Heroin Addiction Treatment

Heroin treatment centers provide effective treatment options and support for the heroin user in need of rehabilitation. The better treatment facilities for heroin will offer different treatment models and detox options for the person that is suffering from the adverse effects of heroin. The main focus of treatment is on the person’s recovery. Helping the family through support and groups is also part of the program. Locating the best rehab for heroin addiction is the first step towards a long-lasting life without the need for the drug. Call us today and we can help you locate a heroin treatment center now.

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Am I addicted to heroin?

Do you spend a great amount of time acquiring heroin, recovering from using, or using due to your use of heroin?

Do you feel strong desires to use heroin?

Do you use more Heroin than you intended to use?

Have you continued to abuse heroin even though your mental or physical health has worsened due to usage?

Have there been relationship issues or social obligations that you haven’t followed through on due to heroin use?

When you discontinue the use of heroin have you felt withdrawal symptoms such as, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, muscle aches, sleeplessness, mood swings, excessive yawning, chills, or sweating.

Have you started using due to not wanting to be sick, or go through the painful withdrawal process?

Do you need a greater dose to get the desired effect from heroin?

If you have found some or all of these questions apply to your life, you should give us a call and we can help you accurately determine if treatment is needed to help you overcome the addiction to heroin.

1-800-513-5423

Heroin Withdrawal

Heroin withdrawal can be a very painful experience if done without medications. About 18 hours after the last intake of the drug a person will start to feel anxious, as most heroin addicts know what is coming soon. For this reason, alone, many people suffering from heroin addiction find it easier to remain on the drug than try to stop on their own.

Detoxification from Heroin

The facility chosen for treatment can have a determining factor and the type of heroin detox they have available for heroin withdrawal. Some facilities will use Buprenorphine or Methadone. This detox process involves replacing the heroin in your system with a synthetic substitute that can be stepped down to make for a painless withdrawal process. Some programs will offer a natural remedy for the detox process. There are no replacement drugs offered or ingested to stop the painful withdrawal process. Most common detox for heroin is a medically assisted withdrawal.

medical detox

How long does inpatient heroin treatment last?

Once the detox is completed and the withdrawal symptoms are alleviated, a person is now ready for the next phase of treatment. Different programs can offer different lengths of stay for inpatient heroin treatment. The typical time needed to overcome a heroin addiction can range from 28 days to 6 months depending on the need of the client and the level of the addiction that is in question. There are many different options available for those seeking help with their heroin addiction. Most programs will offer many different therapy models to tailor make a specific treatment plan for the individual seeking treatment for their addiction. Call us toll-free to find out about the options available to you.

Treatment and program choices for heroin addiction

Heroin is a highly addictive drug and almost 1/4 of the people who try heroin become addicted to it. Heroin has a physical and mental dependency that needs to be handled while in treatment. Once an addiction has developed a user will do just about anything to get more of the drug, even if it risks their job, health, relationships, and personal integrity.

What happens in treatment for heroin addiction is dependent on usage habits, the length of use, and usage levels. Recovery from heroin addiction solely depends on your ability to understand and apply what you have learned in treatment when confronted with life challenges.

Pharmacological treatment options (Medicated Maintenance)

There has been significant scientific research that medicated treatment of opioid addiction will increase the program completion rate for people suffering from heroin addiction.

Pharmacological treatment for heroin addiction has been shown to also decrease drug use as well as lower infectious disease transmission and quells the need for criminal activities to support a heroin habit.

The medications that have been developed to treat opiate addiction work very similarly to the addictive drug. They access the same receptors relieving the painful withdrawal symptoms while stopping the cravings for the addictive drug.

There are three classifications of the medications that are used to treat heroin addiction.

1) Agonist: Activated the opioid receptors
2) Partial agonist: Also activating the opioid receptors but at a lesser rate
3) Antagonist: works to block the receptor and place a block so the reward effect from heroin or other opiates does not happen.

Depending on the patient’s specific needs determines what type of medication is used to treat the addiction.

Effective medications used in the treatment of heroin addiction.

