How to Successfully Recover from a Heroin Addiction

The truth is that there is no ‘magic bullet’ when it comes to dealing with heroin addiction. Becoming addicted to heroin takes both time and continued use of the drug. Therefore, rehabilitation couldn’t possibly be instantaneous either. It is important to remember that people should give themselves plenty of time when it comes to recovery. To expect immediate results would be unreasonable. This is the primary reason that inpatient treatment works so much better for most people struggling with addiction. Recovery is a process, it can’t be fast-forwarded and compromises should never be made.

Why Inpatient Treatment Comes Highly Recommended

The truth is that addiction is more than just the physical dependence; it has to do with the mindset as well. For some, drugs become a crutch, for others it becomes a way to avoid dealing with other genuine problems in their lives. Regardless of the reasoning behind turning to drugs in the first place, it is obvious that a change must be made in order to live a sober life.

The following are just some of the reasons that this type of recovery comes so highly recommended:

Removal of triggers – There can be a number of different triggers that would have a person want to use again. Sometimes hanging out with a particular group of friends, a certain feeling and even sounds or smells are known to trigger these impulses to want to use again. When a person is removed from these triggers, it becomes much easier for them to recover. However, even if those triggers can’t be avoided entirely, it leads to the next point.
Removal of temptation – Face it, when inside a facility a patient can’t simply procure heroin. Even if someone goes through an outpatient treatment program with the best of intentions, the truth is that during most of the day they can do whatever they want, and if they have a moment of weakness they are able to buy their drug again and get high. Recovery is extremely difficult and patients should not be disheartened if they are tempted to use again, the only thing that matters is that they don’t actually give into that desire.
Allows the proper focus – There are always reasons for drug use in the first place. These can be relatively straightforward, or they can be complex. When a person is at an inpatient treatment center, they don’t have to worry about cooking, cleaning, heading to work, dealing with bills or talking to friends and family. Instead, they can focus exclusively on their recovery. As we have mentioned before, recovery is not going to be easy, but it is certainly possible.
It prepares for life after use – While not necessarily a problem for short-term users that want to make a change, many long-term addicts need to learn how to deal with life once they have reached sobriety. For long-term users, their friend base, their lifestyle and actually their entire life revolved around buying and using heroin. Once they are no longer using the drug, they are going to have a lot of free time in which their minds may wander. Preparing for a sober life means making smart decisions and avoiding temptation.

Why Should This Not Be Done Alone?

Even if we ignore the fact that heroin is among the most addictive substances that we know, making it extremely difficult to go ‘cold turkey’, why would someone benefit from an in-patient treatment program? Once someone goes through the detox phase, many withdrawal symptoms can occur. Complications from these symptoms could potentially be fatal. When someone attends inpatient treatment, the person struggling with addiction knows that if medical complications were to come up, there is going to be someone there to help.

The Danger of Relapse and Overdose

One of the biggest dangers of heroin rehabilitation is relapse. While it may sound inherently negative to mention relapse on a site that is dedicated to helping people recover, the truth is that many people that decide to recover on their own or use a traditional 12-step program eventually do. Relapse and Overdose The problem is that heroin is a drug that the body quickly builds up a tolerance for. This means long-time users need to take in more to receive the same high that a first-time user would. If a person relapses, they usually consume the same amount that they were previously using, but their system is no longer able to process that amount. When this happens, a fatal overdose becomes a very real possibility.

The Determination Aspect

It is also true that if someone relapses, they often feel like they have not only failed themselves, but also those that care about them. This makes them feel bad about themselves, which results in them wanting to use heroin to feel good again. Users that try rehab and end up relapsing are much less likely to want to attempt rehabilitation in the future. The reason for that is twofold: they start to feel as though living a life without addiction is unattainable; and they don’t want to feel as though they are constantly failing.

The Choice is Yours

Ultimately, no one can force someone else to decide between inpatient or outpatient rehabilitation. Outpatient drug treatment may be cheaper and people may not have to leave the comfort of their own home, but the truth is that the results are simply not the same. Many statistics back up the fact that inpatient drug treatment works better – regardless of the substance one is trying to recover from.

The truth is that the risk of an overdose when relapsing and the fact that most users become disheartened if they were to relapse validate the importance of inpatient treatment for heroin addiction. When someone is struggling with their demons, the last thing on their mind should be whether they can afford quality recovery (many insurance companies pay at least part of the process) or anything else for that matter. They should be 100% focused on their recovery. If you want to learn more about the options for yourself or someone you care about, just know that personalized assistance is only a single phone call away.