Heroin Addiction and Recovery Management

Treatment of heroin addiction is only the first step. All addicts who want to recover should first learn about heroin addiction and recovery management. Most treatment for heroin addiction includes medication to get past the withdrawals. Buprenorphine and Methadone are the two primary drugs used for detox and maintenance treatment. Maintenance treatment might call for reassessment as new shorter term detox methods are possible. The goal of addiction treatment is to become drug free as soon as possible. Unless there’s medical justification for taking a drug like Suboxone (Buprenorphine) long term, then detox entails an end date to stop usage of detox medication.

At least Intensive Outpatient treatment is necessary, in most cases, to treat addiction, especially addiction to a powerful narcotic. There’s nothing easy about detox, treatment and recovery from heroin addiction. When I write heroin, insert opioid, because heroin is an opioid drug like pain-killing drugs prescribed by a doctor. Addiction to these drugs consumes a person and creates changes in the brain that take time to heal. Addiction makes changes in a powerful part of the brain, and in order to recover, a person needs time and treatment/counseling and long term support from recovering addicts who understand addiction and recovery management.

This is from Addictions.com:

Support groups are also extremely helpful during heroin addiction recovery. Many people are comforted by knowing and speaking with others who are dealing with the same issues they are. Heroin recovery is difficult, and relapse is common. But, if you attend treatment and ask for help, it can be made easier and you can be better protected from the issues that plague many recovering heroin addicts.

Trying to deal with heroin addiction without professional help is risky, and it usually doesn’t work. When most heroin addicts “kick the habit” and begin to feel better, they think they’re cured, but after a short while they begin to crave the drug and have no way to deal with the craving. They might get down on themselves and believe they’re just weak and destined to use heroin. If a person doesn’t understand the nature of addiction and what to expect after stopping the use, and if they don’t have support from others who’ve been through the experience, their damaged and insufficient will power gives into the craving and they return to the drug.

It’s best to seek professional help, and it’s best to learn about recovery management. For any other major problem we find it fairly easy to seek out help from professionals, why would a person not seek help from something life threatening like heroin addiction?