Methadone, Slow acting opioid agonist. Methadone is taken in an oral form either in liquid or in pill form, so it reaches the brain in lower doses dampening the high while preventing the painful withdrawal symptoms. Methadone has been an acceptable form of medicated treatment of heroin addiction since the 1960s and is still in use today. Methadone is only available at inpatient and outpatient clinics where it is dispensed daily to their clients.

Buprenorphine (Subutex) is licensed as a partial opioid agonist. Specifically made to target the drug cravings without creating the high or side effects that other opioids create. The FDA approved Suboxone for the treatment of opioid addiction in 2002 making it the first medication available to be prescribed by qualified doctors through the drug addiction treatment act. This elevates the need for daily visits and specialized dispensing clinics. Suboxone is a combination of Buprenorphine and Naloxone, also known as Narcan (an opioid antagonist) taken orally or sublingually to prevent attempts of the patients to get high by injecting the drug. Naloxone will immediately induce painful withdrawal symptoms if injected. If taken orally as prescribed the Naloxone is time-released and specifically designed not to induce symptoms of withdrawal. In February 2013 the FDA approved two generic forms of Suboxone making this type of treatment much more affordable to people needing the drug.

Naltrexone ( Opioid antagonist. Naltrexone blocks the action of opioids cutting of the receptor’s ability to process and intake heroin or other opioids. Naltrexone is non-addictive or sedating and will not result in a physical dependency on the drug. Clients have a hard time complying with this type of treatment and have limited effectiveness and daily dosage is required for this drug to remain active in the system. Vivitrol has recently received FDA approval for the treatment of opioid addiction and is administered in the form of a once-a-month injection. The hope of Vivitrol is that the compliance and longevity of treatment will be improved by eliminating the daily dosage.

All of these medications listed above work best if they are accompanied by a treatment program that is either inpatient or outpatient depending on the needs of the client. Drugs are only a temporary fix, for short time use only. Learning how to overcome addiction to heroin or other opioids can only be done through therapy and hard work.

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Therapy and Counseling

Once the detox process has completed its course and the client is feeling better, it is time to start the next phase of treatment. This includes one on one therapy, group therapy, classes, social and physical activities. You will learn coping techniques including deep breathing, yoga, and meditation that will aid in your recovery process. Most treatment centers offer sporting activities, art therapy, music therapy, journaling, and Church activities if requested.

Behavioral therapy options

The programs that offer treatment for heroin addiction can use different models of behavioral therapy in a residential setting or an outpatient clinic. Programs like contingency management use a voucher base reward system to promote healthy living and vouchers can be redeemed in the form of rewards or points based on negative drug testing and completion of program steps. Cognitive behavior therapy is one of the most common treatment models that centers use in conjunction with DBT and MRT.

There are many significant long-term effects of heroin abuse

Liver disease
Infectious (Hepatitis, HIV, etc.)
Kidney disease
Bacterial infections
Collapsed veins
Pneumonia
Abscesses
Organ damage

The threat of overdose is of real concern when you and in taking street drugs such as heroin. Heroin purity levels can vary depending on how much cut is added to the drug to stretch it out for resale.

What happens after treatment has been completed?

The main goal of a treatment program for addiction is to have their patients become sober and productive members of society. When you are checking out of your treatment facility, you will have a strict plan of action for your aftercare program. This aftercare program will need to be followed through to its entirety, to ensure that there is support and continued care after the client returns home from their program. Aftercare is the make or break of any treatment program, following through with treatment will continue the growth of the individual through sober activities, continued care, and counseling.

Our counselors can help you or a loved one get help for addiction to heroin today. Give us a call now. We can help you or someone you love find the best Drug Rehab Center for heroin addiction today. Addiction No More is an Addiction Treatment Center locator service. For immediate service, please call one of our counselors 24/7.

Please Note: This is not an official Assessment or Evaluation form. This form is not admissible in court or for probation officers and is not accepted by caseworkers. Addiction No More is here to help you find treatment for addiction. We can not give any legal advice. If you are looking for a rehab center please fill out this form or call us now.

Disclaimer: This evaluation is not intended to constitute a diagnosis of any disorder. The information provided here cannot substitute for a full evaluation by a health professional which must be done in person. Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for help locating a treatment center for addiction.

1-800-513-5423