Painkiller Rehab Program

If someone has recently undergone surgery or suffered a significant injury, their doctor may prescribe painkillers. These medications can help people manage pain levels and treat the underlying issue. However, many painkillers doctors prescribe opioids or opiates, which can become addictive over time. Doctors should inform patients of the dangers of using painkillers when they prescribe them and advise against taking more than the prescription dictates. Unfortunately, even these measures can prove ineffective.

If you have developed an addiction to the medication you've been prescribed, a painkiller rehab program can help you through your recovery journey. Call Sanford Behavioral Health today at 616.202.3326 to learn more about our substance use disorder treatments and their benefits on your recovery.

How Does Painkiller Addiction Occur?

Many painkillers are opiate-based. Opiates are drugs that contain morphine, which is a natural substance that comes from the seed of the opium poppy plain. Morphine can help patients manage their pain levels, as the medication attaches to opiate receptors in the brain, leading to a state of euphoria as well as keeping pain at bay.

Over time, these painkillers can change the way the body functions, resulting in symptoms such as:

• Constipation
• New or worsening mental health concerns, including depression or anxiety
• Increased pain sensitivity
• Lower levels of testosterone
• Less energy on a day-to-day basis

These symptoms will not occur overnight. That said, using painkillers for an extended period can change the person's brain chemistry, causing it to produce less dopamine as it becomes more used to using the drug. Once this change has occurred, the individual may feel like they cannot function without using the drug on a day-to-day basis.

They may also find that they need to take a higher level of the drug to get the same effect. As a result, they may decide to take more than the doctor recommends or try to buy the drug on the black market.

Signs of a Painkiller Addiction

If someone has recently been prescribed a painkiller, it is important for both the person using the medication and their loved ones to monitor their behavior. Dependency can develop slowly, and the person using the medication may not realize that there is an issue until the addiction is fully formed.

There are several criteria that doctors and medical professionals use to determine whether a person is addicted to the medication, including:

• Using more of the medication than prescribed or using them for a longer period of time than the doctor recommends
• Wanting to stop using the drug or having tried to do so but being unsuccessful in their attempt
• Experiencing an intense desire to use painkillers
• Spending extensive time accessing, using, or recovering from the effects of the medications leads to problems fulfilling obligations at work, home, or school
• Having recurred interpersonal or social problems with those around them due to their painkiller abuse

This list is not comprehensive, but it can indicate a problem. If someone suspects that their use of painkillers has transformed into abuse and addiction, our painkiller rehab treatment in Marne, Michigan, can lead the way to recovery.

Learn More About Our Painkiller Rehab Program at Sanford Behavioral Health

At Sanford Behavioral Health, we understand the devastation that painkiller addiction can wreak on a person's life. With a comprehensive treatment program, from detox to outpatient treatment program, those using painkillers can recover the effects of these drugs.

Our treatment center offers a range of behavioral therapy options, such as contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help reinforce long-term recovery. For instance, cognitive-behavioral therapy allows patients to modify their behaviors and learn how to manage stress and other triggers successfully.

For more information on the treatment options available and to learn more about our painkiller rehab program, please contact us by calling us at 616.202.3326.