Rehab for Opioid Addiction in Louisville, KY: A Complete Guide
If you are searching for rehab for opioid addiction in Louisville, KY, Louisville Recovery Center can help. Individuals who use opioids are vulnerable to addiction. Prior history and the duration in which opioids have been used are important, but you cannot anticipate who will become addicted and abuse them in the future. Illegal or legal, stolen or shared, these drugs are responsible for most overdose deaths in America today. Opioid addiction is a serious medical issue that can easily lead to long-term neurological changes.
Fortunately, you may avoid some of the long-term health problems associated with opioid addiction by getting treatment early. Continue reading to learn more about opioid addiction, the importance of seeking treatment, and how professional addiction care can help.
Opioid Addiction in Louisville, Kentucky
A record number of deaths due to fentanyl, an addictive synthetic opioid, has caused fatal overdoses to skyrocket in Kentucky, according to a report released Monday. Drug overdose deaths increased by nearly 15% in Kentucky last year, according to the report. The report also found that 2,250 Kentucky residents died from drug overdoses in 2021, an ongoing problem plaguing both rural and urban areas.
The state ranks 5th for the highest number of rehabilitation facilities per 100,000 people. This is fortunate for the state, which has also ranked among the top 10 in the country for the last five years in terms of overdose deaths and emergency room visits per 100,000 people.
Opioid Epidemic in the United States
The rising death toll in Kentucky mirrored the country’s growing opioid overdose epidemic. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100,000 Americans died of drug overdoses over a 12-month period last year, with two-thirds of those deaths being caused by fentanyl and other opioids.
Between 2010 and 2018, opioid-related overdose deaths rose from 21,088 to 46,802, then increased significantly through 2020 to 68,630 deaths. The graph below illustrates the dramatic increase in opioid-involved overdose fatalities within the past two decades.
Signs of Opioid Abuse and Addiction
Now that we are aware of the giant impact opioids have had not only on the United States, but Kentucky alone, it’s important to be aware of possible signs that a loved one may be addicted to opioids so they can get help.
People in the early stages of opioid addiction are often able to conceal their habit. However, once addiction has set in, certain symptoms and signs begin to manifest in their lives. While each person’s drug of choice has unique symptoms of abuse, the following are common indications of opioid abuse:
- Mood swings
- Isolation
- Pupil constriction
- Financial issues
- Hiding use
- Doctor shopping
- Legal issues
- Poor performance at work or school
- Poor coordination
- Stealing medications
- Irritability
- Poor hygiene
- Borrowing or stealing money
- Confusion
- Paranoia
- Lethargy
Despite their addiction to opioids, people may still function at work and at home and maintain the appearance of stability. However, over time, the addiction is likely to lead to severe consequences across the board. When addicted to a drug, he or she will continue to consume it even when it negatively impacts his or her life.
Dangers of Untreated Opioid Addiction
Opioid misuse can result in a variety of physical, emotional, financial, legal, and spiritual problems, including disconnection, confusion, and despair. You may not want to become dependent on or destroyed by these medications, but without the proper assistance and intentionality, the situation will only worsen. When someone’s eyes are opened to the dangers, they often realize that they need help, whereas other times, knowing the dangers might prevent someone from misusing opioids to begin with.
Tolerance
Using, or especially overusing, opioids will cause you to develop a tolerance for the drug, requiring more to achieve the same effect. You will no longer be able to experience pain relief from opioids, leading to worsening pain syndrome. You will become physically dependent on opioids over time and experience withdrawal symptoms if you discontinue using or take a long break between uses.
Continuing to feel a rush or getting a larger one may lead you to use heroin or crush up painkillers and inject or snort them intravenously. This may result in even more serious health problems as the danger of choking, pneumonia, or death from overdose increases because snorting or injecting the drugs produces more rapid and potent effects. Injecting opioids can also lead to cellulitis, abscesses, bloodstream sepsis, and valve infections in the heart (endocarditis), which can be lethal if not treated promptly.
Psychological Issues
Opioid abuse can cause serious psychological problems, as well as certain mental health disorders such as depression, anxiety, anger, impulsiveness, hallucinations, and delusions. You may become emotionally unstable and believe that your life is slipping away, in addition to experiencing decreased self-confidence and motivation. You will become indecisive as a result of decreased self-esteem and motivation.
Opioid misuse also interferes with your brain’s ability to process information, resulting in cognitive deficits and memory issues, confusion, and a dulling of the mind. As an opioid drug addict, you will have trouble concentrating and feel distracted and disorganized. These cognitive deficits combined with reality and emotional distortions will cause you to make poor decisions, which will have an impact on your life in all areas. You will feel overwhelmed, out of control, and hopeless, and you will believe that your only option is to dull your psychological pain with continued opioid use.
