Changing Lives With Heroin Rehab That Truly Works
Watch: Overcoming Opioid Addiction
About Drug Addiction
Regular, repeated use of illegal drugs can actually alter the way the brain works and change the entire course of your future. Drug addiction doesn’t just affect the life of the addict, but also those who care for them. At our heroin rehab facility, we help those who battle an addiction to this highly addictive drug. We want to see all of our patients have a successful future free of dependence on illegal chemicals.
Using heroin for just a short period of time can change the way the brain operates, creating addictive behaviors that are harmful for the physical and emotional well-being of the addict. Over time, addicts learn behaviors and habits that may cost them relationships with those they love the most.
What is heroin?
Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug made from an opium poppy, and typically comes in the form of a brown or white powder. Users inhale or smoke the powder, and often inject the drug after mixing it with water and heating it. Because of its high solubility in liquids, heroin crosses the blood/brain barrier much faster than other addictive drugs such as morphine.
Heroin may also be “cut” with substances like powdered milk, sugar, quinine or starch. The drug may be smoked or injected.
Medical conditions most often associated with heroin abuse are hepatitis, HIV/AIDS and collapsed veins. In the right conditions and doses, heroin use can be fatal.
Once heroin is injected or inhaled, the short-term effects are quickly noticeable. Users may notice a euphoric-like feeling or high, combined with heavy extremities, a dry mouth and warm skin. Once the initial high wears off, users alternate between bouts of drowsiness and wakefulness. The central nervous system is depressed to the point that mental functioning is affected and clouded.
Long term effects include addiction, tolerance and other medical conditions affecting the heart and the liver. The depressing effects of the drug may also affect the lungs after long term use.
Signs of Heroin Abuse
Even recreational heroin use can be extremely harmful. If you suspect someone you love is using or abusing heroin, watch for the following signs of heroin abuse.
- Trouble with the law
- Isolation
- Dramatic changes in sleep patterns
- Hyperactive, energetic behavior that is abnormal
- Depressed appetite
- Cravings for sweet foods
- Blatant lying, even when faced with evidence of the truth
- Dwindling personal hygiene standards
Heroin is a highly addictive drug that can be deadly. If you suspect someone you love is abusing heroin, it’s essential that you get proper treatment quickly. Here at Wasatch Crest, we specialize in dealing with addictive behaviors. We are here to help ensure that your loved one is safe.
Typically, addicts will develop a tolerance to the drug that requires a higher dose to get the initial high each time. This leads to addiction and fatal overdoses over time. When use of the drug is stopped abruptly, the user may experience withdrawal symptoms that are painful and life-threatening. Here at Wasatch Crest, we use a combination of therapy and medication to ensure the best chances of success after treatment for every addict.
What is Heroin Withdrawal? How Long Does it Last?
Heroin impacts the reward system in the brain. Continued usage increases the user’s tolerance to the drug’s effects. Now higher doses are needed to reach the same high as before. When the user stops using heroin, withdrawal symptoms set in. These are both physical and mental symptoms. The symptoms can be quite severe, and users often continue using to avoid having to deal with them.
These are symptoms associated with heroin withdrawal:
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain
- Sweating
- Shaking
- Nervousness
- Agitation
- Depression
- Muscle spasms
- Cravings for drugs
Heroin withdrawal symptoms last between 5 and 10 days. Some symptoms can continue for weeks after the acute withdrawal period. These range from anxiety to fatigue to sleep disturbances.
What Are Some Heroin Addiction Treatment Options?
A variety of treatments are available at Wasatch Crest for heroin addiction. These include both behavioral and pharmacological approaches. The goal of both treatment approaches is to restore a degree of normalcy to brain function and behavior. We feel integrating both types of treatment make for the most effective approach to heroin addiction.
Pharmacological Treatment for Heroin Addiction
Research has shown that pharmacological treatment of heroin addiction increases retention in treatment programs and decreases drug use, infectious disease transmission, and criminal activity.
Medications developed to treat opioid use disorders, like heroin addiction, work through the same opioid receptors as the addictive drug, but they are safer and less likely to produce the harmful behaviors as the actual heroin or another drug. These medications come in three types:
Agonists
Agonists, which activate opioid receptors. Methadone is a slow-acting opioid agonist.
