Opiate detox is the process of gradually withdrawing from an opiate such as heroin. Opiates are powerful depressants that take over your whole central nervous system. They suppress your higher brain functions, making you feel drowsy and lethargic. These depressant effects are caused by opioid binding to opioid receptors in the brain. Opioid drugs bind very tightly to these receptors, blocking the action of other neurotransmitters in the brain such as dopamine and serotonin, which are responsible for feelings of well-being and security.
When you first use an opiate, it usually has a benign effect on you because it doesn’t have a high concentration of this drug like other opiates such as prescription painkillers or heroin does. Therefore, when you first use it, it has little to no chance of producing any long-term effects on your body or mind. However, once you continue using the opiate for an extended period of time and its concentration increases because more of this drug enters the market every day or because new batches replace old ones — then it starts to produce negative effects on you and those around you.
How Does Opiate Detox Work?
As you continue using an opiate, its concentration in your blood increases to dangerous levels. This results in the brain flooding with this drug and it starts “burning” the other neurotransmitters that were supplying it with these feelings of security. This causes a variety of negative effects on you and those around you. The first experience of this is what’s called “withdrawal”. Once the opiate binds to receptors in your brain, you start producing more of the brain’s natural chemicals. This includes the so called “endorphins” that are responsible for feelings of well-being and pleasure.
When you feel these feelings, you are reminded of the opiate’s positive effects on you. This causes the brain to crave this drug, causing you to feel addicted. After a few weeks of using an opiate, your brain starts to adapt and stop producing these chemicals. You start feeling less pleasure and well-being, which is also associated with the negative side effects of this drug. This is because the brain is now “using” these natural chemicals for a higher purpose; it’s trying to stop you from feeling the negative effects of this drug. This is also called “withdrawal”.
When Should You Attempt Opiate Detox?
Many people wonder when would be a good time to attempt a detox from opiates. If you are using opiates for medical purposes, you should consult your doctor and see if a detox is appropriate for you. Many people who are looking to opiate detox aren’t in a medical situation. Instead, they are narcotics users who have become dependent on opiates. For example, if you have been taking opiates daily for one year and you suddenly stop using them, then you’ll have mild withdrawal symptoms.
But if you have been taking them for years, then this detox will be quite severe, causing you to feel quite anxious and afraid. So when should you attempt a detox from opiates? It isn’t good to detox when you are severely dependent on this drug. A better approach is to detox when you have been using for a few years, but are still able to function normally in society.
Why Do Some People Need Opiate Detox?
There are many reasons why you may need to attempt a detox from opiates. A few of the most common are:
- You are receiving an opiate prescription from a doctor. If you’ve been using opiates for some time and your doctor suddenly stops prescribing them, then you’ll need to detox from the drugs in your system. You’ll need to detox for a set period of time to be sure that you don’t get a relapse.
- You are addicted to opiates. If you have been addicted to opiates for a number of years, you may become addicted during detox. This can be a dangerous situation because you’ll be very anxious, which may cause you to seek out more dangerous drugs.
- You are addicted to prescription painkillers. If you have been using prescription painkillers such as Percocet, Vicodin, or Oxycontin, you may become dependent during detox.
Can Opiate Detox Cause Feelings of Fear or Anxiousness?
Many people who attempt a detox from opiates find that it causes feelings of fear or anxiousness. This is usually the most intense part of detox, but it is also temporary. Many people who have attempted a detox from opiates say that it is the scariest experience of their whole lives. When you try to quit an opiate, your brain goes into overdrive trying to “protect” you from this feeling of fear.
This causes many uncomfortable symptoms such as shaking, sweating, nausea, and vomiting. But once your detox is complete, your brain will calm down and you’ll be able to function normally again. You will be able to sleep normally and feel more secure in your life.
Final Words
Many people wonder if there is any such thing as opiate detox. We will answer this question right now and say that there is no such thing as opiate detox, but there are ways to detox from heroin and other opiates. The truth is that detoxing from heroin or any other opiate is dangerous and should be done under medical supervision. There are many dangers lying in wait for a person who wants to attempt this detox on their own. We hope that you will reconsider attempting a detox on your own. This is a dangerous process that can lead to severe anxiety, you may also end up getting re-addicted to heroin. We strongly recommend that you seek help from a medical professional. If you want to know more about going to detox or if you want help finding a detox program near you, call 833-497-3812 today.