In order to get a proper assessment of an opioid addict it is imperative to have information on how they got addicted. Did it happen through pharmaceutical drugs that had fontanel? Did they run out of their prescription and hit the streets in search of drugs that would help them get through withdrawal? What amount of drugs did they use? How long did they use? Is there anything else they took?
Knowing their family history is also important. Finding out information pertaining to other addicts in their family, what they are addicted to, if there is a history of mental illness and which type, whether the patient has had any mental issues and so on is imperative before treatment.
It is also important that the addicts get genetic tests through experts dealing with Opioid addiction Lexington key because there are genes that respond in different ways to various medications this is done because medication will be administered to replace the opioid. The drugs are given for a drawdown that is timed specifically and might take a couple of weeks. Using the right medicine means matching their gene set.
Other factors to consider include knowing the extent of damage that has occurred to their kidneys, neurotransmitters, brain and their nervous system and how much their insurance or health care providers will pay for their treatment.
Determining how serious patients are when it comes to getting help is important as they must be willing to get clean. Finding out whether they have been to rehab and how many times is also important so that you can have information on the medication they had been prescribed. It is also imperative to know whether the patient’s family is supportive or not.
Why Opioid Relapses Are Common;
Studies have shown that only 28% of addicts were able to completely abstain from use of heroine after being observed for about 10 to 30 years. The 28% is a representation of the ones that survived heroine addiction and had about 6 to 20 times higher likelihood of dying when compared to an average person in the population. The addicts who used medicine for the whole withdrawal period were more likely to stay clean. Those who were addicted to methamphetamine (meth) and opioids were twice as much likely to drop out of treatment.
Rutgers University had a study that shows that about 46% of the addicts who had successfully completed their opioid addiction treatment relapsed within a period of 7 months. The research also indicated that addicts who had personalities that tolerated high risk were most likely to get back into using. This particular study was for all opioid addictions and situations that bunched all of it together. The study was done for the first 7 months only meaning that the relapse numbers are wry high. Majority of the ones who stayed clean without opioids after 5 years had a better chance of staying that way.
Why Relapse For Opioid Addiction Is So Common?
Relapse is common because as stated earlier, opioids rewire one’s brain and also because may plans for treatment don’t personalize care. Treatment centers that are the best at what they do will take time asking all the correct questions, doing the right tests, knowing the patient well and then prepare a personalized program for treatment. Patients must find centers that will pay them the attention they need.