Cardiovascular Effects
Long-term opioid use might negatively affect your cardiovascular system. In one study published in the American Heart Association journal Circulation, opioid use was linked to heart rhythm problems like atrial fibrillation, which can lead to dangerous cardiac events such as stroke, heart failure, and death. Furthermore, women who use prescription opioids may have an increased risk of developing heart disease and cardiovascular disease. Among injection opioid users, unsanitary intravenous needle use may lead to bloodborne bacterial infections that result in endocarditis, an infection of the heart lining that may be fatal if left untreated.
Overdose
The effect of opioids on the part of the brain that regulates breathing can lead to death. Signs of an opioid overdose include small, constricted pupils, unconsciousness, and respiratory difficulties. People who are dependent on opioids, those who inject opioids, those who take high doses of opioids, those with mental health issues, and those who combine opioids with other substances, such as alcohol, benzodiazepines, or cocaine, are at high risk for opioid overdose. If administered in time, naloxone can reverse overdose symptoms. If left untreated, opioid overdoses can easily result in death.
Benefits of Opioid Rehab
When opioid abuse begins to negatively affect your life and the lives of those around you, you must seek assistance. Addiction is treatable, and seeking help at an opioid rehab facility can provide you with the help you need to stop abusing drugs and start living a productive life again. The following are just some of the many benefits of opioid rehab:
Safe Environment
Intense cravings to continue taking drugs are triggered by habitual drug use. You might have thought that you could stop taking drugs at any time, but quitting cold turkey may result in unpleasant and even deadly withdrawal symptoms. During detoxification, you may receive professional medical treatment and care in a safe environment at drug rehabs. Withdrawal symptoms may be reduced through the administration of prescription medication. Cravings may also be reduced through the administration of prescription medication.
Uninterrupted Focus
Once you’re in rehab, you may focus solely on recovery. You’ll be separated from triggers that may have tempted or encouraged you to use, as well as people who don’t believe you can recover, while you’re in treatment. While you put all your energy into living a drug-free life, you won’t have to worry about the stresses of day-to-day life. During your rehab program, you’ll discover more about addiction, including what may trigger a desire to use again in the future and how to handle cravings. Your days will be structured, so you won’t have much time for thinking about using drugs.
Identify Underlying Issues
Have you identified why you wanted to use drugs in the first place? During rehab, you may discover any underlying issues you have. Drug use was frequently a method for self-medicating and alleviating symptoms of hopelessness or anxiety for people with co-occurring conditions like depression or anxiety. Drug rehab centers have expert therapists who have undergone training in helping you deal with problems you have been avoiding. They may help you look at your problems, teach you new coping strategies that don’t require substance use, and assist you in dealing with them.
Peer Support
Having a strong support network is crucial to long-term sobriety. During your time at rehab, you will take part in group support meetings with other individuals who are working to live a sober life. You will discuss your experiences and issues as well as what works and what doesn’t. You will discover how vital it is to construct a social support network that will continue to be a component of your long-term recovery. By taking part in peer support programs, you’ll feel less alone and be able to connect with other people more effectively.
How Long Does Opioid Rehab Last?
The most common length of stay in addiction treatment programs is 30 days, but this may not be sufficient time for some people to recover from their addictions. For example, if you have a severe addiction or have been using drugs or alcohol for a long time, you may need to complete a 60-day treatment plan or an even longer treatment option.
The length of a substance abuse treatment program is determined by a number of variables. How long you should remain in treatment might differ from another person with the same addiction. The substance you use, how long you’ve been using it, and how badly you’re hooked all influence how long rehab should last. Other issues include whether you have other mental health problems or whether you’ve undergone treatment previously. What’s best for you is the most critical factor in determining how long to remain in a treatment facility. Every substance abuse situation is unique, so your rehabilitation strategy will be unique to suit your needs as well.
Does Insurance Cover Opioid Rehab?
Health insurance plans usually partially cover substance use disorder and mental health issues. Your particular health insurance policy will inform you how your treatment is covered by your insurance company and how much you must pay out of pocket. Before you seek help for a substance abuse problem, you should contact your insurance company to learn what services are covered.
Rehab for Opioid Addiction in Louisville, KY
At Louisville Recovery Center, people who are dealing with opioid addiction can receive care, support, and comprehensive treatment. Treatment is critical for a number of reasons, including providing information about opioid dependence, helping people withdraw safely, addressing the root causes of addiction, and developing healthier stress management, relapse prevention, and abstinence abilities so that they can remain abstinent.
Treatment is provided in a variety of settings and levels of care based on your specific recovery concerns and needs. If you or a loved one needs drug addiction treatment in Louisville or the surrounding area, contact Louisville Recovery Center immediately. We are happy to assist you and ready to do so.
