Drug Rehabilitation for Painkillers

Painkiller addiction is often misunderstood. While chronic pain patients may need frequent painkillers to live a pain-free existence, questions can arise concerning how many painkillers are too many---and when rehabilitation is needed.

Misconceptions

• Christopher Gharibo, director of pain medicine at the NYU Langone Medical School and NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases, reported to WebMD that anyone can become dependent on a medication, but that doesn't mean the person is addicted. Susan Weiss, Ph.D., chief of the science policy branch at the National Institute on Drug Abuse, told WebMD that if a patient has withdrawal symptoms when painkillers are stopped, the patient needs a doctor's assistance but isn't necessarily addicted.

Identification

• Scott Fishman, M.D., professor of anesthesiology and chief of the division of pain medicine at the University of California-Davis School of Medicine, defined addiction for WebMD as a chronic disease, typically defined by compulsive use of a drug that causes harm and/or dysfunction and continued use of that drug despite the harm produced.

Effects

• When someone is addicted to painkillers, the addiction is often clear to others because the person uses the painkillers recreationally (at parties, etc.). Where it gets tricky, says WebMD, is when someone does have chronic pain and is constantly increasing his dosage; this could be a sign of addiction or could be a sign that the disease is getting worse.

Rehabilitation Options

• Breaking free from painkiller addiction takes more than sheer willpower; medications and therapy help improve a person's chance of kicking the addiction. Common treatment options include 12-step programs and cognitive behavioral therapy.

Rapid Detox Programs

• Programs known as "rapid detox" purport to quicken the detox and opioid withdrawal process by giving big doses of opioid-blocking drugs; sometimes a person is put under with a general anesthesia for this. According to WebMD, these programs are controversial and considered more dangerous than other programs while not proving to be more effective.

Medication Types

• Because painkiller withdrawal is often very taxing on a person's body and mind, certain medications can be used to help the body with cravings and other physical symptoms, while other medications can relax the mind and make rehabilitation easier overall. Methadone, buprenorphine (suboxone) and clonidine are often used as part of the rehabilitation process. Methadone, which is the most well-known, is known to eliminate withdrawal symptoms such as drug cravings, nausea, mood swings and diarrhea.