Working Towards a Heroin Addiction Cure

Posted on 28th April, 2016 in Addictions.

It can be said that humans are subject to more pain than any other organism. Physical pain is only the beginning. There is:

• Emotional pain
• Sadness
• Insecurity
• Anxiety
• Guilt
• Traumatic event pain

It is perfectly natural to want to be out of pain. This desire is what drives many people to turn to substance abuse as an answer. A common escape is heroin. This is because as a powerful opiate it blocks many of the different types of pain.

Unfortunately, it is also highly addictive and soon the desire to be out of pain is not the problem, heroin abuse is.

According to the National Library of Medicine, heroin addiction is a chronic relapsing disease that is extremely difficult to cure. Many say that there is no cure for heroin addiction, only treatment or management, while others are working towards a heroin addiction cure.

New Ideas for Addiction Treatment

Although there havenít been many scientific break throughs in heroin addiction treatment in the last 20 years, some facilities are trying a variety of methods to end the cycle of addiction. Some of these are far from new but they are being tried in combinations never thought of before.

Harm Reduction and Holistic Treatment

One of the newer treatment combinations, harm reduction and holistic treatment focuses more on the person and less on the heroin addiction. It reduces the harm caused by heroin use and corrects the life circumstances that lead to the addiction.

Traditional Medications and Alternative Treatment

This method combines traditional medications like methadone and Suboxone with alternative treatments such as acupuncture and alternative therapies such as pet therapy and art therapy. This can be adapted to include many other alternative treatments as well.

Medication Assisted Therapy and Alterative Medicine

Medication assisted therapy contains a combination of medications and counseling. Alternative treatments can be anything from acupuncture to herbal remedies.
These different types of treatment can be useful in a variety of combinations. These combinations are usually more effective than standard treatment alone. Although we are a long ways away from a heroin addiction cure, new possibilities are opening up everywhere.

Is Methadone a Heroin Addiction Cure?

As what is now known as the heroin epidemic sweeps the nation, you might be wondering if there is a way to cure heroin addiction. You might have even heard that methadone is a cure for heroin addiction. Heroin addiction is a chronic relapsing disease so it no, methadone is not a heroin addiction cure. It is however a highly effective heroin addiction treatment.

What is Methadone?

Methadone is an opioid pain reliever and treatment for heroin addiction. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, methadone changes the way the brain and nervous system react to pain. This change helps the symptoms of heroin withdrawal and blocks the euphoric effects of heroin.

Methadone is administered in:

• Dissolving disk form
• Pill form
• Liquid
• By injection

The facility that you go to will help you decide which way is best for your addiction treatment program.

Many people become addicted to heroin due to a chronic pain condition. Methadone is also useful in treating chronic pain. Most people can remain on methadone safely for as long as they need to.

Why Use Methadone for Heroin Addiction Treatment?

There are many benefits to using methadone for heroin addiction. Some of these benefits are:

• It stops the dangers that IV drug users face when taking heroin
• Clinics that provide methadone treatment also offer therapy and addiction support
• It can be useful in a harm reduction treatment program
• Methadone is legal with a prescription
• It can provide 24 hour relief of withdrawal symptoms but must be taken once a day
• Methadone is medically safe when taken exactly how the doctor prescribes
• It is more affordable than other treatments.
• You can focus on your life instead of being sick and in withdrawal

Each of these is excellent reasons why you should consider taking methadone. Although it is not a heroin addiction cure, it is an effective treatment.

The Dangers of Taking Methadone as a Heroin Addiction Cure

Methadone is a popular heroin addiction treatment cure. Normally it is a very safe highly effective treatment for heroin withdrawal. The dangers of taking methadone as an addiction cure only become apparent when you do not follow your prescribed amount. Most people can take methadone for years without having any of these issues. It is important to know the risks, if you are considering heroin addiction treatment using methadone.

Tolerance

If you use methadone for a long time you might build up a tolerance to it. A tolerance happens when your dose of methadone does not have the same effect as it originally did. This prompts you to take more than your prescribed amount. It is very important to have a doctor adjust the dose rather than doing it on your own.

Side Effects

According to the National Library of Medicineís Medline service, some of the side effects of methadone are:

• Headache
• Stomach pain
• Dry mouth
• Mood changes
• Vision issues
• Insomnia
• Allergic reaction
• Decreased sexual desire
• Weight gain

None of these side effects are life threatening but they may be unpleasant.

Drug Interactions

One of the biggest dangers of methadone as a heroin addiction cure is the risk of a drug interaction. This risk often leads to deadly consequences. A few common interactions are:

• Alcohol
• Other opiates
• HIV medications
• Medications for glaucoma
• Certain antidepressants
• Antihistamines

Essentially anything that causes respiratory depression reacts with methadone. Unfortunately, this reaction often results in overdose and death.

Abuse

Methadone has a high potential for abuse. Unlike other drugs useful in treating heroin addiction, it is easy to build a tolerance to it. This often leads to abuse, addictions, overdose, and death.

Despite this, it is possible to use methadone safely and effectively. You just have to follow your doctorís orders exactly and take methadone as prescribed.