Partial agonists
Partial agonists, which also activate these receptors, but produce a smaller response. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist.
Antagonists
Antagonists, which block the receptor and interfere with the rewarding effects of the heroin. Naltrexone is an opioid antagonist.
Behavioral Therapies for Heroin Addiction
At Wasatch Crest our heroin addiction treatments are residential, meaning the patients live at our campus in Heber, Utah for 30-, 60-, or 90-day periods. We combine the above-described pharmacological treatment with behavioral therapy.
We tailor our behavioral treatments to the patient, but contingency management and cognitive-behavioral therapy have shown to be effective for heroin addiction.
Contingency management uses a voucher-based system where patients earn “points” based on negative drug tests. These points can be redeemed for items that encourage healthy living, such as a new backpack, for example.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to help modify the patient’s expectations and behaviors related to drug use and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors.
At Wasatch Crest, we work our adventure-based experiential therapy into treatment when the patient is ready for it.
What is Your Aftercare for Heroin Addiction?
At Wasatch Crest, we keep supporting our patients after they move on from the treatment phase of their addiction recovery. We offer Life Planning Support to help patients balance priorities and stay in recovery. We work with our recovering addicts to reestablish family, work, social, and recovery routines. We also connect you with support groups and job fairs in your area. One support group is usually a 12-step program.
Our Alumni Support System is also integral to our recovering addicts. Once a patient becomes an alumnus of Wasatch Crest, we keep the person connected to our community, hosting weekly alumni meetings and monthly campouts.
How Long is The Program for Heroin Addiction Rehabilitation?
At Wasatch Crest, our treatment programs are 30, 60, or 90 days. After assessing how your heroin addiction has impacted all aspects of your life, we plan your rehabilitation. This is the residential phase of your recovery. The pharmacological and behavioral therapy aspects will run far longer than the initial intensive rehabilitation at Wasatch Crest. For methadone maintenance, for example, a period of 12 months is considered to be the minimum length for effective rehabilitation.
Why choose Wasatch Crest for Heroin Rehab?
If you or someone you love is using heroin recreationally or destructively, it’s time to seek help from the professionals that have the tools to help you succeed. We offer:
- 30, 60 and 90 day inpatient programs
- Aftercare
- Intensive outpatient programs
- Recreation therapy
- Personalized life coaching
- Employment assistance
- Partial hospitalization programs
Regardless of the depth of your addiction, our heroin rehab program can help. We want to do more than help you stop using drugs; we want to help you live a successful, happy life free of chemical dependency. We utilize a dual diagnosis, connecting the mind and the body to increase your chances of beating your addiction. We also offer family therapy to ensure that those closest to you know how to help you on your path to recovery and how to stop enabling behaviors that set you back.
What Can I Bring to My Residential Heroin Rehabilitation at Wasatch Crest?
The timing of your rehabilitation program will dictate what you bring to a degree. Wasatch Crest is located in Utah, and we have four distinct seasons. We incorporate our beautiful surroundings into your care, so you’ll need clothing to match the seasons. Obviously, our facilities have everything you need from a living perspective, but you’ll bring appropriate clothing, footwear, and outerwear.
We will discuss exactly what you’ll need to bring at length at the last step of your admission process.
Hear About Our Alumni Stories and Experience at Wasatch Crest
"When I arrived at Wasatch Crest, I didn’t know exactly what I wanted or needed. I just knew my addiction had taken me to a place where I was completely broken, out of control and desperately needed change. I thought maybe just a quick detox, some sober time with a clear head to think, get myself together and get back on track was all I needed. I got all of that and so much more. With individual therapy, fellow addicts/alcoholics to relate with, rec therapy and a truly amazing and caring staff I was able to work through my past, current issues and how to handle potential future issues. I learned a whole new way to look at life and enjoy it without a drink or thirty Wasatch Crest helped me realize that life isn’t always easy, but there is a way to have an amazing life that I didn’t think was possible when I walked in those doors."
To read more about our alumni experiences and journeys to recovery with Wasatch Crest, please click here.
Contact Us Today
If you or someone you love is using heroin, rehab can help. We are truly invested in the future of every patient and are confident our approach can help you on the path to recovery. Call us today at 800-385-3507
