Addiction Recovery

This scenario does not have to end with prison and a ruined life, though. Giving up heroin is difficult and painful, but it's possible for addicts to end their dependence on the drug and turn their lives around.

Some heroin addicts recognize their drug problem before it can take a toll on their lives. Others refuse to admit to their addiction until they hit bottom, triggered by an event such as expulsion from school, an overdose, or an accident. Some users require an intervention, in which family or friends formally express their concern and urge the user to get help.

Heroin addiction is very difficult to break. For this reason, the best course for recovering addicts is to enter a drug treatment program run by experienced professionals. Drug abusers enrolled in outpatient programs attend group counseling and therapy daily or a few times a week, depending on the intensity of the program. This is a good option for many adolescents, since they can still live at home and attend school.

Teens with more severe drug abuse problems may require residential treatment programs. This often consists of a three- to six-week stay at a hospital or other treatment center followed up by outpatient treatment. Activities are tightly scheduled and include a combination of group sessions, exercise, study time, and everyday activities such as meals. These programs often stress a sense of solidarity among residents. There are also long-term residential programs called therapeutic communities intended for adolescent addicts.

Normally, a heroin addict begins to go through withdrawal within hours to a few days after his or her last dose. Withdrawal is unpleasant, but it is not life threatening.

There are two primary approaches to treating heroin addiction. One method is to replace heroin with another opiate that is less potent and dangerous. The most common substitute is the opioid methadone, which shares some common effects with heroin. Methadone staves off withdrawal and the craving for heroin but does not itself give the “high” of heroin. It also blocks the euphoric properties of heroin, so the two drugs cannot be used in combination. An addict may stay on methadone indefinitely—called methadone maintenance—or may wean him- or herself off by taking gradually smaller doses. A newer heroin substitute is buprenorphine, an opioid that needs to be taken only every few days and produces milder withdrawal symptoms than methadone.

The other method of treatment is detoxification, in which addicts go through supervised withdrawal without a maintenance drug. Patients are instead treated for the symptoms of withdrawal. They may take a drug called clonidine to lessen feelings of anxiety, as well as painkillers, sleeping aids, and anticonvulsants, but these medications do not completely eliminate the discomfort of the withdrawal period.

The path to recovery from drug addiction is not easy, and the relapse rate for former heroin addicts is very high. Upon returning to school, a teenager might start hanging out with the same crowd again and may return to using drugs as well. A former addict may be unable to cope with depression, anxiety, and other psychological troubles that might linger long after physical withdrawal has passed. The teen might think that using the drug just one time, perhaps at a party, won't bring about a return to addiction.

Recovering users often have trouble staying away from heroin unless they completely change their lifestyle. Addicts tend to react to certain triggers related to drug use—smokers might habitually light a cigarette after a meal or reach for one during a stressful situation. In the same way, the sight of drug paraphernalia or a visit from a former drug buddy might cause cravings for heroin. A recovering addict has a better chance of avoiding relapse if he can avoid reminders of heroin use.

It doesn't help that the transition back into normal life can be difficult. As they work their way through drug treatment programs, addicts are often forced to address the issues that drove them to try drugs in the first place. In addition, they will have to face new problems caused by their addictions. They may have to fix relationships, resolve legal situations, deal with financial issues, and regain their health.