Pocatello Resident Shares Story About Addiction, Sobriety, Rehab Centers in Idaho
A Pocatello native recovering from opioid dependence has chosen to share his personal struggles with addiction to help spread awareness about the nation’s current opioid epidemic. Day’s story, which involves a years-long addiction followed by incarceration, is proof that opioid addicts can successfully achieve sobriety, whether from making healthy lifestyle changes or receiving treatment at rehab centers in Idaho.
Drug overdose death rates are now higher in rural communities than in major cities, says the Wall Street Journal. If you are struggling with opioid addiction and live in a rural Idaho community, call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380. We’ll help you find nearby rehab centers that can help you overcome addiction.
Struggling to Overcome Opioid Addiction
Day’s recovery story gives hope to other addicts and encourages them to seek treatment.
Day first started taking opioids after breaking his jaw in high school and receiving a prescription for hydrocodone. Since Day’s jaw was wired shut, he experienced difficulty with swallowing the pills and returned to his doctor to receive a new prescription for liquid codeine. Day ended up with a nine-month supply of drugs for a four-month recovery, as he was not asked to return the unused hydrocodone.
Day’s opioid use evolved into a more serious habit that involved buying and selling prescription opioids for profit. Day says he travelled to Las Vegas regularly to obtain inexpensive opioid pills he could sell at higher rates back in Pocatello. In November 2011, Day robbed a local gas station and went to prison, where he experienced severe withdrawal symptoms that left him feeling ill and exhausted for several days.
Shortly after being released from prison, Day moved to Boise to avoid running into negative influencers and experiencing a relapse. Day lived out of his car and worked several minimum wage jobs to get by, but eventually found his calling as an ironworker. Going on five years sober and counting, Day says he is confident he can stay clean anywhere with no problem, including Pocatello.
Getting Help at Opioid Rehab Centers
While Day was forced into stopping opioid use abruptly upon going to prison, many addicts have the option to go to rehab for medication-assisted treatment, which combines medication therapy with behavioral counseling and therapy. Quitting heroin and opioids abruptly or cold turkey can lead to severe drug cravings and withdrawal symptoms that can be painful and life-threatening in some situations.
Common symptoms of opioid withdrawal include:
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Shaking
- Agitation
- Muscle aches
- Runny nose
- Tearing
- Yawning
- Sweating
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramping
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Goosebumps
Opioid addicts who go to rehab can gradually detox and overcome opioid dependence without experiencing pain and major discomfort. Most opioid rehab centers offer medications that mimic the effects of heroin and other opioids without offering pain relief or feelings of euphoria. These FDA-approved medications, which include methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone, help recovering addicts go about their daily lives throughout treatment without facing cravings or withdrawal.
Opioid rehab centers that offer medication-assisted treatments are often more effective at helping addicts achieve lifelong sobriety. Patients who receive addiction treatment in rehab environments often experience fewer relapses on the road to recovery.
If you or someone you care about is addicted to opioids and lives in Idaho, call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to learn about available treatment options. We’ll help you find rehab centers in Idaho that can guide you along the path to sobriety and a happier, healthier, drug-free life.
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