Do I Need Treatment for Opium Addiction?

If you are concerned that you might be addicted to opium, you should consider formal opium addiction treatment. Many individuals become quickly addicted to opium when they use it recreationally, and often, treatment is the only answer. Ask yourself if you might need treatment for opium addiction.

Opium Addiction Treatment

Opium is an addictive drug that people often abuse recreationally for the euphoric high and pain relief it causes. According to Harvard Medical School, “Opiates are outranked only by alcohol as humanity’s oldest, most widespread, and most persistent drug problem.” And because opium is a natural substance that comes directly from the poppy plant and not a synthetically created drug, abusers sometimes do not realize just how dangerous it can be.

Treatment can help change the course of your addiction.

Attending opium addiction treatment can help you change the way you think about your addiction and get on the right path to recovery. You will also receive medication that will curb your withdrawal symptoms from opium and your cravings for the drug as well. You will attend one-on-one therapy and group sessions in order to help prepare you to live without the use of opium. This type of addiction treatment program can be incredibly beneficial to opium addicts, but first you should know if you are truly addicted to opium.

Ask Yourself

Opium addiction treatment is best for those individuals who cannot stop abusing opium on their own. Some people can stop their abuse, but once you become truly addicted, it can be extremely hard and often impossible to do so without help. Ask yourself these questions to decide whether or not you are addicted to opium.

• Do I abuse opium every day?
• Do I abuse opium even when I am alone?
• When I am not on opium, do I feel abnormal or not like myself?
• Am I only happy when I am on opium?
• Have I ever experienced withdrawal symptoms when I was unable to get more of the drug, such as
  • Runny nose?
  • Fever?
  • Muscle and bone pains?
  • Anxiety?
  • Irritability?
  • Insomnia?
  • Vomiting?
  • Diarrhea?
• Has my abuse of opium ever caused extreme work, school, family, relationships, legal, or financial issues in my life?
• Did I continue to keep taking or smoking opium in spite of these issues?
• Do I often feel that I am not in control of my opium use?
• Have I stopped spending time with people I once cared about and now only want to spend time with those who also abuse opium?
• Have I stopped caring about things that were once important to me in favor of taking or smoking more opium?
• Do I neglect my responsibilities and even my health and hygiene in order to smoke more opium?
• Do I feel that I could not stop abusing opium, even if I wanted to?

If you answered yes to many of these questions, you are likely already addicted to opium and should attend opium addiction treatment as soon as possible. But even if you are not already addicted, you may want to attend treatments like support groups or speak to your doctor. Stopping opium abuse is very difficult and can be even more so when you are addicted. According to the NIDA, “addiction is a complex illness,” and treatment can help.