At times, it seems like people are taking prescription painkillers like they are candy. Given the horrible opiate epidemic America is facing, then that’s clearly a significant problem. The problem with trying to deal with painkiller abuse and addiction is that painkillers still have a legitimate purpose. Therefore, it requires we all have a clear understanding of the drugs with which we are dealing. We can start getting a better understanding by asking the question, “How do painkillers work?” The answer to this question might provide some insight as to why people are abusing substances like these.
How Do Painkillers Work?
To set some guidelines for this discussion, the focus is only going to be on narcotic painkillers. There are other varieties, but no other type of painkiller is addictive. When someone experiences pain, the pain sensation travels from the source through the peripheral nervous system to the brain. The brain receives the sensation and then prompts an involuntary reaction.
When someone takes an opiate-based painkiller for pain relief, the narcotic analgesics will bind with the opioid receptors in the brain. The binding act serves to block the registration of pain in the brain. The individual then gets some level of relief from their pain.
From an addiction standpoint, there’s something more insidious going on regarding the question, “How do painkillers work?” The painkillers also produce a sense of euphoria. This euphoria is the target of the people who abuse painkillers. The problem is opiates are highly addictive. If someone starts abusing their prescription painkillers by going off their prescription, then addiction is waiting. The same thing is true for recreational painkillers abusers. When opiate addiction takes hold, it hangs on until the individual gets help.
Help for a Painkiller Addiction
The only solution for a severe addiction to painkillers is a stint in a reputable addiction treatment center. In fact, our The Right Step Dallas treatment facility is one of the best prescription drug addiction treatment centers in Texas.
What most treatment centers have in common are the goals they have for treating said addiction. The first goal is to get the patient past their opiate withdrawal symptoms as safely as possible. Rehabs can accomplish this with a medically-monitored detox program. After detox, the next goal is putting the client through therapy to deal with the personal issues that gave rise to their addiction. After therapy is complete, the final goal is making sure clients exiting rehab have the aftercare resources they will need to stay clean.
Addiction Care at The Right Step Dallas
In our desire to treat addictions to all kinds of substances, we maintain an extensive menu of treatment options. Our therapists can mix and match these options until they create a custom treatment program for each client. These specific options include services like:
- CBT
- DBT
- In-house detox programs
- Residential treatment
- Outpatient programs
- Aftercare programs
- Chronic relapse track
Hopefully, knowing how do painkillers work gives some additional insight into your addiction. The fact you read this information is a signal you might be ready for help. If so, the first call you should make is to our The Right Step Dallas facility at 17135283709. Whatever the circumstances of your addiction might be, we have solutions.
