Like other substance abuse addictions, a heroin habit is a mental disorder. And as is the case with many mental disorders, the fact of heroin addiction tends to be obvious to everyone but the addict. At our clinic for heroin addiction in Grapevine, we work hard for those who suffer from this condition -- first, with the families of addicts to help them stage professional interventions that succeed in bringing addicts to rehab, and, then, with the addicts themselves. One of the hardest parts of the entire process though, is finding a program that really works.
Effective treatment for addiction can be complex. It needs to take into account not only what drug has been used, but how long it's been used, and what kind of damage it has done to the patient's body. There is also the matter of coexisting mental disorders, a challenge that affects nearly three out of four cases.
Treatment that does not take individual complications into account cannot work well. The specialists involved need to make detailed, individual assessments of each patient to create personalized treatment plans, and then tweak them as they go along. It's important to talk to every heroin addiction recovery rehab on your shortlist to find out what their treatment philosophy is.
The physical pain and the psychological discomfort of heroin withdrawal come from the trouble that the brain has adjusting to functioning without heroin in the system. Symptoms of withdrawal can include everything from body ache to muscle spasms and from depression to anxiety, panic, irritability and insomnia.
The worst of these symptoms can last as long as two weeks. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome tends to include many of these symptoms inn mild form, and tends to last as long as six months.
Rehabs are supposed to help patients deal with the pain and discomfort of withdrawal, but not all do it. Depending on the particular treatment philosophy that a rehab may follow, it may only offer full or partial help. For full-time pain attenuation in the form of careful, constant supervision by medical staff, it takes a very special kind of rehab.
It's something that we do here at our clinic for heroin addiction in Grapevine. Every rehab is different, however, it's up to you to make sure that you do get what you need. You need to investigate, and ask questions.
Many rehabs make the mistake of focusing on detox, the initial process of getting the brain off the drug habit. This part of rehab offers nearly instant gratification -- detox facilities offer a few medications to help calm down the cravings and withdrawal symptoms, and after a few weeks, the patient is off drugs.
In truth, however, the real challenge of treating addiction comes from other areas -- from the psychiatric and psychological disorders that usually come along for the ride. Most addictions can be traced to pre-existing conditions in these areas.
These disorders do not lend themselves to quick treatment, at all. In most cases, they require painstaking assessment and treatment -- medications and talk therapy that we offer for addicts with a dual diagnosis in Grapevine.
Rehab, to be successful, needs to focus on the mental health component, rather than on detox. Once detox completes, the rehab should be willing to deeply involve itself in this area. It's important to make sure that our programs for addiction treatment in Grapevine offers such care for those suffering from heroin addiction.
Certainly, rehab should provide a great deal of psychiatric and therapeutic intervention to help the patient. There is a great deal to be said for the contribution that the patient makes as well, however.
The more knowledgeable the patient is, the more he can marshal his mental resources, engage his will, muster his confidence, and work hard.
Such knowledge can come from a number of sources. While you should read up and speak to addiction specialists, there's a lot of information to gain from other addicts. There are blogs and forums out there that can help.
At our clinic for heroin addiction in Grapevine, we offer the best evidence-backed treatment plans for heroin addiction available. We are also ever willing to help patients with information. If you have questions, you are always welcome to call us at (877) 804-1531.