Opioid Addiction

At Mid Hudson Addiction Recovery, we are committed to helping you overcome barriers to your recovery so you can receive appropriate opioid addiction treatment.

Opioid Addiction Treatment in New York

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States, and opioids are at the forefront. Of about 50,000 lethal drug overdoses that occur each year, opioid pain relievers or heroin causes more than 60%.

Recently, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) issued an alert about the epidemic of drug overdose deaths in the country. The public health crisis is quite severe, as opioid overdoses have quadrupled since 1999 to more than 500,000 deaths in 2015. That equals 91 Americans dying each day from opioid overdoses alone.

The epidemic is also fueled by an increase in the sales of prescription pain opioids. These legal opioids have accounted for more than 183,000 deaths in the last decade. In addition, more than 1000 Americans are treated in emergency rooms for prescription opioids abuse every day. The most commonly abused prescription opioids are oxycodone and hydrocodone. Others are heroin, fentanyl, morphine, and more.

What Are Opioids?

Opium (or poppy tears) is the dried latex extracted from the seed capsules of the opium poppy. It contains a narcotic drug known as opium. Opium is a starting material for some of the most powerful painkillers in modern medicine. Natural derivatives like morphine and codeine have been around since the 19th century.

Semisynthetic opioids are created in labs from natural opioids. Examples are Hydromorphone, Hydrocodone (Vicodin), Oxycodone (brand name OxyContin), and heroin. Synthetic opioids are also available. The popular ones include fentanyl, methadone, and tramadol.

Synthetic opioids are up to 1000 times stronger than natural opioids. Fentanyl itself is 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Besides, illicitly manufactured opioids are often mixed with cocaine and other drugs to increase the drug’s effect. Tramadol and fentanyl have become increasingly popular and lethal.

Opioids work by binding themselves to opioid receptors in the central nervous system. Their chemical structure resembles endorphins. Think of endorphins as natural opioids that our bodies make to relieve pain. They reduce feelings of pain by reducing pain stimuli sent to the brain.

How Opioid Addiction Starts

Often time, opioid addiction – especially prescription opioids – starts in the doctor’s office. From there on, the path is general for almost every addict. After a period of regular use, there is a need to increase the dose to achieve the same high as previously. This increases a user’s tolerance for the drug.

From there on, they must take more of the drug more frequently and at higher doses than before. Otherwise, they risk difficult withdrawal (physical and emotional) symptoms. These include headaches, trembling, chills, bone and muscle pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, nightmares, hallucinations, and depression.

All of these are also accompanied by an intense craving for the same opioid or a stronger one. In the end, addiction becomes more than just experiencing the first euphoria; it is now about avoiding painful withdrawal symptoms. Opioid addiction treatment in NY or out-of-state offers lasting healing and a path to overcoming these withdrawal symptoms.

Addiction Treatment Options

The difficult fact about opioid addiction is that the havoc it wreaks on addicts’ lives, their families, and society cannot be underestimated. When seeking help, you should bear in mind that the road toward recovery is likely to be rocky. What works for one person may not work for another, and relapse is a common problem. However, know you are not alone; your therapist will be there to help you find your way.

Rapid opioid detoxification is an effective prime treatment method of getting addicts clean in the short term. However, emerging from addiction to abstinence is not as simple as detoxing alone in most cases. There is a danger of relapsing without serious intervention.

After detox, intervention comes in different forms of behavioral therapies and routine checkups. The therapies help people change their attitudes and behaviors related to opioid use. It also equips them with skills to combat difficult circumstances and interactions that may trigger a craving for drugs and rewards abstinence.

Find Opioid Addiction Treatment in NY

In 2017, there were 3,224 opioid overdose deaths­­­ in New York. Sadly, each year, only a few addicts receive the treatment that they desperately need. The biggest barrier to getting help is that most users do not believe that they need treatment. Besides, many recovering addicts worry about how long-term treatment will affect their academics, jobs, or families. Proximity to a suitable treatment center is another challenge that others face. Hence, they avoid treatment for as long as possible – which is even more dangerous.

With the help of our resources, you can overcome the challenges associated with opioid addiction. Our addiction experts are always available to discuss your treatment needs and recommend a suitable treatment program among our partner centers. Feel free to contact us.

Addiction Resources for New York

Residents of New York searching for addiction help now have plenty of resources to fight substance abuse. Our team of professionals is here to guide and support you during this difficult time. We work with a variety of Hudson Valley addiction treatment programs personalized to fit your needs:

Find Opioid addiction programs in New York