Opioids are powerful, potentially dangerous, and highly addictive substances. When used as directed for legitimate medical purposes under the close supervision of a qualified healthcare provider, some opioids can be beneficial. But there is no such thing as completely safe opioid use.
Any opioid use puts people at risk for opioid use disorder, which is the clinical term for opioid addiction. As described by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), opioid abuse and addiction have reached epidemic levels in the United States.
Thankfully, opioid use disorder is a treatable condition. When people receive proper care at a reputable opioid addiction treatment center, they can end their opioid use and achieve long-term recovery.
Signs & Symptoms of Opioid Addiction
Opioid addiction signs and symptoms can be different from person to person. In general, common opioid addiction signs and symptoms include:
- Slurred speech, impaired balance, and poor coordination
- Apparent lack of attention to grooming or personal hygiene
- Prioritizing opioid use over personal or professional responsibilities
- Physical and emotional distress when unable to use opioids
- Continuing to use opioids even after experiencing negative outcomes due to prior use
- Using opioids when it is obviously unsafe to do so, such as in combination with other substances or when driving
- Spending significant amounts of time acquiring, using, and recovering from the use of opioids
- Lying or being otherwise deceptive about the amount and frequency of your opioid use
- Trying to stop using opioids but being unable to do so
Anyone who experiences or exhibits any opioid addiction signs and symptoms may be at risk for considerable harm and should consult with a qualified professional.
Completing an assessment, receiving an accurate diagnosis, and getting professional help at an opioid addiction treatment place can be vital steps on the path to recovery from opioid addiction.
Potential Effects of Opioid Addiction
The potential effects of opioid addiction include considerable harm to a person’s physical, mental, social, and economic well-being. Common opioid addiction effects include:
- Strained or ruined relationships with family members and friends
- Setbacks in school, including failure and expulsion
- Inability to find and keep a job
- Financial problems
- Arrest and incarceration
- Social withdrawal or ostracization
- Damage to liver, kidneys, lungs, and brain
- Hepatitis, HIV/AIDS, and other bloodborne diseases
- Homelessness
- Overdose
- Death
People who do not get the care they need remain in danger of experiencing these and other opioid addiction effects. But when they enter an opioid addiction treatment place, they can make the lifestyle changes that will empower them to end their opioid use and minimize their risk for continued negative effects of opioid addiction.
Opioid Statistics
The following opioid statistics were provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- About 8%-12% of people in the U.S. who begin using opioids to treat chronic pain eventually develop opioid use disorder. (Source: NIDA)
- In 2017, experts estimated that more than 1.7 million Americans were struggling with opioid addiction. (Source: NIDA)
- From 1999-2019, almost 500,000 people in the U.S. died as a result of an opioid overdose. (Source: CDC)
- Opioid overdoses were responsible for about 50,000 deaths in the U.S. in 2019. (Source: NIDA)
- From 2018-2019, the number of deaths in the U.S. that were attributed to synthetic opioids increased by more than 15%. (Source: CDC)
As these opioid statistics indicate, opioid use puts people at risk for significant harm. However, with proper care from an opioid addiction treatment place, they can reduce the likelihood that they will experience continued negative effects of opioid addiction.
Therapies Used in Opioid Addiction Treatment
To be most effective, opioid addiction treatment should be both comprehensive and personalized.
Centers that offer personalized opioid addiction treatment plans that include multiple types of therapy for opioid addiction can address the full scope of a person’s needs while also helping them make the specific lifestyle changes that will empower them to achieve their individual goals.
At Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital, personalized opioid addiction treatment plans may include therapies such as:
- Psychoeducation groups
- Process groups
- Individual therapy
- Activity therapy
- Family sessions
- Milieu therapy
When multiple opioid addiction therapies are incorporated into a comprehensive, personalized plan, patients will be best prepared to establish a solid foundation for long-term recovery from opioid addiction.
How to Choose an Opioid Addiction Treatment Center
Choosing an opioid addiction treatment center is a matter of identifying the scope of your needs and determining which provider is best prepared to address those needs.
Quality, reputable opioid addiction treatment centers will offer features such as:
- Thorough intake assessments and detailed discharge plans
- Personalized opioid addiction treatment plans
- Comprehensive services to treat co-occurring mental health concerns
- Multiple forms of evidence-based, research-supported therapies for opioid addiction
- Compassionate professionals
- Family support services
- Referrals to step-down opioid addiction treatment programs if needed
When you are in the process of choosing an opioid addiction treatment center, remember that there is no single perfect approach to opioid addiction treatment. What’s most important is finding the opioid addiction treatment place that best meets your needs, goals, preferences, and expectations.
Benefits of Receiving Opioid Addiction Treatment
The many benefits of receiving opioid addiction treatment at Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital include:
- Working with an interdisciplinary team of experienced professionals
- Being in a safe and welcoming place where you and your family will be treated with dignity and respect
- Identifying and addressing the co-occurring concerns that may have contributed to your opioid use or been exacerbated by your struggles with opioid addiction
- Receiving the comprehensive, personalized opioid addiction treatment plan that addresses the full scope of your needs
- Beginning to develop the skills and strategies that will help you resist relapse and remain in recovery from opioid addiction
- Having a discharge plan to guide your continued progress after you transition out of our opioid addiction treatment center
When you’re ready to begin your journey to long-term recovery from opioid addiction, Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital is here for you.
This content was written on behalf of and reviewed by the clinical staff at Glenwood Behavioral Health Hospital.