Opioid or painkiller addiction isn’t a mental or moral weakness. Addiction stems from chemical changes in the brain after prolonged painkiller use. Even men who acquire painkillers through a legitimate prescription can easily develop an addiction. Breaking free from pain pill addiction isn’t easy, and it takes much more than willpower.
Painkiller Addiction and Physical Dependence
Painkiller addiction starts with a chemical change in the brain. While this chemical change helps the body deal with pain, it’s affecting same area of the brain responsible for emotional reward. Painkillers overly stimulate the brain’s reward sensors, which leads to physical dependence and subsequent addiction. If men attempt to stop painkiller abuse abruptly, withdrawal symptoms begin to appear.
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Depending upon various factors, painkiller withdrawal symptoms range from slightly uncomfortable to outright dangerous. They can include:
- Body aches
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Chills
- Diarrhea
- Agitation
- Increased irritability
- Cravings
These withdrawal symptoms may last anywhere from just a few hours to a few days. In some cases, they may even last for weeks. It all depends on how long and how much people take. Even after the physical symptoms finally subside, lingering mental discomfort is not uncommon.
Psychotherapy to Treat Painkiller Addiction
Psychotherapy is one effective addiction treatment technique. In general, psychotherapies treat addiction by exploring feelings and behaviors. The goal is to discover what triggers men to use drugs.
Finding out triggers painkiller abuse is one of the first steps toward preventing relapse. These forms of addiction therapy help men recognize situations, behaviors or even people they should avoid. In the end, it gives them the tools needed to make positive decisions.
One type of psychotherapy is cognitive behavioral therapy. This focuses on identifying negative feelings and behaviors in people’s lives. The goal is to replace the negative behaviors with positive ones to form better habits. In many situations, this reduces the chance of relapse.
12-Step Recovery Plan
A comprehensive 12-Step program during treatment can definitely aid in painkiller addiction recovery. While these recovery plans vary slightly between rehab centers, the best treatment centers usually offer some kind of 12-step plan. There’s no set timeline for how long it takes to complete these plans because they invite men to experience recovery at their own pace.
The first step in these recovery plans is perhaps the most important. When men admit that they’re powerless to painkiller addiction alone, sets the tone for achieving sustainable recovery.
Getting Painkiller Addiction Help at Serenity Lodge
Trying to tackle addiction alone is recipe for failure. You need to seek the support and guidance of a rehab center with the knowledge and experience to show you the way. At Serenity Lodge in California, we focus on putting the needs of our male Clients first. We offer a number of effective, life-changing treatment programs, including:
- Individual counseling
- Group sessions
- Dual diagnosis
- Residential treatment
- Intensive outpatient
- 12-Step program
Don’t let pain pill abuse control your life or the life of a loved one. Call Serenity Lodge today at (855) 932-4045 to learn about the support you need to overcome your addiction.
