Passionflower Herbs in an Opiate Detox

Detoxification from an opiate addiction is a long, painful and serious process. There are many treatments available to help facilitate an opiate detox, including a number of opiate blockers and herbal medicines to help reduce the withdrawal symptoms. In select studies, passionflower has shown to help ease the mental pain associated with physical withdrawal from opiates.

Opiates

• Opium works in the body as an artificial endorphin. The alkaline molecules in opium (and other opiates, such as morphine, heroin, codeine and demerol) have nearly identical chemical structures as natural endorphins (enkephalins) that the body self-produces as a defense mechanism to handle pain in order to perform needed tasks. (Endorphins are produced during high physical activity, such as running, a left-over trait from times when running meant safety from predators.) The body receives the chemical through nerve-receptors that are shaped specifically to fit the molecular shape of endorphin. As opiates have a nearly identical chemical structure, they can also fit into the nerve-receptors and produce the same pain-killing effect.

Painful Dependency

• Due to opium's ability to take the place of naturally-produced painkillers, regular use of opium (or any opiate) causes the brain to stop producing the neurotransmitters that create the natural endorphins. Therefore, users become both psychologically and physiologically dependent on the drug as a result of the body's inability to relieve its own pain naturally. Habitual use of opiates creates physical dependency as the body literally is in unrepairable pain without the drug. Psychological dependency can grow from extreme physical dependency.

Passionflower Herbs

• Passionflower herb is considered to be one of nature's natural anti-anxiety medications. The herb contains flavonoids, sterols, cholorogenic acid and alkaloids. When extract is taken from the leaves, the substance proves to provide anti-anxiety relief. In a blind study, passionflower extract proved equally effective at relieving anxiety disorders in patients as did the prescription treatment oxazepam. Passionflower herbs can be found and purchased in tea and extract forms.

Detoxification

• Withdrawal symptoms from opioids is difficult and painful. Symptoms include flu-like tremors, vomiting, insomnia, high blood pressure, sweating, chills, leg trembling and cramps. There are several proven options for the treatment of opiate addiction, these include the opiate blockers methadone, a synthetic opioid; LAAM (levo-alpha-acetyl-methadol), which is similar to methadone though only lasts 72 hours; Naltrexone and Clonidine.

  There have been very few studies on the effects of passionflower herbs with regard to opiate withdrawal. In 2001, Dr. Shahin Akhondzadeh published a study from the Tehran University of Medical Sciences in Iran that concluded that passionflower herbs, when combined with clonidine, help to reduce the physical symptoms of the opiate withdrawal process, and acts as a therapeutic pain reliever for the mental (psychological) pains of addiction withdrawal.

More Help Than Flowers

• If you are are addicted to opiate narcotics or know someone who is, do not use this article for rehabilitation. Help is available from support groups, resource hot lines, in patient and out patient rehab clinics and doctors who know how to prescribe safe dosage amounts of medication per individual.

  The opiate Addiction Help Line can help you find resources and shoulders in your area.

  877-947-5900
  www.addiction-help-line.com/opiate_addiction.html