Heroin
Treating Heroin and Other Opioid Addiction
Living A Drug Free Life Most treatment for opioid addiction (heroin, morphine, codeine, oxy, etc.) in the western world involves drug replacement therapy/harm reduction programs. These replacement drugs include methadone, LAAM, and buprenorphine. The heroin addict replaces one addiction with another and never solves the underlying causes problem of the addiction keeping their disease active.
Opioid use produces tolerance and dependence. They continually need more to get the desired affect and withdrawal becomes more difficult as dependence increases. As with any addiction, heroin users gradually spend more and more time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin addict’s primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change the way they act and think.
Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhoea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistent withdrawal signs for months.
The Kusnacht Practice uses methadone to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and as with all drug and alcohol treatment our goal is to equip our clients with the tools necessary to live a drug free and rewarding life. Please refer to our treatment section on " Drug Addiction" for more detail on our approach to treating heroin addiction.
Opioid use produces tolerance and dependence. They continually need more to get the desired affect and withdrawal becomes more difficult as dependence increases. As with any addiction, heroin users gradually spend more and more time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin addict’s primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change the way they act and think.
Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhoea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps, and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistent withdrawal signs for months.
The Kusnacht Practice uses methadone to reduce the withdrawal symptoms and as with all drug and alcohol treatment our goal is to equip our clients with the tools necessary to live a drug free and rewarding life. Please refer to our treatment section on " Drug Addiction" for more detail on our approach to treating heroin addiction.