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It is common knowledge that opiates are highly addictive. It is also fairly well known that the withdrawal symptoms of quitting or reducing opiate intake are severe and unpleasant. However, there is a mistaken assumption that once a person finishes their detoxification, their addiction to opiates is over. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Detoxification ends the physical dependence that the body and the brain have on opiates, but that does not eradicate the root of an addiction problem. The things that initiate an opiate addiction are deeply rooted in a person's psyche: fear, anxiety, mental disorders and the likes. Many people have gone through opiate detoxification only to return to opiates and become addicted all over again. Do not underestimate how hard it is to defeat addiction. Instead, be prepared for it by understanding how to recover fully.

When an opiate detoxification is complete, a person's body is still in need of repair and permanent lifestyle changes. It is important that the recovering addict compensates for the damage done to their body by following a specific nutrition plan. Their body chemistry is going to need time to recover, and taking in the vitamins and nutrients that they need, their body will eventually have no trace of the damage done through opiates.

The most essential part of an opiate recovery is assuring that the person will not use again. There is no magical method of making a person not want to use. But there are ways of equipping the person with the skills they need to reject their desire to use. Addiction and substance abuse treatment are the most effective proven methods of recovering from an opiate addiction. In treatment, people discover the underlying causes of their opiate addiction and learn cognitive behavioral methods of overcoming it. Medication is given where needed as well, but the change in thought patterns that comes through counseling and mental health exercises is what will keep a person from using again.

Rapid Opiate Detoxification is one of several methods used to detox from use of opiates. The method that an opiate addict selects will be dependent on the severity of their addiction and the guidance of medical opinions. Opiate withdrawal can be dangerous due to the severity of its symptoms and should not be attempted without careful medical evaluation. Some of the detoxification options for an opiate addiction are as follows.

• Medical detox. Medical detoxification from opiates takes place in a hospital or addiction treatment center. This process takes days or even weeks as it is paced gradually over time. The patient is tapered off of opiates and given sedatives and detox medications to fight the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. This is commonly the most recommended way of detoxing for the average case of opiate addiction because it balances the withdrawal symptoms with their remedies and provides necessary medical supervision.
• Stepped rapid detox. This method of detoxification is very similar to a rapid opiate detox but the detoxification medications are given in more spaced out intervals than in the case of rapid opiate detox, as well as being given orally instead of intravenously.
• Outpatient detox. Opiate detoxification that is done through outpatient medical care is usually spaced out over a period of 7 to 14 days. This option works well for people with more mild opiate addictions who are unlikely to experience the extreme withdrawal of a more severe addict.
• Home detox with methadone. For people with decidedly mild opiate addictions, detoxing at home can be a comfortable and recommended option. Rather than leaving the comforts of home to detox in a clinic, an opiate addict can be given a prescription of methadone or another detox medication and instructions for detoxing at home. It is still recommended to have a friend or family available for support when following this method.
• Natural home detox. For very mild cases of opiate addiction in a person who strongly prefers to detox through all natural methods, particularly through a very specific diet, exercise and sleep schedule.

Opiate addiction is a horrible experience for the addict and their loved ones. Opiates are known for being one of the most addictive drugs, both psychologically and physically. The state of euphoria that opiates put people into is highly addictive in its own right, but when a person has become addicted to a prescription opiate, tapering off of it is an extremely hard process.

Opiates are derived from opium, which comes from poppies. They may consist of pure opium, synthetic opiates like Oxycontin or close relatives of opium such as morphine. Opiates are dangerous because they require their user to use ever increasing amounts in order to continue feeling its effects. This applies to people seeking a mind altering state and people seeking relief from pain. This builds a tolerance within a person initially and a dependence within the person ultimately.

Once a person is physically dependent on opiates, meaning the natural opioid sensors in their body do not know how to function without continually receiving opiates, quitting is extremely difficult on a number of levels. Not only are the feelings of relief and escape through opiates addictive in their own right, but the withdrawal symptoms that come with quitting or reducing opiate intake are severe, and can include nausea, vomiting, digestion problems, sleep problems, inability to regulate temperature and extreme mood fluctuation.

