of not becoming addicted go out the window.
By the time you have decided to stop you could have already lost your home, children, spouse, job, and everything you built for yourself because in the moment of weakness Opium was all that mattered. If you are willing to stop or just can’t find the means to get your fix, your body is going to go into withdrawal. You will now you are starting to withdrawal when you feel: insomnia, cramps, muscle aches, chills, hit flashes, nausea, headaches, fever, confusion, and constant pain throughout your body.
The only possible way to relieve these symptoms is to get more Opium or go to a doctor and get the proper withdrawal treatment you need. If you chose to get more Opium before you get help, life is only going to get worse. If you haven’t already lost everything, prepare yourself to do so.
Addiction to Opium can make you steal for means to get more, neglect your family and loved ones, lose your job, or have a run-in with the law. Once you have had enough and want help it is available. There is no cure to the disease of Opium addiction, it can, however, be maintained with the proper tools and treatment. Your treatment process will usually start off with a period of medically assisted detox.
A medically assisted detox will keep you safe and comfortable as a doctor prescribes you medication to slowly ween you off of Opium which will prevent you from feeling the severity of the withdrawals. Once you have detoxed you are ready to actually heal your mind and soul with Opium rehab treatment.
In Opium rehab treatment, you will learn about the disease of addiction and get to the root of your problem and work through these problems so they don’t come up again in the future. You will also learn how to combat triggers and stressors of everyday life to prevent relapse in the future. Your treatment should come with a strong aftercare program to ensure your recovery long after treatment. If you or a loved one are seeking for treatment for your Opium addiction, or any addiction, give us call. You will be able to talk to someone who has fought the battle of addiction and won. They will be able to explain to you what treatment will be like and how it can help you begging a new life in recovery.
- Why Should I Go to Group Therapy for Opium Treatment?
Group therapy will show you that you are not alone in fighting Opium addiction. - Is Group Therapy for Opium Addiction Helpful?
Group therapy with will not only help you learn how to express your feelings on Opium addiction, but it will also help you form lasting and healthy friendships.
Group Therapy for Opium Recovery
In the group therapy sessions, people will get the opportunity to hear each other process their emotions together. This experience can liberate people who feel isolated and alone within their addiction. Realizing that their thoughts aren’t so crazy or their perspective isn’t so wild can help free them to trust and love people again. It is normal for people in early recovery to stress about their emotions because they have been masking their emotions for so long with Opium.
When emotions crop up it may be scary for these people to express them because they have once again suppressed them and isolated for the majority of their life. When you isolate in your addiction, you aren’t really looking for anyone to talk to about your problems. You would rather keep them silent and keep using Opium to take the pain away. In group therapy, you are pushed to express how you feel to other people. This will not only help you to recover in treatment but will help you when you graduate treatment.
Expressing your emotions will become normal to you and you won’t be as scared to ask for help when you need it. Another dimension of group therapy is experiential, where the client gets to go through hands-on experience with yoga, art or fitness therapy. These classes will help you find a hobby or an escape other than Opium. It will also show you there are more than enough things to keep you occupied in your recover and you won’t be bored like you thought. The last aspect of group therapy is educational, where the client learns the various coping mechanisms to deal with recovery when they leave treatment.
Family Therapy for Opium Recovery
One of the best ways to ensure that a client maintains lasting sobriety is healing the family. It is very common for the Opium abuse to effect not just the user but the family as a whole. The addicted loved one could have stolen, fought or said mean things to another family member which can cause damage to the heart. So, it is not only the addicted loved one that needs to recover, it is the family as a whole that needs to recover in order to move on.
The family unit is one of the most important cogs in the wheel of recovery. Making sure that the family is equipped to deal with the client as they leave treatment goes a long way in making sure that there’s a safety net. Having family support is one of the biggest motivators for Opium addicted people to keep up with their recovery and fight through the bad days. In the therapy sessions, a family members will meet with a therapist to go over various issues in a conversational not argumentative format. This will give everyone the chance to talk about the negative things that caused harm because of the user’s active addiction.
