How Rehab Centers Treat Heroin Addiction

When you have a heroin addiction, the messages you get tell you that rehab is the answer. Through rehab, you will be able to take control of your life back from heroin. But, what happens in rehab? It’s one thing to know that you need it, but it doesn’t necessarily make you seek it out when you don’t know what rehab is.

The following discussion will answer some common questions about rehab, but it likely won’t answer all of your questions. To get all of the information that you need, call 800-256-3490. Our experts can answer tough questions and make the answers easy to understand. Call now.

What Are the Stages of Rehab?

Every heroin addict’s treatment plan will be individualized and based on their initial assessment, which is thorough. However, all patients will go through the following stages:

• Intake and assessment
• Detoxification
• Treatment
• Aftercare and ongoing recovery

What Happens in Intake?

Intake is the very first thing that happens when you arrive at rehab and sign-in. The rehab staff will use a number of different methods to gather information about your psychological, medical, and social situation.

They are determining whether or not you have any co-occurring conditions that will impact your treatment for heroin addiction. They are also trying to identify any cultural cues that will help them tailor your treatment to you specifically.

You will also have the level of heroin and other drugs in your body measured, as well as have a brief physical. Expect to answer questions about your medical history, as well as your drug use patterns, family history of drug use, and the severity of your addiction.

When enough data is gathered, the clinicians will use it to draw up your individual treatment plan. As your treatment occurs, this plan will be revised to make sure that it is always at its most effective and reflects the progress you are making and the methods you respond to.

What Happens in Detox?

Detox is the process by which your body will transition from acutely intoxicated with heroin to drug and alcohol free. This means that you will have to stop using and let your body go into withdrawal.

Although heroin withdrawal is unlikely to kill you, it is extremely uncomfortable and can develop into something quite severe. Therefore, the staff of the heroin rehab center will use a number of methods to ease your discomfort.

Withdrawal will set in roughly 12 hours after your last heroin use and will include both early and late stage symptoms, according to the US National Library of Medicine.

Early symptoms:

Anxiety occurs early on in the heroin withdrawal timeline.

• Agitation
• Yawning
• Anxiety
• Runny nose
• Muscle aches
• Sweating
• Increased tearing
• Insomnia

Late symptoms:

• Vomiting
• Abdominal cramping
• Goose bumps
• Diarrhea
• Nausea
• Dilated pupils

To treat these symptoms, the rehab center will use opioid withdrawal specific medications like:

• Methadone
• Buprenorphine
• Clonidine

They may also use supplementary medications for ease of specific symptoms, like headaches or insomnia.

What Is Treatment Like?

Once you are in a drug and alcohol free state, you will continue on to the structured, formal rehabilitation. This is the period when you look inward to discover what is triggering your drug use and you learn how to address these issues to avoid relapse. You will also learn about your addiction and gain some coping skills. This is also a time to practice socializing and developing sober peers. You will also find yourself learning healthy life habits, like exercise, meditation and balanced nutrition.

This time may include:

• Individual Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Family Therapy
• Alternative therapies, like art therapy and equine therapy
• Recreational activities, like hiking and swimming
• 12 step meetings
• Support Group meetings
• Educational sessions
• Specialized sessions, like vocational training
• Holistic classes, like yoga, tai chi, meditation, and acupuncture

Your treatment plan will determine what medications you take during this time and which activities you take part in.

What Is Aftercare?

Recovery is generally a lifelong process and rehab centers know this. For this reason, they do not show you the door when you complete treatment and leave you to figure everything out on your own. Instead you may:

• Continue attending therapy or meetings at the rehab center
• Schedule follow up meetings
• Return for brief stays at the rehab center
• Transition into a sober living house or therapeutic community

To learn more about heroin rehab, contact us at 800-256-3490. We can even direct you to a rehab center that would be perfect for treating your heroin addiction.

Subutex Treatment for Heroin Addiction