Heroin treatment is essential for any heroin user because the window of time is extremely small in which a person can continue to use heroin and ever willfully stop due to the highly addictive properties of the drug.

Types of Heroin Treatment

The best heroin treatment centers offer their patients heroin detoxification immediately followed up with long-term behavioral health therapy for the mental aspects of heroin addiction. The best heroin treatment centers will utilize all of the below treatment options to help their patients:

Detoxification and Counseling

The two principal components of comprehensive rehab, detox and counseling are the two traditional methods of dealing with heroin addiction. They are critical parts of any heroin treatment program.

Behavioral Therapies

Consisting mostly of residential and outpatient counseling, behavioral therapies are meant to correct the psychological mechanisms that make one crave heroin. They are particularly effective when combined with designated prescription medications that have been developed for heroin treatment and withdrawal management.

Methadone Programs

Developed to relieve withdrawal symptoms, methadone is a synthetic opiate, and has been proven to be an effective weapon in the heroin treatment arsenal. It relieves cravings, lasts for 24 to 36 hours, allows patients to function while on it, and has been used for 30 years. Doses of methadone must be monitored and regulated by a physician, as it also has the potential to be addictive.

LAAM and Other Medication for Heroin Treatment

LAAM can last up 72 hours when taken orally. It has minimal side effects and, like methadone, is a synthetic opiate. Its long-acting properties enable the patient to take relatively infrequent doses of just three pills per week, eliminating the need for daily medicating. Other effective medications for heroin treatment and the management of withdrawal are: Naloxone, Naltrexone, and Buprenorphine. Buprenorphine is especially helpful because it causes weaker opiate effects and runs a lower risk of overdose complications.

We can recommend the Right Heroin Treatment for You

The importance of choosing the right heroin treatment center can't be overstated. Don't give into the temptation to choose whatever heroin treatment center is geographically closest to you or your loved one. Because heroin is one of the most difficult of all drugs to achieve a successful and lasting recovery from, try to get the best available care and treatment for you or your loved one, even if it requires travel.

The National Alcohol and Substance Abuse Information Center (NASAIC) maintains a continuously updated national database of heroin treatment centers in your local area, as well as the leading recommended heroin treatment centers in the United States and around the world.