The opioid epidemic is taking more and more lives each year, but there are many challenges when trying to get clean. Achieving recovery can be even more difficult while trying to balance the pressures of grades, sports, friends, and other aspects of teen life. The withdrawals from opioids can be extremely difficult and often lead teens back to the drugs. Luckily, they can get help for their withdrawals so they can recover, but first, they need to understand opioid withdrawal symptoms.
Why Do Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms Happen?
The human body is extraordinarily complex and has many systems in place to help you function and feel well. One of the ways it does this is by maintaining homeostasis based on what substances you introduce to your body. When you’re regularly taking opioids, the balance in your body and mind changes, so it becomes dependent. Opioids act by attaching to specific receptors in your brain, and the body doesn’t know what to do when they’re gone.
Depending on your tolerance and the type of opioids you’re taking, the symptoms of withdrawal can vary. For some people, the opioid withdrawal symptoms can happen in a matter of hours as the drug leaves your system. When the drug is leaving your system, your brain begins to misfire and cause a variety of issues. When it comes to opioids, the symptoms are both physical as well as psychological and can include the following:
- Nausea
- Cold sweats
- Anxiety
- Irritability
- Aches and Pains
Why Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms Lead to Relapse
One of the biggest mistakes that people make is trying to deal with their symptoms of withdrawal on their own. For some people, they want to quit cold turkey in an effort to prove they are stronger than the drugs. The problem is that addiction is an extremely powerful disease that makes you justify and rationalize getting high again. During the symptoms of withdrawal, your mind, as well as your body, are craving the drug more than ever.
Due to the harsh symptoms of withdrawal, many people turn back to the drug simply to begin feeling well again. When you relapse, it can leave you feeling defeated, making you just want to continue your addiction. The feeling of hopelessness is one of the main reasons why people don’t try to get clean in the first place. If you’re struggling to get clean and stay clean, the best thing you can do is go to an opioid addiction treatment program in Los Angeles CA.
Getting Help for Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms
If you have a teen who is struggling with opioid addiction, there is help available through a qualified treatment facility. Now that you understand how opioid withdrawal works, it’s important to know how a treatment center can help.
Destinations for Teens is a dual diagnosis treatment center that helps teens recover and live the life they deserve. Addiction is a progressive disease, so your child has a much better chance of recovering from opioid withdrawal symptoms and addiction. Our program specializes in mental health as well, so we’ll help your teen discover why they’re turning to substances in the first place. Once we find the root of the problem, we can help the entire family support one another on this road to recovery. Some of the programs we offer include:
For more information on how to fight back against opioid withdrawal symptoms, give us a call today at 877.466.0620.