A 2019 statistic revealed that 605,000 Americans ages 12 and older had abused heroin at least once in the year before being surveyed. The statistics indicate the prevalence of heroin addiction and how much of a problem it is.
Heroin addiction treatment is a journey to say the least. First, you need to admit that you have a heroin addiction problem before seeking help. Unfortunately, not many people make it to this point. After you come to terms with being an addict, you can seek professional treatment.
To overcome a heroin addiction, you need to know what heroin addiction is and how to battle it. This article will highlight everything you need to know about heroin and ways to get heroin addiction help.
What Is Heroin?
Heroin is an opioid drug that is produced from morphine, a potent addictive compound. The powder comes in different colors, but the most popularly known colors are white, black or brown.
Atypical of most addictive substances, their modes of ingestion are usually multifaceted. For some, they ingest heroin by injection, while others take heroin through smoking or swallowing.
Heroin works in a tricky way. It tries to penetrate through areas of the brain that’s responsible for feeling pleasure and pain.
After successfully accessing that center, it then changes the mechanism with which pain and pleasure are being felt by making the opioid substance a determiner. In the long run, the brain sees the drug as being instrumental for eliciting pleasure and numbing pain. And this, in turn, fosters dependence.
How Is Heroin Addiction Treated?
There’s no universal cure for any drug addiction. Rather, there are powerful heroin addiction treatment options to help addicts through recovery. The particular treatment type often depends on the substance used, the individual, and the coexisting medical conditions.
The two main types of heroin use disorder treatment are pharmacological (medication) and behavioral.
Pharmacological treatment is all-encompassing of those medications needed to detox and treat the patient. Some common medications often used include buprenorphine, methadone, Naltrexone, and so on.
On the other hand, behavioral treatment involves using tested and trusted therapies like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help treat addiction.
Asides from CBT, contingency management is another approach that proves effective in heroin addiction treatment. For contingency management, patients are awarded points whenever they respond positively to treatment. These points can be traded for items to promote healthy living.
Ideally, for maximum efficiency, the course of treatment should include both behavioral therapy and pharmacological treatments. Research has shown that when paired, they record a greater chance of success.
How to Get Heroin Addiction Help
Finding heroin addiction help in recent times is easier. All you need to do is contact your local drug treatment service and you will be paired with the right professionals.
On your first visit to a rehab facility, you will be asked a series of questions to determine the best treatment plan.. some of these questions might include: how much heroin do you use daily? What is your mental health like? Are you indulging in other forms of substance abuse? Have you sought drug treatment in the past?
At Hillside Mission, we are a luxury drug and alcohol rehab located in Orange County, South California. We understand the struggles of heroin addiction and, as such, run a facility that offers the right treatment programs, ranging from our detox program to make your journey to heroin addiction treatment smoother.
It is imperative to note the existence of our ever proactive aftercare and alumni program that helps maintain sobriety post-recovery.
Contact us today to help you get started on your journey to achieving freedom from heroin addiction.
