Your Path To Healing Starts at Mt. Sinai
Opiate Treatment Helping You Climb Your Mountain

Opiate Addiction Treatment in Georgia

Opiate / Opioid Rehab Center Helping Atlanta Patients Achieve and Maintain Sobriety

At Mount Sinai Wellness Center, we design personalized opiate addiction treatment plans for each patient. The staff members of our beautiful facility care deeply about each patient and take the time to understand and meet individual needs. It’s important that you are comfortable and as stress-free as you begin your first steps toward recovery.

Seek treatment for opiate addiction today by calling (800) 353-4673 or by contacting us online. We are happy to answer any questions you might have.

On This Page:

What Are Opiates?

Opiates and opioids are a group of highly-controlled narcotic medications derived from opium, which occurs in poppy seeds and plants. Opiates are commonly prescribed to treat various levels of pain, typically as a means of coping with chronic conditions or as a short-term solution during recovery from surgery. However, because of the calming effects they produce in the body in addition to their pain-relieving qualities, opiates have high rates of abuse, which leads to many cases of addiction.

Some of the most common types of opiates prescribed include:

  • OxyContin
  • Oxycodone
  • Vicodin
  • Percocet
  • Morphine
  • Hydromorphone
  • Codeine
  • Meperidine

Signs & Symptoms of Opiate Addiction

Many people become addicted to opiates because of the euphoric and tranquil effect high doses produce. Because people want to continue to experience and actively seek out the pleasant and care-free feelings, they tend to develop patterns of drug abuse and addiction.

People with opiate addictions attempt to obtain more of the drug in compulsive ways. For example, many go from doctor to doctor until they’re able to get a new prescription. Other ways addicts obtain opiates is through borrowing, buying, or stealing them from friends and family members. This pattern of behavior is what leads opiate addicts to seek out heroin, which is cheaper, easier to obtain, and produces relatively the same effects.

In addition to the pleasurable effects, excessive opiate use can be detrimental to the body. Immediate side effects range anywhere from slowed and shallow breathing to hallucinations. However, potential long-term side effects include vein damage from intravenous usage, severe cases of constipation, insomnia, liver damage, lack of concentration, depression, and other psychological issues.

Common signs that an individual is dealing with an opiate addiction include:

  • Taking doses of medication that are well over the prescribed amount
  • Taking medication that was not prescribed to them
  • Mixing medication with another substance to exaggerates the opiate’s effects
  • Losing their job because they prioritize drug use
  • Developing financial issues due to compulsive spending habits
  • Incurring criminal charges for illegal possession of painkillers
  • Damaging relationship with friends, family members, and romantic partners due to opiate use

Unfortunately, opiate overdoses are quite common due to taking too much of one substance or combining multiple substances, especially opiates with other central nervous system depressants or alcohol.

Common signs of an opiate overdose are:

  • Confusion
  • Constricted pupils
  • Cool or clammy skin
  • Extreme sleepiness or the inability to wake up
  • Intermittent loss of consciousness
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Shallow or restricted breathing
  • Unconsciousness

Those who survive overdoses typically seek out treatment.

The Importance of Opiate Detox

Before a person can undergo traditional opiate addiction treatment, they must first cleanse their body of the addictive substance through a process called detox.

Even if someone tries to make a conscious effort on their own to stop taking opiates, they will usually relapse once the withdrawal symptoms hit. Withdrawal occurs when the body has been cut off from a substance it has become dependent on. Without continued use of this substance, the body will go through uncomfortable sensations as it gets used to life without the drug.

Because opiates can take longer to leave the body, we begin by providing medically assisted and supervised detox. This helps curb the most severe withdrawal symptoms.

When people detox from opiates, they typically go through four different stages of withdrawal.

These four stages are:

  • Anticipatory—This stage typically occurs 3-4 hours after the last dose. People in this stage of withdrawal typically experience increased anxiety or fear related to the developing symptoms of withdrawal and drug cravings. They often exhibit drug-seeking behavior as well.
  • Early acute—This stage typically occurs 8-10 hours after the last dose. People in this stage of withdrawal tend to experience increased anxiety or restlessness or flu-like symptoms, such as nausea, stomach aches, sweating, and/or vomiting. Drug cravings still persist and cause drug-seeking behavior.
  • Fully-developed acute—This stage typically occurs 1-3 days after the last dose. This is also typically when individuals experience the worst symptoms of withdrawal, such as body tremors, diarrhea, insomnia, muscle spasms, and increased blood pressure. Due to the intensity of the symptoms, drug cravings are strongest during this stage.
  • Post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS)—This stage typically occurs up to 24 months after the last dose. An individual no longer experiences acute symptoms of withdrawal in this stage. However, they may still experience anxiety, drug dreams, mood swings, cravings, depression, irritability, agitation, insomnia, and poor concentration. Regardless of the length of time since an individual’s last dose, they can still be easily triggered by environmental factors and relapse.

Detoxification is necessary for getting clean, but it is not a treatment for opiate addiction. Only a dedicated opiate rehabilitation facility like Mount Sinai Wellness Center will provide someone with the customized therapy and counseling they need to address the causes of their addiction and maintain long-term sobriety.

How Opiate/Opioid Addiction is Treated

After a patient has completed the detoxification process, we combine multiple types of therapy with holistic methods to replace maladaptive behaviors with healthier alternatives. Our goal is long-term treatment and long-lasting sobriety.

While opiate addiction treatment will be different for each person based on their individual needs, our residential opiate rehab program utilizes a wide range of treatments and therapies, including:

  • Intensive individual and group therapy
  • 12-Step recovery meetings
  • Meditation and recreation
  • Holistic activities like yoga, exercise, and nutritional classes
  • Medication-assisted treatment

Seeking treatment is the first step to recovery. If you or a loved one is dealing with opiate addiction, contact us by calling (800) 353-4673 today.

What Sets Mt. Sinai Apart?

  • Top Physicians & Clinicians in the U.S.

    Our expert doctors and support staff are here to help you out of the deepest valleys.

  • Beautiful Living Quarters

    Our facilities offer comfort, privacy and a stress-free environment for healing.

  • Masterfully Prepared Meals

    All meals prepared on campus are created by our chef.

  • Beautiful Expansive Campus

    Mt. Sinai sits on 43 acres of beautiful wilderness.

reach new heights in your recovery

Complete our form below or call us at (800) 353-4673.

  • Please enter your first name.
  • Please enter your last name.
  • Please enter your phone number.
    This isn't a valid phone number.
  • Please enter your email address.
    This isn't a valid email address.
  • Please make a selection.