Heroin Substance Abuse Treatment Program

When it comes to a substance abuse and treatment, there is a growing need for substance abuse treatment programs that specifically address heroin. Fortunately, over the course of developing substance abuse treatment, there are now a variety of effective treatments available for heroin addiction. Effective substance abuse treatment programs that target heroin, include both behavioral and  pharmacological means. The goal of most substance abuse treatment programs is to help cleanse the body of the harmful substance that inhibits brain function and thought process.

Heroin Treatment Programs

By influencing behavior, we can help lower the risk of HIV or other diseases. We can also help patients get back on their feet and begin the path to find employment. Simultaneously, by using behavioral and pharmacological methods, we can also help to reduce criminal behaviors that are typically associated with addiction to heroin.  We know, through our substance abuse treatment program, that using one method of treatment can be effective.

However, we are also aware that when you use pharmacological treatment in conjunction with behavioral and psychological approaches, it can be far more effective for some types of people than others. Ultimately, any program that is going to be effective has to be tailored and customized for the patient who is in need of the substance abuse treatment program.

The Treatment Process

Pharmacological treatment is part of a substance abuse treatment program that deals with opioid addiction. By using medication, we can increase retention in treatment programs and help to effectively decrease drug use. At the same time, we can target some of the side effects of drug use like infectious disease transmission. If pharmacological treatment is effective, it is because people addicted to opioids undergo severe withdrawal symptoms. When patients enter into a substance abuse treatment program, especially when addicted to opiates, they are going to undergo severe withdrawal symptoms like pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.

Medications can be extremely useful during this detoxification stage in order to help reduce the physical symptoms and ease the drug cravings. Cravings are typically the most dangerous for patients in this stage and can lead to a relapse if not properly controlled with the help of medications.  Medications that are used to treat opiate addiction work through the same opioid receptors as the addictive drug, but are safer and less likely to produce the harmful behavior that characterizes addiction.  The particular type of medication that is prescribed during the substance abuse treatment program depends on the patient and their specific medical needs.

In addition to the medical aspects of a substance abuse treatment program, there is also the behavioral therapist. Effective behavioral therapies are available to drug addicts, in both an outpatient and residential setting. These approaches, which use contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy, have been shown to be extremely effective in treating addictions like heroin addictions.  However, for substance abuse treatment programs to be effective, we have found that it may also be necessary for them to be applied in concert with medications.

The most important task of any substance abuse treatment program is to properly match the patient with their treatment for effective, and long-standing, results. We have a track record of positive outcomes and encourage you to call and learn more.