Opioids are commonly used to treat pain. While they are highly effective, they are addictive too. More than one-third of the people in the country suffers from one form of pain or the other. Most of them opt for opioids during their need for relief from the pain. To put it into perspective, forty percent of all adults in the country currently use opioids. More than 125,000 people have died of opioid overdose in the last three years. That is over one hundred a day!

Opioids are additive and its effects tend to subside as the body gets used to it over time. People tend to overdose to compensate for the lack of its effect and get addicted. While opioids kill the pain, they also tend to kill people due to its addictive property. Do not worry, though; if you are addicted to opioids, it is not too late to get treated. This article explores some of the best opioid addiction treatment options. Let us know a bit about what exactly does opioid addiction do to your body.

Effects of Opioid Addiction on the Body
Opioid addiction changes your brain’s chemical composition in such a way that you are more likely to get addicted to it than not. It is a chronic medical condition and takes more than just willpower to rid yourself of its cycle. It alters the circuits in the brain responsible for your mood and reward behavior. When you cut off taking opioids as a whole, you are likely to experience several symptoms like agitation, bad mood swings, body aches, and belly pain, as well as large pupils, yawning, goose bumps, nausea, and vomiting. These symptoms can last for a few days or up to several weeks. It depends on the opioid you were taking and how much of it you have taken. While these symptoms may not seem too bad on paper, the agony of suffering from them is unparalleled. You can escape the process of getting detoxed and suffering from a relapse by taking opioid addiction treatment medications and getting counseling.

Opioid Addiction Treatment
Treatment for opioid addiction is usually done through medications. 
The main reason for people continuing to take opioids is the fact that the symptoms are too much to handle. They continue to take opioids to avoid the unpleasantness of a relapse and end up overdosing and suffering even more than they used to. Medications are the best way to treat opioid addiction and there are quite a few medication options available in the market today. You are at a risk for a relapse after the initial detoxification process. This may lead you to revisit taking opioids but you need to stay strong and fight this craving. Your body may remind you of the pleasure opioids bring to your body.

To avoid this, you may require long-term opioid addiction fighting medication and counseling and therapy programs. Here are a few of the best opioid addiction treatment medications you can opt for:

• Methadone
  Methadone is an opioid as well and it affects the same parts of the body as the opioid you are fighting against does. The difference is that this opioid does not have the same effect as others. You can take this medication every day in the correct amount and prevent cravings and withdrawal symptoms. This opioid is only available in special clinics and you will have to visit one to get it.
• Buprenorphine
  This medication hits the same receptors in the brain as does the opioid you are taking, but not as strongly. It is less risky in terms of overdosing and comes in several flavors. You can take it in the form of a tablet, shot, skin patch, implant which lasts up to six months, or a film placed in your mouth against your cheek.
• Naltrexone
  This medication blocks opiate rectors but cannot ease cravings or withdrawal symptoms. It does not give you the same feeling as that of other opioids and works best when it is a part of your recovery treatment program. You can take this medication once you are done with the detoxification process. This medicine can either be taken via the mouth or an injection.

There are several non-addictive treatment options you can opt for instead of taking opioids. Researchers are working on better solutions to treat pain while several medications have already hit the market. Do not hesitate from trying a new pain-killing medication after you have conducted a thorough research procedure. If you are addicted to opioids, do not worry. Opt for one of the opioid addiction treatment options mentioned above and get yourself treated today!