Treatment for Heroin Addiction

The history of heroin addiction in America is studded with some big names. There have been a lot of celebrities who have lost their careers and lives to heroin addiction. The nature of the drug is such that a person who abuses the drug more than twice is likely to become addicted to the drug. Heroin binds with certain receptors in the brain and causes the brain to release high amounts of dopamine which gives the user those famed feelings of euphoria.

Intake of heroin on a daily basis also increases the tolerance of the abuser and hence the abuser needs more heroin to get the same kind of a buzz. The drug is being sold in almost all parts of America and addicts go through a very tough time when they start with a rehab program. The withdrawal symptoms are the major concern for the doctors during the rehab program and if a person has a long addiction history the withdrawal symptoms would be intense and would cause a lot of trouble to the patient. Some of the most common symptoms of withdrawal are:

• Depression
• Diarrhea
• Excessive sweating
• Excessive craving for the drug
• Vomiting
• Insomnia
• Shakes
• Pain in the muscles and bones
• Goose bumps
• Anxiety
• Nervous breakdown

Mental torture comes with these withdrawal symptoms and although the withdrawal symptoms in heroin addicts are not as intense as in cocaine addicts or alcohol addicts they can still prove to be fatal if they are not checked at the right time.

Treatment for heroin addiction generally starts with the detox program and the detox program might last a couple of months if a person has long been addicted to heroin. Medicinal drugs like methadone buprenorphine and naltrexone are very helpful in suppressing the withdrawal symptoms. These drugs combine with the same receptors in the brains that heroin binds with and hence a person does not crave for heroin. However it takes time for the dopamine levels to come to normal and as the toxic elements in the body get eliminated the dopamine levels are restored and the patient gets ready for the recovery process.

Treatment for heroin addiction is mostly a psychological affair and the counseling sessions therapy sessions and spiritual guidance sessions have a lot of importance in the treatment program. All these sessions help the patients to find solution to their problems that led them into heroin addiction in the first place. These sessions also help the patient to regain his confidence so that he re-enters the world as a confident individual.

Relapses are always on the card but you can always find a good relapse prevention plan can help you dodge away a relapse whenever you feel vulnerable. You can also join a sober home if you are not too sure of yourself. Taking preventive measures is always better than having to start from the scratch again.