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Is Opiate Addiction Curable?

Opiate addiction is a serious medical issue, and creates physical and psychological problems for users. Addiction is not simple, and consists of many factors (including social, physical and emotional issues). Treatment is possible, and can be very successful.

  1. Addiction

    • Addiction to opiates is a complex issue, involving many social stigmas and physical conditions. Dependence on a drug creates tolerance, which creates a greater need for an opiate, and causes greater withdrawal symptoms once the opiate use is discontinued.

    Treatment or Cure?

    • Treatment is the best path for resolving an opiate addiction--there are no instant cures or easy fixes for addiction. However, many treatment options do exist for opiate addiction.

    Medications

    • Medications exist to aid in quitting opiates, mostly to help alleviate physical withdrawal symptoms during treatment. Both methadone and buprenorphine are used to diminish painful withdrawal so that recovery can focus more on psychological, social and emotional aspects of opiate addiction.

    Therapy

    • Along with medications and physical issues, therapy and group support systems (such as Narcotics Anonymous), help recovering users focus on the reasons they became addicted to opiates, and deal with those issues to avoid relapse.

    Relapse

    • Relapse occurs when, either during recovery or after quitting, a person starts using pain killers again, and even gets addicted another time.

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