Family Support During Opioid Addiction

Call Now To Get On The Road To Recovery.

*As required by law, all communications with Resurgence Behavioral Health are HIPAA Compliant and 100% Confidential

What is Family Support During Opioid Addiction?

Addiction to opioids can be a painful personal struggle. However, with a good opiate addiction support system, those facing opioid addiction are more likely to enter recovery, and better equipped to manage the challenge of lasting sobriety from opioid drugs. Opioids are narcotic drugs that are derived from the poppy plant, from which opium was once commonly produced.

Some opioids are now created synthetically, mirroring the same effects as naturally created opioid drugs. All opioids are powerful, and highly addictive, painkillers. While they are often abused for the feelings of euphoria they can create, they also result in depression and serious health consequences for frequent users.

Some examples of opioids include:

• Oxycodone – a semi-synthetic opioid prescribed for pain, Oxycodone is highly addictive and can cause severe liver damage or death when taken in large quantities.
• Fentanyl – a synthetic opioid that is 50 – 100 times more potent than morphine. While it does have clinical uses for extreme pain, it is also commonly abused as a street drug.
• Heroin – derived from morphine, heroin is highly addictive. Though it once had clinical uses, it is now more commonly known as a street drug.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that over 2 million Americans abuse opioids and that more than 90 Americans die from opioid overdose daily. As shocking as these statistics may be, the dangers of opioid addiction are often overlooked. This is because most individuals’ first experience with these drugs is through a pharmacy and not a drug dealer.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2022 more than 130 million opioid prescriptions were dispensed to American patients, including common opioids such as Codeine, Morphine, Vicodin, and Dilaudid. Research has shown that opioids are highly addictive, even when used properly, and the side effects of opioid withdrawal can be dangerous.

As a result, many people who try to stop taking opioids “cold turkey” find that they cannot break their addiction alone. While these individuals need professional recovery assistance, including supervised detoxification, the support of family in pursuing recovery can be critical to long-term success.

Opioid recovery is a long journey. But with the support of family to help encourage behavioral change, it is possible for those experiencing opioid addiction to find lasting sobriety.

Effects of Family Support During Opioid Addiction

It is important that families understand that opioid addiction is not a choice or a weakness. In some cases, this addiction may even start when the drug is used as prescribed. The willingness of family members to resist stigmatization, and listen to their loved one’s recovery needs, can help them find the strength to seek help.

Opioids work by blocking the activity of pain receptors in the brain while triggering the body’s dopamine release response. Dopamine is a hormone released by the body as a reward after positive behaviors, such as exercising, eating, and having fun. This chemical release leads us to want to engage in more of those activities.

But when associated with a drug, this reward response can lead to addiction – even when the substance is taken as prescribed. As the body grows more tolerant of the opioids, more of the opioid is needed to produce the same euphoric or pain-relieving effect, often causing the addict to increase the quantity consumed.

Opioid addiction can have serious health consequences, including increased sickness, greater sensitivity to pain, reduced respiratory activity, cognitive impairment, liver damage, reduced heart rate, and overdose. Efforts to quit taking the opioid will result in withdrawal, including insomnia, anxiety, irritability, muscle aches, congestion, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, and mood swings.

In some cases, these symptoms can be so painful that those in withdrawal have committed suicide, and overall, those with opioids in their system are dramatically more likely to commit self-harm or suicide.

A strong opiate addiction support system can help prevent these tragic outcomes by encouraging the addict’s participation in professional recovery and preventing those struggling with addiction from slipping into isolation.

Mental Illness and Family Support During Opioid Addiction

The use of opioids is common among individuals struggling with mental health disorders. In fact, roughly 16% of Americans have diagnosed mental health disorders, and research indicates that these individuals receive more than half of all opioid prescriptions. However, while opioid addiction can be an issue for those already struggling with mental health issues, evidence indicates that opioid use can also have negative consequences for the mental health of individuals without a history of a mental health crisis.

For example, opioid abuse has been linked to higher rates of depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder in those with no previous indications of those illnesses. These issues arise because opioids slow activity in the brain – an effect that worsens and compounds with time. Depression becomes common with prolonged use, preventing those experiencing addiction to opioids from feeling joy in their daily lives.

Additionally, research on opioids reveals a strong correlation between the use of opioids for longer than 90 days and serious depression. However, studies show that family support can help individuals combat the negative effects of mental illness.

This is yet another way that family support can help loved ones combat opioid addiction. By providing opioid addicts with a caring, stigma-free environment, family support can play a crucial role in helping recovering addicts manage their mental health needs in constructive ways. This can increase the success of long-term recovery and restore peace of mind for those seeking addiction treatment for opioid abuse.

Treatment and Family Support During Opioid Addiction

Opioid addiction is a powerful disease and requires effective treatment to manage its symptoms and underlying causes. Family support can play a pivotal role in helping individuals commit to recovery, and in making sure they remain in professional treatment programs.

For those in recovery centers, the first step will likely be supervised detoxification, to help remove the addictive drugs from their bodies, and to help clear their minds for the recovery programming ahead. There are also prescriptions that can help those struggling with opioid abuse beat their addiction, such as lofexidine and Vivitrol, both of which help those struggling with opioid abuse to resist the urges created by their addiction.

Furthermore, 12-step programs, such as Narcotics Anonymous, as well as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and other evidence-based treatments, can provide additional supports and coping mechanisms for those in recovery. Additionally, family counseling can also be beneficial, empowering those seeking treatment to better connect with their families, and experience the support required to persist through recovery.

Other programs offered may include:

• Peer Support Groups
• Music or Art Therapy
• One to One Counseling
• Nutrition Therapy
• Non-12-step and holistic rehab options
• Spiritual services
• EMDR
• Long-term rehabilitation arrangements
• Aftercare

At Resurgence Behavioral Health, you can build a life free from opioid addiction for yourself and the family you love.

Payment Information

Put your worries aside and get ready to begin your healing journey. Resurgence Behavioral Health accepts most PPO insurance and private forms of payment for treatment, and we even communicate with your insurance provider on your behalf. Just call Resurgence Behavioral Health at 855-458-0050 and begin your journey.

How to Get Help

You are not alone in your journey to sobriety. And with family support, and your treatment team, you can make a lasting recovery. Resurgence Behavioral Health is a safe, judgment-free environment in which you can relax, connect, and find freedom from addiction.

Our experienced team understands what you are facing, and we offer beautiful locations in Costa Mesa, Fountain Valley, Huntington Beach, and Fullerton Hills, to help you heal and recharge. We can assist with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, one to one counseling, 12-step programs, family counseling, spiritual assistance, yoga and so much more, all to help you grow into a new you.

Our evidence-based programs can help you build the coping strategies required to leave a life of addiction behind and to manage issues of mental health in the future. Call Resurgence today and experience freedom from opioid addiction. Your time for healing is now.