Together with crystal meth, opiate addiction has been described as a crisis and epidemic in Canada. Opiate addiction is particularly scary as it carries a high risk of individuals passing away as a result of their use. Opiate addiction is complicated, and the expertise we carry at Divergent Counselling is important to help you understand the condition properly.
Our bodies naturally produce opiate type chemicals in the brain, which is related to how we experience pain relief and pleasure. Because of this, opiate drugs form a strong connection with addiction mechanisms in the body and can be difficult to break.
Treatment for opiate addiction can include opiate replacement therapy through special medications such as methadone and suboxone. In fact, these medications are considered the “Gold Standard” of treatment for someone with an opiate addiction, as the risk of relapse and overdosing when becoming sober from opiates is very high. Opiate replacement medications actually enable a person to maintain a safe opiate level in their body and reduces their cravings for illegal or illicit opiates.
In addition to medication, supportive counselling is extremely important for people who wish to change their habits around opiate use. At Divergent Counselling we are prepared to support you around your goals in a non-judgemental fashion. As we are psychiatric nursing professionals, we are able to provide education and information on the use of medication as it relates to opiate addiction, which you can further discuss with your physician.