Heroin is one of the most addictive of all the illegal drugs available today, it is very fast-acting. This means the high that the user feels is almost immediate, which adds to the possibility of addiction. It is also associated with an increased chance of overdose because it is hard to gauge how strong or pure a batch is. If you believe that someone you care about is addicted, you should do everything you can to encourage them to go to heroin rehab.
Addiction
Without rehab, an addicted person could eventually die from their addiction. All it takes is one bad batch or one batch that was too strong. Street heroin is often cut with items like baby powder or sugar, but there is an increasing amount that is much purer, possibly leading to death. There is also the possibility of coming into contact with a contaminated needle which could lead to health conditions that are deadly, such as AIDS.
Rehab
Once a person has decided they need to get into a treatment program, the first step is detoxification. During the detox process, the patient could become very ill physically including nausea, convulsions, shakes, headaches, nightmares, night sweats and much more. Sometimes medicine is given to them in order to help with these symptoms.
Detox
A treatment plan is then written for the new patient. Each plan is tailor made for the individual, because their needs are not exactly the same as anyone else's. The doctors will take several factors into consideration when making the treatment plan. Factors include age, gender and severity of the addiction. Their physical health at the time of admission is also taken into consideration. The plan can be adjusted as needs change.
Therapy
After detox, a patient may then begin therapy. Both individual and group therapy may be prescribed to help the person understand their addiction. In some cases, family therapy is prescribed, particularly in the case of minors or people who still live at home.
Aftercare
Therapy is not just for the rehab facility. It should continue long after the patient leaves rehab. This therapy helps keep the addict sober, as there are many temptations after leaving the facility. It also provides a place where they can vent and ask questions as they try to stay on the right path.
Relapse
The post-rehab therapy helps them continue to build the life skills necessary to deal with the challenges to their sobriety. It helps them understand that they will forever be an addict but that doesn't meant they can't stay sober. This is especially important with heroin addicts because it has one of the highest relapse rates of all the addictive drugs available. Only 30-50% of heroin addicts stay sober a year after treatment.
It is not an easy road back from addiction, but heroin treatment combined with heroin addiction detoxification is a necessary start to that journey. With proper treatment and a sobriety buddy after treatment, it is possible to stay sober. Family and friends also play an important role in keeping sober after leaving a treatment facility. The combination of all these things increases the odds of not becoming one of the many who end up having a relapse less than a year after leaving rehab.
