How to Get Help for Heroin Addiction
In 2021, roughly 0.4% of all Americans aged 12 or older used heroin. This may not seem big, but it translates to around 1.1 million people. Furthermore, opioids such as heroin contributed to nearly 74,000 overdose deaths in 2022, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Because of these numbers, a lot of people who are addicted to heroin or other opioids may realize that they need to make a change and that they need professional help for substance use disorder.
However, not everyone understands how to get help for heroin addiction. What does it entail? How does one find a treatment program that can help them with heroin use?
How To Identify a Heroin Addiction
Identifying a drug addiction can be challenging. Many people who use drugs may lie to themselves about the extent of their addiction. Others may deny that they have an addiction at all.
One of the most telling signs of heroin addiction is dependence. Using the drug becomes the norm, and a person needs to use it to function normally. When they are unable to use it for whatever reason, they may struggle with withdrawal.
Another telling sign that a person has developed an addiction is that it becomes their highest priority, and they neglect friends, family, hobbies, and loved ones in favor of using heroin.
How to Seek Treatment for Heroin Addiction
Finding help for heroin and other types of opioid addiction can be somewhat difficult. This is especially true for someone who is in the middle of addiction, as they may not have the clarity necessary to realize that they have to quit heroin.
Two things can happen that may help individuals realize that they need to look at their treatment options. One is that their friends and family come together and stage an intervention to compel them to go to a rehab center.
In some cases, these loved ones may conspire to get them treatment regardless of a person’s choice.
The other thing that can happen is that a person realizes they have hit the lowest point possible and need to get clean and pull their lives back together.
Preparing for Treatment and Getting Through Heroin Withdrawal
The first part of a treatment plan is generally detox. During this phase of addiction treatment, a person will purge their body of all the substances that they have taken. This can lead to various withdrawal symptoms.
While some may be tempted by the possibility of outpatient treatment during this phase, it’s generally best to go through detox in a recovery center due to the dangers that withdrawal can present to a person. In a rehab facility, medication-assisted treatment may be used to help make the process more tolerable for a person going through the detox process.
As uncomfortable as this process can be, it is an essential part of recovering from heroin. But it is only one part. Overcoming heroin addiction isn’t just about getting clean. It is also about staying clean.
Getting Ready for a Treatment Center
An inpatient rehab program can offer the highest level of support for overcoming heroin addiction. However, it will require someone to live inside a rehab facility for a few weeks to several months. So, preparing for residential heroin addiction rehab will not be as simple as showing up at the rehab facility and getting treatment.
Heroin abuse can often lead to job loss. But that is not always the case. Many people who are struggling with heroin addiction can hold down jobs. So when they go on their inpatient recovery journey, they will have to make sure that they file the proper paperwork so that those jobs will still be there waiting for them when they leave the facility.
There may also be dependents involved. Getting ready to go to rehab will involve making sure that dependents are taken care of while a person is in a treatment facility.
What Heroin Treatment Includes
In a facility, heroin addiction treatment will include various types of treatment to help people develop skills that can help them manage their cravings and address the causes of their heroin use.
A recovery approach will generally include both evidence-based treatment and holistic approaches to help a person recover from heroin addiction.
Addiction and mental health are often interconnected. Many facilities will offer Dual Diagnosis treatment to address both issues simultaneously.
After Heroin Treatment
A person who is in recovery from heroin addiction will almost certainly continue to struggle with their cravings after they leave a rehabilitation facility. This makes the skills learned in residential treatment so pivotal, as they can help a person prevent relapse.
Support groups such as Narcotics Anonymous can also be vital in treating heroin addiction. These can offer a person who is struggling with addiction a community of people who have been through similar struggles.
Furthermore, many rehabilitation centers offer aftercare and outpatient programs that can help a person continue to get professional support for addiction while living at home and continuing with their day-to-day lives.
Effects of Heroin Addiction Treatment
Heroin addiction can have various effects on people. But there are also various long-term effects of heroin recovery.
Many people who are addicted to heroin can suffer from medical complications, lose weight, and they may lose physical strength. They recover their physical vitality when they get clean and stay clean.
Addiction can often cause or worsen mental health disorders. By ceasing heroin use, a person’s mental health can improve greatly. They can get the treatment they need to properly manage their mental health, and they can live full, healthy lives.
Start Your Recovery Today
How to get help for heroin addiction? Twilight Recovery is our facility in Mexico, where we offer cost-effective treatment for you or your loved one. Addiction can be isolating and challenging, but you don’t have to go through the process of recovery alone.
Addiction recovery can start with a simple phone call or an email. That is all it takes to help you navigate a path toward a life free from substance use.