15 Facts About Heroin Addiction Treatment that Will Impress Your Loved Ones

Heroin addiction treatment has a long history and has gone through a number of important changes over time. Consider the facts below about safe, professional care for heroin abuse, and ask yourself if you or someone you love could benefit from this effective recovery solution. Call 800-994-1867Who Answers? now to learn more.

1. Heroin Addiction Is Still a Severe Problem

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, in 2012, studies showed that “an estimated 467,000” people were addicted to heroin.

While many people believe the abuse of this drug is dwindling, the numbers show that it is actually on the rise, and treatment is for heroin addiction is more important than ever.

2. Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment IS Heroin Addiction Treatment

Heroin addiction treatment can get you your life back!

Prescription opioid abuse is on the rise as well and has become one of the most severe addiction epidemics we are currently facing in the United States. Treatment for prescription narcotic abusers, though, is actually very similar to the program for heroin abuse treatment.

3. HIV Prevention and Education

One of the most important parts of heroin rehab is testing for, preventing, and educating patients on HIV and other transmittable diseases. Because heroin is often injected, users are highly likely to contract the disease, which is why it is so important to guard against it during rehab.

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4. Maintenance ≠ Addiction

When buprenorphine or methadone is prescribed to treat heroin abusers, it is not simply replacing one addiction with another. These drugs are dosed correctly so they block the opioid receptors in the brain but do not cause euphoria.

5. Maintenance Medications Have Other Benefits

Maintenance drugs can help in other ways too. According to the NIDA, “Patients stabilized on these medications can also engage more readily in counseling,” experience minimized cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and avoid violence and legal issues.

6. Heroin Rehab Is Covered

The Affordable Care Act made it mandatory that health plans offered through the Health Insurance Marketplace cover addiction treatment (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). Therefore, your care may be all or partly free.

7. Pregnant Women Can Get Help Too

Many of the evidence-based treatment options available for non-pregnant heroin addicts are also safe and effective for expectant mothers, including methadone maintenance (SAMHSA).

8. Additional Medication Options Are Being Approved

Narcan, a nasal spray containing naloxone for individuals at high risk of overdose, is now available. In addition, in 2016, the first buprenorphine implant was approved for the treatment of opioid dependence (US Food and Drug Administration).

9. Family Therapy Isn’t Just for Adolescents

This treatment program has been found to be effective for adult patients too and for addressing and changing ineffective––and often dangerous––family dynamics.

10. Detox Alone Isn’t Treatment

Though many people understand that detox is often the first step toward recovery, a person must still attend professional addiction treatment to truly recover.

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11. Heroin Maintenance Used to Be a Treatment

According to Harvard Medical School, some European researchers are still experimenting with heroin maintenance, but since the 1920s, it has not been used in the United States as a treatment option for addiction.

12. Many Behavioral Therapies Work for Heroin Abusers

Cognitive-behavioral therapy, contingency management, community reinforcement, and 12-step facilitation therapy are all effective for the treatment of opioid addiction (NIDA).

13. Drug Testing Is Essential to Recovery

Drug testing allows healthcare professionals to monitor a patient’s substance use (or lack thereof) in order to ensure that they are healing properly. In addition, this can be used as a part of contingency management therapy, which involves giving patients rewards when they provide a negative drug test.

14. Treatment Must Be Exact

This is why it is so important to do exactly as your doctor says and to take any medications as prescribed. If you change your regimen, stop attending behavioral therapy, or make any other changes without discussing them with your doctor, you could experience severe results.

15. Heroin Rehab Works

The program works, though, which is evidenced in the studies that show how professional rehab minimizes one’s chances of relapse, decreases criminal activity, and improves one’s ability to function in their other aspects of life, including school, work, and relationships (NIDA).

Seek Heroin Rehab Today

Treatment for heroin abuse really does work, and it helps numerous individuals every day. If you or someone you love needs help putting an end to their substance abuse and creating a strong recovery, call 800-994-1867Who Answers? now.