Heroin is arguably the most addictive hard drug that exists. A significant number of former addicts will find themselves slipping back into the problem in spite of a strong desire to stay clean. What struggling addicts need to do even as they seek to deal with this problem once and for all is to identify a qualified institution to help them through. There are many things involved in heroin treatment Richmond residents need to be conversant with.
The therapeutic options used for this problem are broadly divided into two: pharmaceutical agents and behavioral therapy. Although each method is fairly effective, the greatest benefits are realized when the two are used in combination. The general approach is to use the drugs in the acute phase of rehabilitation and to bring in behavioral modification strategies as a long term intervention. There a number of stages that are involved during treatment and rehabilitation.
The first step is referred to as detoxification. It has been described as the most intense of the stages as it entails a sudden cessation of drug use. Experts advise that this stage should be carried out within a facility with qualified medical personnel. The most striking feature is the onset of withdrawal symptoms such as a flu-like illness that is associated with chills, joint pains, nausea, nervousness, shaking, nervousness and even depression.
Heroin use is associated with a great deal of dependence among long term users. What this means is that it becomes almost impossible to do anything without using the drug. In view of this fact, the strategy should be to introduce another substance that confers the same feeling as heroin as part of the initial therapy. Methadone is among the drugs that have been approved for this use. Others include naltrexone and buprenorphine.
The second step in the process is treatment proper. It entails, among other things, counseling addict through both individual and group therapy. Individual therapy is where the addict and the therapist have a one-on-one session and discuss personal factors that may be contributing to the problem and how to deal with them. Group therapy takes place among recovering addicts and the therapist plays a passive role.
One of the modern trends of therapy is the use of residential home set ups. These are arrangements in which patients have access to various recreational activities in the course of their therapy. Such may include relaxation activities such as yoga and meditation or sporting activities such as football, swimming, running and cycling. Taking part in these activities has been shown to greatly help with the recovery process.
The third step of the treatment process is the maintenance step. This step lasts for a long period of time (months to years depending on patient response). It is started once the recovering addict rejoins their family. The treatment during the maintenance stage is mainly done on an outpatient basis. The therapists conducts periodic assessments during the scheduled visits to establish whether or not progress is being made.
Although drugs may be prescribed in some cases, behavioral therapy is the main form of management during the maintenance stage. The therapist will use various strategies to discourage relapse. Both negative and positive reinforcement are used. Negative reinforcement is where undesirable behavioral patterns are rebuked while positive reinforcement refers to the promotion of desirable behavioral patterns.
The therapeutic options used for this problem are broadly divided into two: pharmaceutical agents and behavioral therapy. Although each method is fairly effective, the greatest benefits are realized when the two are used in combination. The general approach is to use the drugs in the acute phase of rehabilitation and to bring in behavioral modification strategies as a long term intervention. There a number of stages that are involved during treatment and rehabilitation.
The first step is referred to as detoxification. It has been described as the most intense of the stages as it entails a sudden cessation of drug use. Experts advise that this stage should be carried out within a facility with qualified medical personnel. The most striking feature is the onset of withdrawal symptoms such as a flu-like illness that is associated with chills, joint pains, nausea, nervousness, shaking, nervousness and even depression.
Heroin use is associated with a great deal of dependence among long term users. What this means is that it becomes almost impossible to do anything without using the drug. In view of this fact, the strategy should be to introduce another substance that confers the same feeling as heroin as part of the initial therapy. Methadone is among the drugs that have been approved for this use. Others include naltrexone and buprenorphine.
The second step in the process is treatment proper. It entails, among other things, counseling addict through both individual and group therapy. Individual therapy is where the addict and the therapist have a one-on-one session and discuss personal factors that may be contributing to the problem and how to deal with them. Group therapy takes place among recovering addicts and the therapist plays a passive role.
One of the modern trends of therapy is the use of residential home set ups. These are arrangements in which patients have access to various recreational activities in the course of their therapy. Such may include relaxation activities such as yoga and meditation or sporting activities such as football, swimming, running and cycling. Taking part in these activities has been shown to greatly help with the recovery process.
The third step of the treatment process is the maintenance step. This step lasts for a long period of time (months to years depending on patient response). It is started once the recovering addict rejoins their family. The treatment during the maintenance stage is mainly done on an outpatient basis. The therapists conducts periodic assessments during the scheduled visits to establish whether or not progress is being made.
Although drugs may be prescribed in some cases, behavioral therapy is the main form of management during the maintenance stage. The therapist will use various strategies to discourage relapse. Both negative and positive reinforcement are used. Negative reinforcement is where undesirable behavioral patterns are rebuked while positive reinforcement refers to the promotion of desirable behavioral patterns.
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To recover from your drug addiction, consider seeking heroin treatment Richmond doctors offer. To know more about these medical specialists, go to http://foundationmedicalgroup.org.