Author: Todd Lange
Heroin addiction is believed to be the most dangerous drug addiction all over the world. That is the reason why the treatment for heroin abuse is more vigorous almost everywhere in the world. The effects of heroin abuse on the addict's body are also severe than any other addiction effects. For an addict of heroin, it is a very harsh and long process to come out of the addiction and live a life without depending on heroin. The treatment providers for heroin addiction have to take strong steps in order to bring the addict back to lead a normal life free of heroin. Here is a list of some frequently asked questions about heroin addiction treatment.
Q1. Why is it difficult for the addict to come out of their dependency on heroin?
When anyone takes heroin, their brain starts secreting a chemical called dopamine. This chemical is supposed to generate pleasure sensations within the body. Hence the person likes the feel they get after consuming heroin and slowly they become addict to heroin. The person feels happy and good after taking heroin. That person starts taking it often; this makes the brain immune to heroin and results into the low level secretion of dopamine. This makes that person consume heroin in greater quantities, which starts affecting their bodies.
When the users of heroin find that they are not getting as much pleasure out of heroin as they did earlier, they begin taking it in more quantities and thus it becomes a routine activity for them. Hence when they don't get heroin, they feel restless and lifeless. Heroin becomes extremely important for them. The addict unknowingly gets caught in the big net of heroin addiction and many addicts may suffer due to overdose of heroin. Heroin overdose deaths are also quite common.
Q.2 From where does the addict get heroin?
Heroin is easily available all through out the world and in all the states of America. Heroin was not known to all until a few years ago, but now almost everyone has heard about it. The availability of heroin can be checked from the number of heroin addicts consuming this substance in that particular state. The number of heroin addicts has increased a lot in these few years. The overall growth in the number of heroin addict is gone up by 200% in Alabama itself.
But if compared to the overall drug addiction, the number of people who are addicted to heroin is still less. But those who are addicted to heroin are struggling for coming out of it and that is the great cause of worry among all the addiction treatment centers. These centers are planning various programs in order to make a heroin addict to join the treatment center and get cured of their addiction.
Q.3 What options are available for the treatment of heroin addiction?
The heroin addict will have to take an inpatient treatment program option as they need a great help and care to come out of their addiction. The heroin addict will also need to take a detox treatment, which will provide great help to the addict by removing every drop of heroin from the body of the addict. But if the addict is not into heroin consumption from a long time and is showing positive result to other programs of the addiction treatment, then there will be no need for going through the detox treatment. In most centers, for those who are with a heroin addiction from a long time, methadone is used for the heroin addiction treatment of. Methadone is an opioid and its main function is to make the heroin cravings less in the addict.
Methadone is a good substance for taking the treatment of heroin addiction but this substance itself is very addictive, hence the healthcare will make the addict aware about it before starting with the actual treatment. If the addict stops or reduces taking methadone, then there will be certain withdrawal symptoms too. That is the reason why treating the heroin addict with methadone is a time bound treatment. As the addict's cravings for heroin will become less, the care provider will also make the doses of methadone less. After this, a maintenance treatment will be given to the addict to stop the methadone doses completely. As there are great chances of methadone interacting with other drugs, this treatment is always an inpatient treatment.
Another drug that is used for reducing the heroin cravings in the heroin addict is buprenorphine. This drug is not that addictive as methadone and hence it can also be given to the heroin addict in a outpatient treatment program. This drug is given when the addict is either in the mild phase or in a moderate phase of addiction.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/diseases-and-conditions-articles/an-informative-guide-on-heroin-addiction-treatment-547249.html
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