Detoxing from opiates is something that should be overseen by medical professionals. Do not attempt to quit opiates without medical supervision because the side effects can be very dangerous. Medication that counteracts the effects of opiate withdrawal is necessary in order to detox safely, as well as a medical professional available to assist in the event of seizure, fainting or illness.

Opiate addiction is a devastating condition, but there is hope for opiate addicts. Thousands of people have pushed through the withdrawal from opiates and recovered from their addiction under the care of addiction treatment professionals. If you or someone you care about is struggling with an opiate addiction, do not hesitate to reach out to an addiction treatment specialist that suits your needs.

There is a wide range of opiate drugs, including prescription and street drugs, that a person may abuse. Opiates are highly addictive because of their euphoric and pain reducing effects, but there are few other drugs that produce as unpleasant of withdrawal symptoms as opiates. Many opiate addicts become physically dependent on opiates and continue taking them just to avoid the withdrawal symptoms. Some of these withdrawal symptoms include:

• Sleeplessness. Opiates severely interrupt a person's natural sleep rhythms and can give them endless nights of sleeplessness and insomnia, which in turn contributes to a number of other symptoms.
• Nausea and vomiting. There are opioid receptors in the gastrointestinal tract that become physically dependent on opiates and aggravate the stomach to the extent of inducing nausea and vomiting when they do not continue to receive opiates.
• Irritability and anxiety. Opiates also throw off a person's brain chemicals as the opioid receptors in the brain become dependent on opiate intake. This can propel a person into a heightened emotional state when they are withdrawing.
• Aches and pains. The entire chemistry of the body is disrupted by opiate dependence and it is common for people to experience muscle spasms, aches and pains through out their body.
• Soft stool. Opiate withdrawal has traumatic impacts on the gastrointestinal tract in the form of diarrhea, constipation, stomach cramps and irregular bowel movements.
• Teary eyes. Opiate withdrawal over activates the tear ducts, causing excessive tear production.
• Dilation of the pupils. This is a well known effect of opiates, but many people do not realize that it can continue into the withdrawal period.
• Chills and goosebumps. Opiate withdrawal affects the skin and a person's ability to regulate their body temperature. Chills, hot flashes, sweats and goosebumps are very common for a person who is withdrawing.
• Nasal drainage. The upper respiratory system is affected by opiate withdrawal, and runny noses and nasal drainage often occur as a result.
• Yawns. Opiate withdrawal cause excessive yawning as the throat muscles attempt to relax and the body attempts to regain its broken sleep rhythm.

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Rapid Opiate Detoxification first emerged in the 1980's. It's purpose was to speed up the recovery time of a hospitalized opiate addict. Initially, it was not administered with anesthesia but other more mild medications that reduced the unpleasant symptoms of withdrawal. It became utilized as a procedure across North America and an attractive detoxification option to opiate addicts, but the medical community as well as the addiction treatment community have mixed feelings about it.

The procedure involves heavily sedating the opiate addict and administering an opioid antagonist medication such as naltrexone. This detoxification process takes a few hours and is typically closely monitored by an anesthesiologist and nursing staff. When the procedure is over, some withdrawal symptoms will likely continue, but they are usually minor and can be treated symptomatically.

In the 30 years that Rapid Opiate Detoxification has been an option to patients, it has been sped up and advanced even further into Ultra Rapid Opiate Detoxification, which is the procedure that utilizes anesthesia. Implementing anesthesia into the process also implemented controversy because any procedure involving anesthesia is controversial. Anesthesia has proven to be very dangerous in many situations because when it is administered, it negates a person's natural physical reflexes that can mean the difference between life and death.

However, Rapid Opiate Detoxification and Ultra Rapid Opiate Detoxification have also proven to be a very beneficial option for many people. A number of people keep using opiates even after they have decided to quit them simply because the withdrawal symptoms are so severe. The ingested opiates attach themselves to proteins in the body called opioid receptors and put the person into a euphoric state. However, the build up of opiates in the body leads to a physical dependence on them, and when the body no longer receives them, it goes through withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, mental confusion, constipation and increased heart rate. Typically, opiate withdrawal symptoms are non-life threatening, but there have been cases where withdrawal symptoms were so severe that they have sent people into fatal seizures.