Opiate Detox Center in Florida

The opiate family is comprised of the naturally occurring opiates codeine and morphine along with synthetic and semi-synthetic derivatives such as heroin, methadone and various prescription pain medications. Derived from the seed of the opium poppy plant, opiate drugs take hundreds of forms and may be obtained on the street or simply in your family doctor’s office.

Depending on the type of drug and the stage of abuse, opiates may be taken orally, snorted, smoked or injected intravenously, making the occurrences of accidental overdose increasingly common.
Opiate drugs work on neurotransmitters in the brain to suppress pain, reduce anxiety and produce euphoria. When an individual abuses opiate drugs, they saturate the brain’s natural opiate receptors and, as abuse continues, the brain responds by creating additional receptors. With more receptors, tolerance increases as the body requires a larger number of opiates to produce the same effect. Eventually, the body’s natural endorphin supply will no longer be able to activate the increased amount of receptors and opiate drugs become necessary for sufficient activation. 

When receptors are not activated, the brain induces feelings of extreme sickness. opiate dependency is established and the individual will experience withdrawal symptoms when opiate drugs are absent. These symptoms include pain, agitation, anxiety, tremors, muscle aches, hot and cold flashes, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. Alarmingly, it does not take long for complete opiate dependency to be established. Many users will experience withdrawal symptoms after only a few days of use.

When seeking recovery from opiate drugs, many users are deterred by the intense withdrawal symptoms associated with discontinued use. No matter how earnest the desire, those attempting to quit these drugs “cold turkey” will often relapse once the symptoms of full withdrawal set in and functionality becomes nearly impossible. Since the 1970s, methadone has been a popular alternative for those looking to get off illegal opiate drugs. Methadone is a full opiate agonist that replaces the opiate supply to the brain to suppress withdrawal symptoms without producing intense euphoria or intoxication.Click here for more information.