The Coleman Institute Blog

At the Coleman Institute for Addiction Medicine, we work with people of all ages to safely get off addictive substances like alcohol, Oxycontin®, Percocet®, Roxicodone®, Dilaudid®, fentanyl, heroin, or methadone. Our patients tend to be highly motivated and ready to do the inner work required when the grip on a substance is loosened.

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The answer to this question depends on whom you ask.

There are those who define recovery as the complete abstinence from any mind-altering drugs. And Suboxone®, a medication that combines the opioid buprenorphine with the blocker naloxone, does activate opioid receptors but it produces a smaller response. It relieves drug cravings without the high or dangerous side effects caused by other opioids. Regular use can lead to physical dependence.

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Patients who have stopped using opiates and gone through the withdrawal process often wonder why their energy is so low and ask about ways they might boost it.

After extended use of opioid pain medications such as Oxycontin, Percocet^®, Opana^®, Dilaudid^®, Vicodin^®, etc., stopping is no easy matter. Neither is the first several weeks afterward. Cessation of these opioid medications leaves the brain with a deficit of dopamine, the neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward.

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A patient called the other evening. He finished his rapid opiate detox about a week ago. He has a very physical job and is the father of a 4-month-old baby, Noah. Noah is the reason he finally decided he had to stop his drug use once and for all. He has been using high dose opiates for over 20 years, with a few small blocks of abstinence thrown in.

He did well through his detox; he was able to stay pretty comfortable getting off the equivalent of somewhere between 300-450 mg of mixed opiates. He was also using heroin but didn’t want his grandmother – who was his support person-to know about that. We never mentioned it to her.

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Here’s the scenario: Your coworker is exhibiting uncharacteristic behavior at work and you are concerned it may possibly be an addiction problem. It could be to alcohol, prescription or nonprescription drugs or even a behavioral addiction to gaming, gambling or sex. What should you do?

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