Heroin addiction can ruin lives. Breaking the cycle of substance dependence may require a heroin addiction treatment program, which can help you or someone you love start the life-saving work of recovery. There are many benefits to professional treatment for drug addiction, and these benefits last long after clients leave a heroin rehab program.
Ending Heroin Abuse Improves Overall Health
As an opioid drug, heroin has highly addictive properties. Heroin activates opioid receptors in the brain that increase feelings of pleasure and euphoria and alter perceptions of pain. These positive feelings encourage heroin users to seek the drug repeatedly.
However, heroin’s short-term and long-term health effects are serious. Over time, people who use heroin may develop health problems like:
- Clogged blood vessels
- Insomnia
- Liver and kidney diseases
- Lung damage
- Respiratory infections
- Brain damage
- Collapsed veins where heroin is injected
- Heart disease and infections
- Infectious disease if needles are shared
Additionally, a heroin overdose can limit the oxygen that reaches the brain. Lack of oxygen to the brain can lead to lasting nervous system damage; it can even be fatal.
In a heroin rehab program, clients’ health comes first. Stopping the use of heroin is the biggest and most important step towards health, but it’s just the beginning of recovery. Medical treatments and therapies focus on improving the client’s overall well-being, including sleep, nutrition, mental and behavioral health, and physical health.
Help with Drug Addiction Detox and Withdrawal
When someone uses opioids like heroin over a long period of time, they may become physically dependent. This means their body is accustomed to the substance. If the person stops using heroin, their body won’t know how to function correctly, and they may experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like aches, chills, and nausea. These symptoms make it more challenging for someone with dependence to stop heroin use.
Heroin rehab programs have medical professionals to help clients manage the pains of detox and withdrawal. Doctors keep patients safe, stable, and as comfortable as possible, so they can get past their initial recovery period and begin treatment without the distraction of withdrawal symptoms. Medically managed withdrawal reduces the chance of relapse, and clients who complete heroin rehab are more likely to stop using heroin for good.
A Supportive, Educational Recovery Environment
Drug addiction can be complex. Therapies in heroin rehab help clients explore the mental, emotional, and behavioral factors behind their drug use. Treatment may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which focuses on changing thought patterns to change behavior
- Dual diagnosis treatment, where clients can get help for drug addiction and any mental health conditions
- Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), which teaches distress tolerance and emotional awareness
- Group therapy, where clients can build a supportive community and learn from one another
- Family therapy, which allows clients’ families to repair and resolve relational issues with a neutral, trained facilitator
In individual and group counseling, clients learn skills that help them live a sober life, like handling emotional triggers, using coping mechanisms, and setting healthy boundaries. Each treatment plan addresses the individual client’s needs.
Clients in heroin rehab also benefit from the support and community of other clients in similar situations. By encouraging one another in sobriety, you can build bonds that last after you leave the program. Treatment providers also offer follow-up treatment and encouragement for a lasting support network.
Heroin Addiction Treatment at Southern Sky Recovery
At our South Carolina heroin rehab facility, we have outpatient programs for a range of client needs. Clients can participate in partial hospitalization programs and intensive outpatient programs, which provide a high level of support and care while allowing clients to live at home.
Our facility is owned and operated by people who are in long-term recovery themselves, so you’ll be surrounded by a community of people who understand what you’re going through. Our evidence-based treatments for heroin abuse target the underlying issues behind addiction. Treatments we offer include mental health counseling, anger management, group therapy, family therapy, DBT, CBT, and more.
If you think you or someone you love would benefit from heroin rehab, reach out to us at 843.350.5769. We’re here to help.
