Reaching out for help with a heroin problem is one of the most difficult, yet important decisions that an individual can make. Heroin addicts are rarely able to quit on their own. Their heart may be in the right place, but without professional support and guidance, most will relapse into drug use after just a short time. To get long-lasting, qualified heroin abuse help, the individual must turn to a drug rehab center.
Across the country, there are a number of different heroin abuse treatment programs available to meet the needs of recovering addicts. Finding the right program, and understanding what goes on during treatment are two of the keys to heroin addiction recovery success.
Where can an Individual Turn for Help with a Heroin Addiction?
The individual who is suffering from an addiction to heroin may, at times, feel lost. They may believe that there is nowhere to turn for help without being judged, or even thrown into jail. The fact is, however, there are a number of ways for the heroin addict to reach out and get help. The secret is knowing where to turn. The following is a list of places that a heroin addict can turn to when they have come to terms with their addiction – and are ready to receive professional help.
- Medical professionals. Doctors and psychologists are both connected with the addiction treatment community. They know the addicted individual well, and as such will be able to help guide them towards the most appropriate form of heroin addiction rehab.
- Clergy. Many individuals turn to their religion at times of stress or chaos in their lives. For that reason clergymen and women are well schooled in helping individuals find the best addiction treatment programs in their area.
- Helplines. Addiction helplines can literally be a life-saver at a time when all hope appears to be lost. The treatment professional on the other end of the line is more than just a voice, they are experts who know how to help the individual find treatment – and make sure that they are safe in the meantime.
How Drug Rehab Helps Heroin Addicts
A qualified drug rehabilitation program helps men and women overcome their addiction to heroin by addressing the physical and psychological components of dependence. Not only do these programs help the individual get “clean” but they also provide the tools needed to maintain that sobriety for the rest of their lives. Specifically, there are three core components to a heroin drug rehab program: detox, counseling and aftercare.
- Heroin detox. The physical addiction to heroin is a strong one. In order to overcome this part of the disease, the individual must complete detox. Detoxification cleanses the systems of the harmful toxins found in opiates such as heroin. There are two ways to detox from heroin addiction: natural detox (in which the individual stops using “cold turkey” while under professional supervision) and medical detox (where the individual takes gradually smaller and smaller doses of a synthetic opiate such as Methadone until they have “detoxed”). Once detox is complete, the recovering heroin addict is deemed stable enough to continue on into counseling.
- Heroin addiction counseling. It is not enough to simply get the individual to stop using heroin during detox. In order to affect real change in the life of the heroin addict, they must learn how to control their impulses and make better decisions concerning stress, temptation and drug use moving forward. That is where counseling comes in play. Individual, group and family counseling are all ways that the individual can come to terms with the root causes of their addiction and learn how to live a healthy, fulfilling life without the drug.
- Aftercare. The final piece of the heroin rehab puzzle is aftercare. During aftercare programs, the individuals learns how to cope with the challenges that every recovering addict must face when they return to a “normal life” following drug rehab treatment. The most common types of aftercare are sober living, follow-up counseling and 12-step group meetings. All of these programs help provide support and guidance for the individual as she makes a transition back into her daily life.
Help Paying for Heroin Abuse Treatment
The cost of a high-end heroin abuse rehab program can be as much as thousands of dollars per month. Even outpatient care (which is generally less expensive that residential rehab) can run hundreds of dollars per month that the family of the addicted individual simply does not have. To help offset the cost of heroin abuse rehab, many private facilities are now offering financing options to their patients. These loans help break the cost of treatment out into multiple payments – giving the individual a chance to get back on her feet financially before payment is due.
Also, more and more major insurance companies are beginning to include drug rehab as part of their standard healthcare coverage packages. This coverage may only extend to certain facilities, or only a portion of the total cost, but to a family that has seen their financial well-being thrown out the window as a result of heroin addiction, it can make all the difference in the world.
