How to cope with opiate withdrawal symptoms?

Are you tired of feeling like a zombie when you’re not actually in the walking dead? Have you finally had enough of being chained to your prescription medication like a ball and chain but feel hopeless about how to get off it?

Well, chuckleheads, have no fear! Your favorite clown from the circus is here with some practical tips on how to cope with opiate withdrawal symptoms!

What are opiates anyway?

Before we dive into the tricks of coping, let’s first understand what these tricky little pills do. Opiates are medications that doctors prescribe for pain relief or cough suppression. They work by latching onto certain receptors in our brains that control pain perception or our ability to breathe deeply.

Examples include codeine, morphine, oxycodone (aka “oxy”), hydrocodone (aka “vicodin”) or even heroin which is an illegal form of this drug.

Got it so far? Good! Now let’s move onto…

The Ugly Truth About Withdrawals

When someone takes opiates for long periods, their body gets used/dependent on them – much like your arm chair gets dependent on your butt dent. When these drugs are stopped suddenly after regular use over weeks/months/years/etc., they trigger uncomfortable physical and mental symptoms known as withdrawal.

Symptoms vary in severity depending on factors such as duration/dosage/frequency. Some common features include:

• Feeling anxious/restless
• Sweating profusely
• Having muscle cramping/pain
• Yawning incessantly
• Being unable to sleep well.

But wait folks… there’s more!

• Diarrhea/vomiting/nasal stuffiness
• Fast heartbeat/racing thoughts/intense cravings for opiates

Don’t be alarmed! Everyone reacts differently and not all symptoms may manifest or in the severity as others. The key is to keep calm, keep yourself busy with what you enjoy doing best like… maybe reading more of this article?

Tips for Coping

So now that we’ve identified the elephant-in-the-room (during withdrawal), here’s a list of things you can do besides eating buttered popcorn:

Consult Your Doctor! (Really)

Yes, yes it’s tempting to go cold turkey on your vices because everyone online does it too. But seriously folks, please consult your doctor before considering quitting these medications. They have access to confidential patient records/accurate knowledge about how much medication needs tapering down/restarting/supportive therapy etc.

Be especially prompt about seeking medical advice if you’re pregnant/nursing/driving heavy machinery/use alcohol/illicit drugs.

Acceptance Therapy

You mindless zombies might find this impossible but hear me out chums! As unpleasant it is experiencing withdrawal symptoms; instead be grateful for them since they’re proof the need for getting better/stronger/loud…oh wait..scratch that last part.

REPLACE ILL EFFECTS OF WITHDRAWALS TO THE IMMENSE PRIDE ACHIEVED IN BEING CLEAN/SOBER BY READING SELF-HELP BOOKS/LISTENING TO PODCASTS/HANG OUT WITH FAMILY WHO WATCH YOUTUBE SENSIBILITIES TEDTalks.CLAIM YOUR SUPERHERO STATUS!

Exercise/Yoga

Just imagine wiggling/pinball-ing around when approaching/experiencing opioid withdrawals? How would yoga-cize make any difference?

On top of raising your endorphins levels thereby reducing physical pain/sneezes; practicing yoga and/or low intensity cardio exercises like running/walking/jumping jacks/chair aerobics also reduces feelings of depression/anxiety/contribution to feeling healthier/lessening the temptation of relapsing.

Take a Soak

Not referring to how well you do (or not) in the upcoming history test, silly! Immersion and hydrotherapy have been reported to reduce various symptoms associated with opioid withdrawal. Baths with epsom salt/dropping your phone into could help calm muscle aches/can distract your thoughts from being fixated on opiates/sleeplessness etc.

Or…if bouncing off walls aren’t for you, look towards saunas or steam rooms as sweating has both physical and mental health benefits- helps flush toxins out/relieves stiff muscles/promotes relaxation too!

Exposure To Natural Sunlight

Time spent undwerneath artificial lights counts too

Studies suggest that prolonged exposure to sunlight can improve imbalances involving dopamine/mood/happiness levels/wellbeing amongst other neurotransmitters affected by opiate usage. Even simple activities like taking brisk walks outside/picnics at park/took naps on grass light side-effects.

As always, make sure sunscreen/on sunglasses and drink plenty water/options are available).

Conclusion

In conclusion folks, we hope this article has given some shred of hope/finger gunshots/lolz when dealing with those pesky opiate withdrawals…awkwards silence

Anyway clowns/boys and gals/butterflies feel free to try all or any combo of these coping tips/cat videos even if it means taking one step forward/several back before reaching superhuman/superhero status! Stay safe peeps!