Substance abuse withdrawal can be quite uncomfortable when going through them, so whatever you can do to minimize their effect, it’s worth a shot. Continue reading to learn about some home remedies you can follow to help with opiate detoxification and minimizing the symptoms of opiate withdrawals.
At-Home Options
When your body has become dependent on using opiates, it builds up a tolerance to many of the drug’s side effects over time. Getting off the drugs can then reverse that tolerance, and that’s where withdrawal symptoms come in. Your brain is used to sending the effects of whatever substance you are using to your body over a continuous-time. When it suddenly gets cut off, many effects can occur.If you opt to go through withdrawal on your own or help someone go through it, you’ll need to prepare yourself. It’s essential to taper slowly off opiates before going off them completely. This helps minimize the withdrawal effect. However, keep in mind that most people find self-regulated tapering may be impossible due to the compulsive nature of addiction. It often leads to a full relapse into addiction.There are some at-home ways to make a withdrawal from opiates easier, so let’s talk about them.
Over-the-Counter Remedies
When using correct doses, there are several types of medicine useful for opiate withdrawal. These over-the-counter (OTC) medication include:
Loperamide (Imodium) for diarrhea
Meclizine (Antivert or Bonine) or dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) or Benadryl (antihistamine) for nausea
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) like Ibuprofen. (Motrin, Advil) for aches or pains
It’s vital to prepare since withdrawal symptoms can last for weeks, so getting at least a month of these medications helps to avoid needing to go out and getting more. Don’t use more than is recommended, however. If the regular dose isn’t working, talk to your doctor.
Alternative Methods
There hasn’t been much evidence regarding using vitamins and supplements in treating the symptoms of opioid withdrawal; however, some studies have pointed to acupressure and Chinese herbal medicine as being helpful. Some examples of Chinese herbal medications are Tai-Kang-Ning, which could be useful for moderate to severe heroin withdrawals, ginseng, and U’finer, a Chinese herbal blend that may help repair damage to the brain that opiates may cause.
Stay Comfortable and Safe
It’s important for people who have gone or are going through withdrawal symptoms to remain as comfortable as possible. Some of these recommendations may include:
Keeping your mind occupied with books, movies, physical exercise, writing in a journal, whatever helps them feel safe and comforted.
Having soft blankets, a fan going, and extra sheets for possible excessive sweating.
Ensuring the person has a support person or team they can call on or who can check in.
Avoiding recipes or anecdotal stories on online forums—none have gone through the rigorous testing for efficacy or safety.
Doing activities that boost your body’s endorphins, or feel-good chemicals, which might help improve the chances for a successful long-term outcome.
Staying hydrated and eating healthy foods, even though you may not feel like it; this is crucial to ensuring you don’t become dehydrated and causing other complications.
Can’t Do it Alone? Call Ardu
If you have tried going through the withdrawal process alone and it’s too much, we invite you to contact Ardu Recovery Center. Sometimes, individuals need additional support and care to complete a successful detox program. If this is you or a loved one, don’t think you have failed. We can help you gain confidence and ensure you have the best possible chances for success.
As a medical detox facility, we can provide medicated options to assist your detox process. For example, we can provide suboxone treatment to help you off of opiate dependency in a safe and controlled manner.
We also have men’s detox and women’s detox programs.
Contact us today to learn more.
