Many times, those who become addicted to opiates do so innocently enough. It may start by being given pain medication to help control pain from an injury or procedure, only to find that a dependency ensues with their repeated use. Or it may start with recreational use, until it becomes use just to maintain. Over time, patients can develop such a fierce chemical dependency that it becomes an all-consuming need, destroying the lives of the patient and relationships with loved ones. Unfortunately, much of society does not recognize opiate dependency for what it is, a medical illness. Fortunately, like many medical maladies, there is effective treatment that can restore the patient to a thriving and healthy individual.
Overview of Opiate Addiction Recovery
Opiate Addiction Recovery is dedicated to the management of opiate dependency and to the liberation of its patients from the deleterious cycle of drug use. Our primary purpose is to assist those who are addicted to opiates of all types to get back on track by providing them the tools to choose a better, healthier path. We aim for our patients to regain the confidence and respect of their friends, family members, and loved ones, but most importantly, to regain control of their own destiny.
Adverse Effects of Opiate Addiction
Opiate use disorder (OUD) is often referred to as opioid dependence, abuse or addiction. OUD is a problematic pattern of opioid use, causing deleterious impairments at home, school or work. Other characteristics of OUD are unsuccessful efforts to control use or cut down, failure to fulfill obligations and other social problems.
Positive Consequences of Treatment
In a word, “Freedom.” Freedom to not worry about where your next hit is going to come from. Freedom from having to worry about the inevitable withdrawal that will come without that dose. Freedom to spend an afternoon with friends and family without having to excuse yourself because of some craving that tortures you and robs you of those moments with loved ones. Freedom to have passion and aspirations, rather than feeling owned by something that just leaves you with more desperation with every broken promise and with every dream unfulfilled.
Doctor Jose Partida Corona
Doctor Jose Partida Corona is an internal medicine physician with over ten years of experience treating patients with opiate use disorder. He has worked in methadone clinics as well as in conjunction with outpatient treatment programs and has helped countless patients change their lives for the better. His belief in the power of individual responsibility and self-determination is at the root of his belief in a brighter future for his patients.
Treatment Philosophy
Opiate Addiction Recovery provides a positive atmosphere for treatment. It is not our place to judge, but to guide. Many patients come to treatment with genuine hope and purpose to find their way out of an addiction cycle. We see it, as our purpose, to point towards the means to make it out of that cycle. For some, all it takes is medical management to address withdrawals, for others it is addressing triggers or past traumas that serve as triggers to abuse substances. Still for others, it is multifactorial, and may require a much deeper dive into the psyche of the patient to determine if there are other comorbidities, such as chronic pain or some form of mental illness, that also needs to be effectively addressed. We do not shy away from addressing any number of these issues. Whatever may be needed, we will do our best to address it in a substantive and thoughtful way.
Medications
Here at Opiate Addiction Recovery, we use a variety of medications for treatment, but the mainstay is buprenorphine. This is the medication fount in Suboxone, Subutex, Zubsolv and Sublocade. It boasts a success rate which far surpasses methadone and every other known drug on the market for opioid dependence. Buprenorphine helps the patient during the withdrawal process by easing the harsh symptoms and sickness of chemical withdrawal. It is a partial agonist of the mu-receptor, the receptor that binds to opiates. As such, it helps patients by stimulating the receptor enough to clear the withdrawal from opiates, but not enough to get any significant “high” from it.
Additionally, if patients are stepping down from their dose of buprenorphine, we monitor for symptoms and, at times, prescribe other medications to ease the symptoms associated with stepping down. Whether it be clonidine for withdrawal symptoms or ondansetron for nausea, there are a multitude of other medications we can use to help out.
Counseling
Here at Opiate Addiction Recovery, we believe in a multidisciplinary approach to problem solving. Although medication management alone can be used to address opiate dependence, we have found coupling medication management with counseling provides much greater stability for patient recovery and facilitates a road to complete abstinence to a much greater degree than medication management alone. Twelve step programs can provide some needed insight, but ultimately, there is no substitute for the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy and the perspective they can provide the individual. For this reason, we strongly encourage at least some counseling, whether in the initial phases, in step downs, or through the course of treatment, whatever may be necessary for the greatest success.
In summary
All those seeking their freedom from the cycle of opioid dependency are welcome at our facility where we believe that our treatment techniques give them the greatest chance for success. We combine the best and latest of all known drug treatment applications in order to stack the odds for a successful recovery in your favor. We look forward to helping you find your way.