Unfortunately, most Americans have been taught that the only way to fight back against pain is through medication, opioids, and prescription drugs. With this type of thinking, it should come as no surprise that the U.S. is in the middle of a pain medication addiction epidemic. There are currently more people addicted to pain pills than heroin and cocaine combined; there are also more annual overdoses in the U.S. from opioids than any other illicit drug.1 As a drug and alcohol treatment center in Palm Beach, we find these numbers particularly concerning, but we think drug-free pain management may be the solution.
The Painkiller Cycle
It’s quite natural to want to remedy pain once it hits you. We all get headaches, backaches, and other random pangs of pain that need attention. Occasional use of painkillers is okay; a problem is created when the pain pill usage is prolonged. The more frequently we consume a drug, the more of the drug we need to feel the same effects because our bodies build up a tolerance toward the chemicals. Because a person who takes pain medication on a regular basis is less likely to feel relief with a normal dose, they begin to increase the amount they consume in order to get the desired effect from a drug.
What most people don’t realize is that there are ways to manage pain without drugs, and opioid abuse can actually cause more pain. This opioid-induced hyperalgesia reduces your body’s ability to tolerate pain and increases its sensitivity to it.2 Unfortunately, this condition frequently leads people to believe they need more pain medication. This is the catalyst for the cycle of pain pill addiction and can also cause a person behavioral health problems as they begin to feel hopeless. At our rehab center in Palm Beach, we help patients who have fallen into this harmful cycle.
Alternative Treatments for Pain
While it may seem hard to believe, using painkillers isn’t the only way to manage pain. In fact, taking pills isn’t even necessarily the best way to manage pain. Opioids do temporarily reduce the intensity of pain, but they also have a number of negative side effects and are highly addictive. At our South Florida detox center, we will eliminate the drug from your system safely. The next step in the recovery process will be to teach you about drug-free pain management. There are healthier and more responsible ways drug-free ways to fight pain.
Break the Cycle of Opioid Addiction
If you or a loved one has fallen into pain-pill dependence, the time to get help is now. The first step to getting better is to wean your body of its dependence on the drug with our pain pill detox at the Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches. In the next step, our pain meds addiction treatment in South Florida will teach you about drug-free pain management so that you can move past your addiction and your chronic pain once and for all. Do not hesitate. Contact us now to learn more about our addiction treatment programs in Palm Beach.
Sources:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention- Drug Overdose Deaths
- Health Line- Opioid-Induced Hyperalgesia
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Pros and Cons: Weighing the Benefits of Prescription Painkillers