The therapist will be able to teach the family more about the disease of addiction to help the family understand the Opium abuser didn’t mean to cause harm. It was his or her addiction taking over their mind, body, and soul. With the help of treatment, the family needs to understand the addicted individual will move away from old behaviors and trade them in for positive behaviors. With the family understanding the disease, the therapist will set up goals and inspire positive behavior.
- Why Should I Attend Family Therapy?
You will build a stronger bond with your family and repair any damage caused from Opium addiction. - What Will Family Therapy Help?
When you abuse Opium, you may have caused your family great harm. Going to therapy can help your family see you are changing and they will give you their full support.
True Stories of Addiction: Jeff’s Story
Your loved one feels isolated and alone in their fight against their addiction. Give them the backup that they need. Holding an intervention for a loved one not only brings their problem to the surface, but shows them that people still care about them. They might be in denial with other people, but most people who have a substance abuse problem are not in denial with themselves. Deep down inside, they know they need help. If you show them that they have support if they decide to get that help, they will be more willing to go to rehab. Let them know that you are not giving up on them.
Seeking help for a loved one.
- Will Inpatient Treatment Help my Opium Addiction?
Inpatient treatment is one of the most effective ways to recover from Opium addiction. - How Long is Opium Inpatient Treatment?
The length of your stay in an inpatient program depends on your Opium addiction and the program you choose to go to.
Inpatient Opium Rehab
An inpatient treatment facility is where the user checks into a program that can range from 30, 60 to 90 days. The length an Opium abuser will stay depends on how much they used, their past traumas, and the severity of their addiction. An intake specialist will make sure the Opium abuser is given enough time to properly recover. Once the addicted individual has met with the intake specialist, they will be put into a medically assisted detox.
In detox, a doctor will utilize different medication to manage the severe withdrawal symptoms Opium abuse comes with. The medication will safely ween him or her off of Opium, allowing them to have a clear mind once they enter the therapy stage of their rehab stay. One-on-one therapy, group therapy, addiction education, and cognitive behavioral therapy are often practiced while an Opium addicted individual is in rehab. These therapies combined will get to all the problems that triggered the Opium abuse in the first place.
Getting down to these problems will prevent relapse in the future as well. Checking into an inpatient treatment program can be difficult for some, but it has the highest success rate for lasting recovery. This is attributed to removing the addict from the people, places and things that they have relied upon to sustain their addiction. It also shows that there is a life outside of addiction. Rehab can work for anyone as long as there are willing to fight through their addiction. Call us today to find the right inpatient treatment for you or your loved one. – Learn More
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient treatment is where the addict travels to a facility multiple times a week to participate in group therapy and individual therapy. This level of treatment is works best after someone has already undergone an inpatient detoxification process, thus removing the withdrawal symptoms for the person entering the program. Because of the chemical make-up of Opium, it is extremely hard to quit without the help of medical professionals.
Outpatient programs leave people in their surroundings, allowing them to continue with work, school and family obligations so it is imperative that the person be willing to do whatever it may take in order to recover. These facilities usually make attendance of 12-step programs a requirement since they have been proven to work in the lives of millions of addicts. Outpatient rehab works for many people but they have to actively participate in their recovery. Because outpatient is not as intensive as inpatient it may be difficult for the Opium addicted individual to stay sober.
It may be hard for him or her to live life and travel past places they used to get high daily just to get the treatment they need in order to recover. So, if possible, the addicted individuals should participate in inpatient rehab and follow up with outpatient. This will give them the time they need to recover mentally and physically before they are in the outside world. If the option of inpatient isn’t available, still go to outpatient. You can recover as long as you are willing. – Learn More
- Will Outpatient Help my Opium Addiction?
Yes. Outpatient will help your Opium addiction, but works best if you attend inpatient rehab first. - When Should I go to Outpatient Rehab?
When you are ready to recover from your Opium addiction, you should go to inpatient treatment and follow it up with outpatient rehab.
