Support for opioid use.
Opioid use, including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription opioids, can affect physical health, emotional wellbeing, relationships, and everyday stability. Starfish provides whole-person support that considers opioid use alongside your mental health, recovery goals, and other needs.
Overview
Opioid use, whether it involves prescription pain medication, heroin, or fentanyl, often comes with a specific fear: that stopping means going through withdrawal alone. That fear keeps people from reaching out longer than almost anything else. Treatment is built around removing that barrier, not adding to it.
Care typically starts with an assessment to understand your pattern of use, your health, and whether medication is a fit, since medication is one of the most effective tools available for opioid use and is offered alongside counseling rather than instead of it.
Who This May Help
Opioid use support can help at any stage, including before you have stopped using.
- You are using opioids, whether prescribed or not, more than you intend to
- You are worried about withdrawal and have avoided seeking help because of it
- You have experience with relapse and are returning to care after a period of recovery
- You are managing pain and concerned your medication use has become difficult to control
- You are managing opioid use alongside a mental health condition
- You want to explore medication as part of your treatment
What to Expect
From your first conversation to ongoing care, here is how it usually goes.
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A confidential assessment
Your use, your health, and what level of care fits, with a clear recommendation at the end. See Substance Use Assessment.
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A conversation about medication
Medications for opioid use disorder are prescribed and monitored by a clinician and are one of the most effective tools available. This is discussed early, not left until later. See MAT.
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Counseling alongside medication
Medication and counseling work together rather than one replacing the other. See Recovery-Focused Treatment.
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Ongoing, flexible support
Care continues at whatever pace fits, including through a relapse, which is treated as clinical information rather than a reason to stop care.
Opioid Use FAQs
Do I have to be in withdrawal to get help?
No. You can reach out at any point, including before you have stopped using or before withdrawal has started.
Is medication-assisted treatment the same as replacing one drug with another?
No. Medications used for opioid use disorder are prescribed and monitored by a clinician at a stable, therapeutic dose, alongside counseling, not as a substitute for treatment. See MAT.
What if I relapse during treatment?
You tell us, and the plan is adjusted. Returning to use is common in recovery and is not treated as a failure or a reason to end care.
Will you tell my employer or family?
No, not without your written consent. Substance use treatment records carry additional confidentiality protections beyond standard medical privacy.
Can I get support for pain alongside treatment for opioid use?
Yes. Your care team can coordinate pain management with your treatment plan rather than treating the two separately.