Iboga Treatment of Heroin (Opioid) Addiction
Introduction
In this topic, we are going to be talking about iboga extract, ibogaine, and how it can help with your addiction problems with opioids. Also known as opioid use disorder (OUD), opioid addiction, is a chronic disease that can affect just about anyone. In America, millions suffer from opioid addiction.
Headlines
Recovery is possible when treating heroin addiction with ibogaine
The very first steps to recovery are Preventing overdose death and finding treatment options. Addiction Treatment may save a life and can help persons struggling with opioid addiction get their lives back by permitting them to counteract the effects of addiction on their brain and behavior. The overall purpose of addiction treatment is to return people to a productive and functioning state in their family, workplace, and community.
Opioid treatment addiction can vary from patient to patient depending on the patient’s individual needs, occur in a variety of settings, may take several different forms, and last for different lengths of time.
combining medications with behavioral therapy is a good approach to treating opioid addiction. A recovery plan that combines both medications for opioid addiction increases the chance of success.
Medications used in the treatment of opioid addiction support a person’s recovery journey by helping them to normalize their brain chemistry, relieving cravings, and in certain cases preventing withdrawal symptoms. The choice to include medication as part of recovery is a personal medical decision, but the evidence for medications to support successful recovery is strong.
Treatment of opioid addiction
A. Pharmacological Treatment (Medications)
Research has proven that pharmacological treatment of opioid addiction increases retention in treatment programs and decreases drug use, infectious disease transmission, and also criminal activity.
When addicted people to opioids like heroin first quit, they undergo some withdrawal symptoms (pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting), which may be severe. Therefore, Medications can be helpful in this detoxification stage to reduce craving and other physical symptoms that can often cause a person to relapse.
Medications developed to treat opioid addiction work through the same opioid receptors as the addictive substance, but are safer and less likely to produce the harmful effects that characterize a substance use disorder.
Three types of medications include (1) agonists, which activate opioid receptors; (2) partial agonists, which also activate opioid receptors but produce a smaller response; and (3) antagonists, which block the receptor and interfere with the rewarding effects of opioids. A particular medication is used based on a patient’s specific medical needs and other factors. Effective medications include:
1. Buprenorphine
A partial opioid agonist. Buprenorphine relieves drug cravings without producing the “high” or dangerous side effects of other opioids.
- Available as dissolving tablet, cheek film, extended-release injection, or 6-month implant under the skin.
Can be prescribed by a doctor for use outside of a clinic.
2. Methadone
Is a slow-acting opioid agonist. Methadone is taken orally so that it reaches the brain slowly, dampening the “high” that occurs with other routes of administration while preventing withdrawal symptoms.
- Available as a daily liquid.
- Can only be used in a certified opioid treatment program setting.
3. Naltrexone
An opioid antagonist. Naltrexone blocks the action of opioids is not addictive or sedating, and does not result in physical dependence; however, patients often have trouble complying with the treatment, and this has limited its effectiveness.
- Can be prescribed by any clinician who can legally prescribe medication.
- Only used for people who have not used opioids for at least 7–10 days.
B. Behavioral Therapies
- Behavioral Therapies
Behavioral approaches for addiction help engage people in drug abuse treatment, provide incentives for them to abstain from drugs, modify their attitudes and behaviors related to drug abuse, and increase their life skills to handle stressful circumstances and environmental cues that may trigger intense craving for drugs and prompt another cycle of compulsive abuse.
Below are some behavioral therapies that have shown to be effective in addressing substance abuse which will be detailed in a subsequent article (effectiveness with particular drugs of abuse is denoted in parentheses).
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, Nicotine)
- Contingency Management Interventions/Motivational Incentives (Alcohol, Stimulants, Opioids, Marijuana, Nicotine)
- Community Reinforcement Approach Plus Vouchers (Alcohol, Cocaine, Opioids)
- Motivational Enhancement Therapy (Alcohol, Marijuana, Nicotine)
- The Matrix Model (Stimulants)
- 12-Step Facilitation Therapy (Alcohol, Stimulants, Opiates)
- Family Behavior Therapy
- Behavioral Therapies Primarily for Adolescents
Goals of Behavior Therapy In Treat Addiction
The goals of behavior therapy for treating substance use disorder are:
- Modify behavior with substance abuse.
- Improve skills for healthy living.
- Modify attitudes towards alcohol and drug abuse.
- Help the individual get more from rehab and other treatments.
- Encourage people to stay in treatment longer.
- To enhance the effects of medications.
Everyone can play a role.
If ever you notice that someone may be struggling with opioid addiction:
- Always ask to find out if you can help. Everyone can play a vital role and take action to help their loved ones towards recovery. Treatment, support, and help from family, friends, co-workers, and others can create a big difference in the recovery process.
- Always Try to Be supportive, and reduce stigma. Stigma or the fear of stigma may prevent someone from sharing their health condition and prevent them from seeking the health or behavioral health services and support services they rightly need. Let’s acknowledge that opioid addiction is a medical condition, not a moral failing. Stopping the stigma is important to help loved ones feel safer and healthier.
- Always Carry naloxone. Naloxone can reverse an overdose and prevent death. It is a non-addictive, life-saving drug that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered in time.
