Heroin Addiction Treatments
With Heroin addiction on the rise, more and more people are researching treatment and rehab methods and procedures. Many treatments are available for heroin addiction, including both pharmacological (medications) and behavioral treatments. Both help to restore normalcy to brain function and behavior, which can result in healthier lifestyles, including increased employment rates and lower risks of diseases and criminal behavior. Although behavioral and pharmacologic treatments are extremely useful when they are utilized alone, research shows that for many people, integrating both types of treatments is an extremely effective approach.
- Pharmacological Treatment
Research shows that pharmacological treatment of opioid addiction correlates positively with an increase in retention in treatment programs. Further, pharmacological treatment also is shown to decrease drug use, infectious disease transmission, and criminal activity. Medications can be helpful in the withdrawal/detoxification stage where pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting are commonly present. Medications can ease cravings and other physical symptoms, which often prompt a person to relapse.
Effective medications for heroin/opiate addiction include:
- Methadone: a slow-acting opioid drug that activates receptors in the brain. Methadone is taken orally so that it reaches the brain slowly, dampening the “high” that occurs with other routes of administration while preventing withdrawal symptoms. This narcotic drug has been used since the 1960s to treat heroin addiction and is used as a pain reliever through the intense detox process. Methadone is only available through approved outpatient treatment programs, where it is safely dispensed to patients on a daily basis.
- Buprenorphine has the advantage of being only a partial opioid agonist – which makes it a safer drug in case of abuse because it is less likely to cause respiratory depression.
- Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist, in other words it works in the opposite way of the aforementioned drugs; it blocks the brain’s neurotransmitters. Naltrexone blocks the action of opioids, is not addictive or sedating, and does not result in physical dependence; however, patients often have trouble complying with the daily dosing treatment, limiting its effectiveness.
- Behavioral Therapies
The many effective behavioral treatments available for heroin addiction can be delivered in both outpatient and inpatient residential settings. Approaches such as contingency management and cognitive-behavioral therapy have been shown to effectively treat heroin addiction, especially when applied together with medications. Contingency management uses a point-based system in which patients earn “points” based on negative drug tests, which they can exchange for items that encourage healthy living. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to help modify the patient’s expectations and behaviors related to drug use and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors.
Most importantly, when deciding on types of therapy and medications, it is critical to match the best heroin treatment approach to meet the particular needs of the patient.
Source: drugabuse.gov