Opium is a substance that is derived from the poppy plant and which causes a euphoric state when smoked or eaten. The drug is considered a narcotic and was widely abused throughout Chinese culture for hundreds of years before the dangers of addiction were first noticed. Opium addiction has led to life-threatening consequences, dangerous illness and a world of hurt for millions of people. If you or someone you know is addicted to opium, addiction treatment is available to help you get well.
Opium addiction treatment helps people who live with opium addiction to quit using this dangerous drug and get back on track to a happy, healthy, drug free life. Historically, opium has been used to reduce pain, promote relaxation and induce sleep but in the late 17 hundreds, the Chinese realized that opium is actually a highly addictive substance which leads to physical dependence and a range of withdrawal symptoms.
Opium addiction treatment programs focus first on the treatment of withdrawal symptoms and then on the psychological elements of the addiction. Detox is the first step of any treatment program and consists of a period of time in which opium is not used and the user gradually overcomes physical dependence on the drug. The opium detoxification phase can last anywhere from 5 days to about 2 weeks depending on the severity of the addiction and the level of drug use.
Following detox, the patient will be treated for the psychological elements of the addiction which may include depression, anxiety or other conditions. Counseling and therapy will take place to provide effective treatment for the underlying reasons or problems that led to the opium use as well as for any co-occurring conditions or prevalent disorders which have resulted from the sustained opium use.
Often times, a user will relapse many times before he or she finally gets effective help that works. Unfortunately, addiction is like many other medical conditions in that most patients only follow through with the treatment protocol about 50% of the time. This means that there’s a 50% chance of recovery with each time that opium addiction treatment is completed. The dangers of continuing to abuse opium are too significant to let treatment slip away – left untreated, opium addiction can lead to:
- Mental illness
- Physical health problems
- Menstrual irregularity
- Infection
- Coma
- Reduced sex drive
- Collapsed veins
- Death
Many of the side effects of opium addiction will go away on their own with time (and abstinence from drug abuse). Unfortunately, even opium addiction treatment can’t fix all of the long term effects of opium addiction which is why it’s so important to seek help as soon as possible if you or someone you know is abusing opium or any opium derivatives such as heroin or morphine. As time & the addiction progress, the treatment protocol needed to overcome the addiction will be more invasive and the long term effects associated with the drug abuse will also be more invasive.
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Opium addiction is a serious condition that affects millions of people. We can connect you with a counselor that can help you get well and overcome the strongholds of opium addiction once and for all.
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