Codeine Detox Center in Port St. Lucie, FL
Codeine is an opioid analgesic that’s often prescribed to relieve mild to moderate pain. You might receive a codeine prescription after a dental or orthodontic procedure, following a fractured or broken bone, or after a car accident that causes minor joint dysfunction or soft tissue injuries. Codeine is also found in many cough and cold medications that are designed to alleviate the discomfort of short-term respiratory illness.
Recognized as being habit-forming, codeine is only offered when other non-opioid medications won’t suffice. Taking codeine for too long, taking more of this drug than a doctor has prescribed, or pairing codeine with other medications can have disastrous effects. Extended use makes codeine highly addictive.
Many people who use codeine for an extended period of time find it difficult to stop taking this drug suddenly. Stopping codeine outright after the brain and body have already become dependent can cause intense cravings and a series of uncomfortable psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms.
At Agape Detox Center in Port St. Lucie, FL, we recognize codeine as being a gateway drug to other far more powerful opioids. Whether you’ve been abusing your own codeine prescription or purchasing codeine illegally from others, we can help. At our codeine detox center, you’ll have access to a diverse range of treatment types. We offer weaning programs, withdrawal medications, and other targeted interventions. Known for our comprehensive, whole-health approach to addiction treatment, we’re committed to helping people safely, comfortably, and successfully complete codeine detox.
What Is Codeine?
Across all prescription opioid medications, codeine is considered somewhat mild. When opioid analgesics are believed to be the best choice for pain management, codeine is considered to have the lowest risk for both side effects and addiction. Currently classed as a Schedule V narcotic, codeine is known to be habit-forming, but far less so than stronger alternatives such as oxycodone, hydromorphone, or morphine.
Notwithstanding this fact, it’s possible to quickly develop a tolerance to codeine. Derived from morphine, codeine both alleviate pain and has a relaxing, calming effect on the entire body. Many people enter a state of euphoria when using this drug. Over time, those who use codeine continuously will eventually need to increase their doses to achieve the same effects. Like all other opioids, codeine acts on the central nervous system’s opioid receptors to block pain signals. Thus, when codeine is being used, people won’t feel their physical pain even though the conditions for pain are present.
Codeine Addiction and Abuse
Addiction to any opioid medication can occur quickly. For some people, the physical dependence to opioid drugs can develop within just five days. Although codeine is not as strong as morphine itself, it is still strong enough to trigger compulsive, drug-seeking behaviors. With codeine, the risk of full-blown addiction increases the longer this medication is taken, and it becomes extremely likely after two to three weeks of continuous use.
Common signs of codeine abuse include:
- Mixing codeine cough syrups with alcoholic or carbonated beverages to expedite their effects
- Crushing codeine tablets and snorting them
- Using codeine along with mind or mood-altering substances (including marijuana)
- Asking family members or friends for their codeine
- Purchasing codeine illegally
- Experimenting with other opioid drugs to achieve the same a similar high
- Doctor-shopping to extend a codeine prescription or to get more codeine after a prescription has ended
- Exaggerating pain levels to obtain codeine in emergency rooms or urgent care facilities
One of the greatest risks of codeine abuse is that it can lead to other forms of opioid use disorder. When people who’ve become physically dependent upon this drug cannot obtain more of it, they have a high likelihood of abusing oxycodone, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and even heroin or fentanyl.
Negative Effects of Codeine Abuse
Long-term use of codeine changes how the brain and body react to pain. Blocking the brain’s pain receptors for any significant amount of time can decrease a person’s overall pain tolerance. When codeine is no longer available, even slight physical discomfort can seem excruciating. Opioid medications have a two-pronged effect on the brain’s normal functioning and chemistry. In addition to binding to the opioid receptors to limit a person’s perception of physical pain, codeine also conditions the brain’s reward center to view drug use as a healthy, helpful, or ultimately beneficial behavior.
When taking codeine, people trigger surges of dopamine. This potent neurotransmitter is used by the brain’s reward center to encourage behaviors that are good for the individual. For instance, you might get a dopamine rush after an intense workout, doing something good for others, or spending an afternoon laughing with your friends. The feelings of relaxation, elation, and euphoria that dopamine incites will encourage you to return to these same activities again. Using codeine to artificially trigger this “feel good” neurotransmitter makes you more likely to seek codeine when you want to feel relaxed and happy.
Long-term codeine abuse also has a number of significant physical side effects. Opioid abuse slows digestive processes and can lead to severe constipation and a number of secondary bowel problems including severe blockages and severe hemorrhoids caused by straining during bowel movements. Common gastrointestinal problems resulting from severe and prolonged opioid abuse of any type can include:
- Narcotic bowel syndrome
- Long-term colon damage
- Elevated risk of rectal and colon cancers
Even when codeine is only abused in the short-term by taking higher than normal doses, it can result in:
- Bloating
- Disorientation
- Nausea
- Depressed respiration
- Drowsiness
- Sedation
Compulsive cravings and compulsive drug-seeking behaviors are both long-term side effects of codeine abuse. They are also both indicators of full-blown codeine addiction.
