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Breaking Free from Heroin Addiction

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It is a well-known fact that overcoming heroin addiction is no easy feat.  However, for people sincerely motivated to quit heroin, there are various treatment options available and achieving a full recovery is very much possible.  The most common ways of treating heroin addiction are pharmacological treatments and behavioural therapies.  Both pharmacological and behavioural approaches of treating heroin addiction can achieve tremendous results on their own, but research suggests that combining both treatments is more optimal for some heroin users.  Learn more about substance abuse rehab Massachusetts. Comprehensive treatment programs are deemed very effective especially if they not only help the addict abstain from heroin, but based on the individual, also restore a state of normalcy in behaviour and brain function, reduce criminal behaviour, reduce the risk of contracting HIV among other diseases and increase the chances of employment.

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Often times, heroin users undergo detoxification programs prior to starting any long-term heroin treatment programs.  While detoxifying, patients are sometimes subjected to medications important for reducing withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting and pain.  While detoxification in itself does not count as addiction treatment, it is a very effective first step on the road to treatment, especially if followed by pharmacological treatment or behavioural therapy.

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Research shows that numerous behavioural therapies for treating heroin addiction are effective.  These therapies are available in the outpatient and residential settings.  Some two common approaches include cognitive behaviour therapy and contingency management. Get more info about mens addiction treatment center Massachusetts. Contingency management programs follow a point system where patients are awarded points in voucher-based systems for every negative drug test.  The vouchers awarded to the patients can be treated for items that promote healthy living.  Cognitive behavioural therapies on the other hand teach patients stress coping skills which enable them to adjust their behaviour and expectations in relation to drug use.

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Pharmacological treatment entails the use of medication approved for treating heroin addiction.  Such approved medication works through similar opioid receptors in the brain used by heroin, only safer.  The medications can be classified into three categories i.e. antagonist medications that block opioid receptors hence rewording the effect of opioids in the brain, agonist medications that work by activating opioid receptors in the brain and partial agonist medications that activate opioid receptors however producing a milder response.  Some medications found effective in treating heroin addiction include; methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. Methadone for instance comes in form of methadose or dolophine and is a slow acting opioid agonist since it is taken orally.  It works by preventing withdrawal symptoms in the patients while dampening the high experienced by heroin users simultaneously. Learn more from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/6-tips-on-getting-the-mos_b_6938668.

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