The Long-Term Approach to Opioid Addiction Recovery

It rarely takes a moment to get addicted to opioids, and it rarely takes a moment to get unaddicted to them. Yet people enter treatment facilities thinking that after decades of reliance upon the substances, in just 30 days things will somehow be better. But such thinking sets an individual up for failure if the reality of opioids is that they require a long-term, sometimes months to years, rather than weeks, treatment solution.

It’s not about willpower – or a lack thereof – in such situations. When it comes to the biology and psychology of opioid addiction, long-term, sustained efforts often prove more effective than a quick fix.

Why Are Opioids Different?

Opioids create a biological dependence on a scale different from other substances. When one abuses opioids, their brain’s opioid receptors become accustom to a level of stimulation that the body cannot naturally produce. At the same time, the natural endorphins that the body would normally create to mitigate pain and emotional distress no longer exist at the same levels. Therefore, when one stops using opioids, their brain and body have a rush of dysfunction on both ends. Receptors no longer get the stimulation they need to feel “normal” while the other receptors that should be intact to support a functioning persona are compromised.

In other words, withdrawal is not just an uncomfortable feeling; it’s a physical necessity that no one can fight. People say that when they crave opioids it’s all they can think about. They can’t work or engage in relationships or even fulfill life’s basic expectations without being preoccupied with how they’re going to get their next fix. This craving exists because it takes time for the brain and body’s perception of what was once normal to kick in again.

This is all on top of feeling sick or experiencing physical symptoms of withdrawal. In order to exist as a productive member of society, someone going through opioid withdrawal symptoms needs additional time – and sometimes medically assisted attention – to get better.

The Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Model

For many, the best way to handle such complications is through medicine-assisted treatment (MAT). MAT provides stabilization for those who are otherwise at the whims of their body fighting against their mentality. Substances like methadone and buprenorphine stimulate opioid receptors without getting individuals high. Thus, while their mental craves improvement, they can finally stabilize their physical needs.

Once medically cleared through MAT with trained professionals like in a methadone clinic in rhode island, individuals can focus on the other parts of drug rehabilitation – employment, counseling, positive relationships and coping strategies – that might be too overwhelming until stabilized.

MAT is not a quick solution. Someone addicted to opioids will need MAT for at least a year – and most experts recommend two years or more – with some people deciding to remain on MAT indefinitely. The goal is not to remove all medication as soon as possible, but instead empower treatment through stability for as long as necessary to ensure that the brain and body have reached recovery levels acceptable for non-medicated treatment.

Why Short-Term Solutions Fail

The 30-day solution makes sense for many other substances but when it comes to opioids, it’s often ineffective. People who stop using opioids are often those who enter a 30-day solution only to get out and relapse within a matter of days and weeks. But this is not due to a lack of willpower; this is due to a lack of time.

People can go through rehab and feel great about themselves, but without acknowledging that craving continues or stabilization takes more than 30 days, repeating this cycle over and over again does nothing except add shame. It’s not that people cannot commit; it’s that treatment lengths do not match their degrees of dependence.

Researchers have proven that this is true; metanalysis across several databases shows that extended treatment solutions provide greater successful outcomes than shorter ones when they come with counseling efforts and practical advice (ie stable home arrangements).

Even programs that last 90 days or more have higher successful results than 30-day or shorter solutions – with medication support guaranteed.

The Stages of Long-Term Recovery

There are three stages to an extended solution. The first is stabilization – getting someone through getting sick (acute withdrawal), starting MAT if appropriate and establishing basic safety when people are physically and mentally compromised (potential criminal charges that could be avoided through medical precautions).

The second stage is addressing the life-long issues that got someone addicted in the first place – trauma or mental health issues that drive people to abuse substances rather than learn healthy coping skills – and it requires transformation over time (ie talk therapy). It’s unfair (and unrealistic) to project expected pathways for recovery as if trauma can be worked through overnight like an essay with a deadline.

The third stage is rebuilding one’s life – stable home arrangements and keeping jobs – and then reinstating previous relationships and social networking. This can take time for people who have lost everything due to their addictions; the focus on meds or limited counseling makes it unrealistic to assume these patients can do it all at once.

All three stages exist with multiple opportunities for relapse, but resources exist (whether through medication or therapy/community encouragement) to support these vulnerable patients before extended goals can be reached.

The Importance of Long-Term Support

This long-term solution is more than the sum of its parts; it’s an interconnected approach over time that prevents relapse. Some people start with residential treatment solutions, move through different approaches but still require periodic check-ins at methadone clinics or similar MAT centers.

As people transition from one form of assistance care to another (residential help through out-patient care), they receive check-ins through necessary medication solutions (Increased engagement with professionals who provide resources and necessary safety nets make it easier).

Even after medication-assisted treatment in its full sense, it’s important for others to realize similar help is needed throughout real life situations – just as people crave instant satisfaction for wellness, there’s an expectation for people who become sick due to poor decisions – and like diabetes/hypertension – substance use will require just as much ongoing medical assistance.

De-stigmatizing Long Term Use

Part of this solution is de-stigmatizing extended use of medically necessary resources. People like to say they’re off everything when that’s not true; getting someone back on track doesn’t simply mean withdrawing those resources and returning them back to any guilty use cycles.

It’s not replacing one drug for another when it’s medicine for a medical purpose; failing people fail themselves by minimizing critical realities.

There is no timeline involved for how long opioid treatment recovery should take. Some people stabilize quickly from MAT but need months/years of stabilization without medication. Others feel great staying on MAT for years even months down the line because they note it keeps them stabilized enough.

People under-report results based on their severity – and use leading websites like NIDA – and type of co-occurring mental disorders, social support network at hand and previous attempts. It’s easy (and anecdotal) that someone who’s been addicted heavily for ten years will need longer than someone who is casually using opioids for two years – but it’s still hard to make those connections without help.

Making Peace with Process

Ultimately peace can only be made with time. In an instant-satisfaction culture, it’s frustrating for those newly in recovery that taking time isn’t taking too much time – it taking the right amount of time necessary – even if it feels like never-ending years go by for someone left trying to better themselves.

Recovery is an uncertain process from opioids; there are bumps and plateaus along with satisfactory breakthroughs. The day-to-day process might seem stagnant but over weekly or monthly periods build impressive trajectories. Especially from professionals who expect medicine-addicted brains to go into other settings.

Long-term solutions take this into consideration. They provide support through difficult first few months then provide continued care once building starts – and finding out other means as continued resources extend far beyond practical goals than previously thought possible in stabilization periods alone.

It’s unnecessary how treatment success from 30 days gives short-lived expectations when stability offers those who are functional options – even how long it takes other illness means sustains percentage gaps.. Quality of life factors in functioning capabilities become second nature when long-term success lives little supports them complications through any means necessary beyond immediate comprehension.

 

See more health posts here