Heroin Rehab Treatment: What to Expect?

Rehab offers you many opportunities to learn and change. Find out more about what happens in a heroin rehab. Then, explore your options for change here.

5
minute read

Rebuild A Connection With Yourself

Heroin transforms people’s lives in the worst possible way. The drug makes a person unrecognizable to friends, family, and even to themselves. Heroin drives people to behave criminally or to do anything at all to get one more hit.

After fighting with heroin on your own, it might become clear…

You can’t do it alone!

We’re here to tell you that rehab can help. The decision to enter treatment will bring you many benefits, some short-term and some long-term. Among the various services heroin rehab programs offer, the most important benefits include:

  • A structured and medically guided recovery program.
  • Professional support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
  • Constant medical supervision and counseling.
  • Complete focus on yourself.
  • The opportunity to develop strong friendships with people who face similar issues.

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Don’t let heroin crush your dreams.
We can help you assess your options.
Reach out and give us a call.
You are never alone.
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What To Expect

Heroin is a highly addictive opiate that induces incredible euphoric feelings. Because heroin is so addictive, most users find it extremely difficult to stop using it. So, how can quitting be made more easy?

Heroin rehab treatment has proven to be successful for many people. It includes a basic progression from detox to therapy to aftercare. Here are the most common stages and services that you can expect from a reputable treatment program:

REHAB STEP 1: Screening and assessment.

Every person entering a treatment program can expect to undergo a drug screening and thorough assessment. This process allows addiction specialists to better understand a person’s specific needs and create an addiction treatment plan catered to those needs.

REHAB STEP 2: Medical detox.

Heroin is a difficult drug to quit using, since the withdrawal symptoms are so severe, particularly the intense craving for the drug. Medical detox from heroin is often used to help users stop taking this drug safely and comfortably. Constant medical supervision is provided and medications are often administered to help address withdrawal symptoms as they occur.

REHAB STEP 3: Psychotherapy.

Individual behavioral therapy and group therapy are two common psychological treatments used during the course of rehab treatment. Since the effects of this drug are so far-reaching, family counseling sessions are also usually included as well.

REHAB STEP 4: Medications.

Some medications have been approved to treat heroin addiction: methadone and buprenorphine being the most common. Both of these medications are synthetic opioids that occupy the same receptors in the brain as heroin. These medicines do not provide the high that heroin does, but can be used to help wean people off of heroin.

REHAB STEP 5: Education sessions.

Treatment programs typically require people to attend several education sessions on the science of addiction and how they can finally break free from it. Family members and loved ones may also be invited to attend education sessions, seminars, and workshops.

REHAB STEP 6: Supportive Services.

Kicking a heroin habit is almost impossible without a great deal of support and more than a few helping hands. Those in recovery will most likely be able to take advantage of a number of supportive services that can help make them self-sufficient and keep them drug-free.

Knowing what to expect can be intimidating. But don’t worry! Most treatment plans are based on each individual situation.

Family Visits

In some cases, it may be possible to family to visit you in a rehab facility. Whether you can or not usually depends on the specific policies as well as the  progress you have made in treatment. Many facilities, for instance, will allow people to have visitors a few weeks after they’ve settled into the facility and begun to make progress in their treatment.

Most family members will usually only be able to visit on designated days each week or month. These days usually fall on a weekend. However, if family is from out of town, they may be able to make arrangements with the facility to visit outside of the designated visiting hours. Visits usually last no more than a few hours at a time.

During a visit, family members may also be asked to participate in education sessions or family counseling sessions. It’s important to participate in these sessions, if offered, since they can give families a better understanding of heroin addiction in general and how they can help you. Taking an active role is an excellent way for families to show support.

When visiting expect to have a few restrictions placed on you. Some rehabs will search visitors’ bags at the beginning and end of the visit. You may also be asked to refrain from physical contact during your visit.

After You Leave Rehab

Completing a rehab program can be satisfying and terrifying at the same time. Many people in recovery are often unsure about what to expect afterwards. They may not be sure of how they will cope on their own in the outside world, for instance.

Addiction aftercare is essential. A good aftercare program should include continuing outpatient rehab treatment sessions as well as access to supportive services, if need be. Those who are given access to supportive services such as transitional housing and employment assistance are much more likely to be successful.

A sound exit plan can also keep people from turning back to their old ways. An exit plan is a written document that should be created before you leave a treatment facility. This plan should include goals that you should work for and the steps you need to take to achieve those goals.

 

Leaving Early

The doors of a rehab generally aren’t locked, and anyone is free to leave at any time. Of course, people are strongly discouraged from leaving rehab treatment before completion.

If you leave heroin rehab treatment before completion, you are jeopardizing your chances of successfully overcoming your addiction. Although you may feel that you’re cured, chances are you have not learned all of the coping skills that you need to live drug-free. By leaving treatment early, you are at a much higher risk of relapse.

There are also numerous other reasons to complete heroin rehab and stay drug-free, including

  • Rebuilding broken relationships.
  • Staying out of trouble with the law.
  • Reducing your chances of an overdose.
  • Reducing your chances of contracting a deadly infection.
  • Minimizing the risk of financial ruin.

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Your heroin addiction won’t go away on its own.
If you want to recover, rehab could help.
Call us.
You are never alone.
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Questions?

You may enter rehab reluctantly.

Maybe you have high hopes.

But, it’s important to realize that treatment for a heroin addiction is not easy, and it takes a great deal of hard work. If you think that you or a loved one may be ready for heroin rehab treatment, it’s only natural to have concerns. The good news is, we’re here to help!

You can leave any questions, comments, or concerns below. We look forward to interacting with all of our readers and getting them on the path to a better life.

Reference Sources: NIH: What are the treatments for heroin addiction?
Drug Abuse: What is heroin and how is it used?
Drug Abuse: What effects does heroin have on the body?
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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