Treatment for inmates with opioid addiction

Local jails are taking a different approach to help inmates who suffer from opioid addiction.

According to medical clinic Healthwise, Opioids are strong pain medicines. Examples include hydrocodone, oxycodone, fentanyl, and morphine. Heroin is an example of an illegal opioid. Opioid use disorder means using these drugs in a way that keeps you from living the life you want. When your use is out of control, it harms you and your relationships.

Taking too much of an opioid can cause:

Trouble breathing. Low blood pressure. A low heart rate. A coma. Death. Part of how these inmates are treated include medicines, group therapy, one or more types of counseling, and drug education.

Sometimes medicines are used to help you quit. They may help control cravings, ease withdrawal symptoms, and prevent relapse. This treatment is called medication-assisted treatment, or MAT. During MAT, you take a substitute drug (usually methadone or buprenorphine) in place of the opioid you were using. This can help you focus on getting healthy. Most people take the medicine for months or years as a part of the treatment, along with therapy or counseling.

Treatment focuses on more than drugs. It helps you cope with the anger, frustration, sadness, and disappointment that often happen when a person tries to stop using drugs.

Many people with this disorder, and sometimes their families, feel embarrassed or ashamed. Don’t let these feelings stand in the way of getting treatment. Remember that the disorder can happen to anyone who uses opioids, no matter what the reason.