Codeine Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms
Codeine withdrawal symptoms are distress signals that the brain and body send out when codeine is suddenly stopped or when normal doses are drastically reduced. Constantly triggering dopamine to incite relaxation and euphoria wears this neurotransmitter out. It also causes the production and release of dopamine and other neurotransmitters to become reliant upon this drug. Not only does dopamine exist to make people feel uplifted and at ease, but it also plays a hand in smooth muscle control, fine motor control, temperature regulation, nausea regulation, balance, and many other important ongoing functions throughout the body. For these and other reasons, codeine withdrawal often causes:
- Headaches
- Fever
- Chills
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Stomach cramps
- Muscle aches
- Intense cravings
- Depression
Initial codeine withdrawal symptoms are frequently described as flu-like. However, continuous fluid loss resulting from symptoms such as diarrhea, sweating, and vomiting can lead to a condition known as hypernatremia. Hypernatremia is characterized by elevated blood sodium levels and can lead to heart failure if left unchecked. This is one of the many dangers of detoxing from codeine and other opioids like it alone.
Codeine Withdrawal Timeline
The duration and severity of codeine withdrawal symptoms is determined by a number of factors including a person’s:
- Age
- Gender
- General health
- Duration of codeine abuse
- Typical codeine dose
- Tendency to pair codeine with alcohol or other substances
- History of using other opioids
For most people, codeine withdrawal symptoms begin within approximately 12 hours of last use. For others, the physical symptoms of withdrawal might not manifest for 24 to 48 hours. Physical symptoms typically peak after three to five days of onset but can last for several weeks or longer.
It is additionally important to note that physical codeine withdrawal symptoms are often followed by a number of post-acute withdrawal symptoms that are largely psychological. These include:
- Heightened anxiety
- Low motivation
- Emotional fatigue
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Vivid or disturbing dreams
- Suicidal thoughts
- Intense drug cravings
These secondary symptoms can last for up to one full year. However, they may abate or lessen in their intensity after just 60 to 90 days, when a full dopamine rebound has occurred and normal brain functioning has been restored.
When Do You Need Detox for Codeine Addiction?
The onset of withdrawal symptoms when stopping codeine is evidence of physical addiction. Opting to go “cold turkey” when quitting codeine places people at an elevated risk of relapse. It also increases the likelihood of secondary problems such as hypernatremia and increases the dangers of opioid detox overall. You should seek detox for codeine addiction if:
- You are no longer able to control how much codeine you use
- You cannot stop thinking about using codeine
- You feel physically unwell whenever you stop taking it
- You've greatly increased your own codeine dose
- You've been using other opioid drugs to achieve similar effects
Completing your medical detox in our Port St. Lucie facility is guaranteed to be both easier and safer than “toughing it out” on your own. When the right medical and therapeutic interventions are made early-on, professional codeine detox can also be significantly shorter in duration.
Codeine Detox at Agape Detox Center
Your codeine detox at Agape Detox Center will be customized to perfectly suit your circumstances and needs. By offering on-campus inpatient rehab, we make it easy for our clients to avoid gaps in their care. When you detox on our Southern Florida campus, you’ll have the benefit of clean, fresh air, warm weather, and gorgeous surroundings. You’ll have access to a dedicated team of medical and mental health professionals, and you’ll enjoy ongoing, needs-specific interventions for ensuring your overall comfort. With constant monitoring, we’ll make sure that your vital signs remain stable and that you’re able to enjoy deep, restful sleep and overall mood balance. Our support strategies assist the brain and body in healing themselves.
What to Expect During Detox
When arriving at our Port St. Lucie detox center, you’ll immediately undergo a comprehensive medical exam and psychological evaluation. This is how we’ll customize and streamline your care for optimum safety and effectiveness. After checking you in, we’ll show you to your room, introduce you to our team, and explain the nuances of your detox plan. While on our campus, you’ll have access to:
- Chiropractic therapy
- Massage therapy
- Yoga classes
- Art therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Acupuncture
These and other services are designed to help our patients learn safe, sustainable ways for managing their pain. Our dual diagnosis treatment program also helps patients with undiagnosed:
- Bipolar disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- General anxiety disorder
- Major depressive disorder
If you’ve been using codeine to alleviate the mental anguish of any co-occurring mental health issues that have yet to be professionally managed, our dual diagnosis team can help.
Why Choose Agape for Codeine Detox?
Agape Detox Center takes a whole-health approach to both opioid detox and opioid addiction treatment. When you take part in our addiction treatment programs, you’ll learn how to
- Value yourself
- Prioritize your needs, wellness, and general self-care
- Establish a sustainable and fulfilling life
- Manage, cope with, and alleviate stress without using drugs
- Avoid relapse
We give our clients the skills and tools they need to successfully reenter the outside world without returning to opioid abuse.
Contact Agape and Get Started Today
For all-inclusive treatment for codeine addiction or for other forms of an opioid use disorder, call Agape Detox Center now. Our admissions coordinators are always standing by. They can tell you all about the insurances we accept, our facility, and the many programs and services we provide. They can also help you establish a solid transportation plan for getting to our detox center, and can complete your intake interview.
