Tuesday 21 June 2016

What You Need To Know On Treatment For Heroin Addiction

By Steven Martin


Drug addiction will only have negative impacts on the behavior and performance of an individual due to the negative effects of the drug on the brain. Drugs whether hard or soft will promote the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, affect the employment of an individual which ultimately leads to the wastage of manpower in the society. The article explains key points in Treatment for Heroin addiction.

Through scientific research, scientists have discovered that it is possible to deal with drug addiction through administering other drugs. This method in dealing with drug addiction is known as a Pharmacological method. The method has been identified to reduce drug use and increases the chances of success and retention of the treatment program. This thus ensures that the patient will still have the will to avoid using the drug even after the completion of the rehabilitation program.

The drugs used in treating addiction; work on the same receptors that the addictive drugs affect. However, the drugs will rarely produce the same behaviors on the patient as the drug to ensure further damage on the brain is avoided. The medications are categorized into three types according to how they function, agonists that work through activating the receptors. Secondly, partial agonists that also activate the receptors but create smaller responses and antagonists that block the receptors.

During the detoxification stage of rehabilitation, most patients will face withdrawal symptoms that encourage most of the patients into relapse. Different patients will have different symptoms that also vary in intensity. To avoid relapses, some drugs are provided to the patients to help them feel more comfortable and at ease by reducing the physical symptoms and reducing cravings.

The drugs used in the pharmacological method are taken in different ways that is either orally, sublingually or through injections. Methadone an agonist drug is one of the medications taken orally. The oral administration ensures it acts slowly as required. Buprenorphine, a partial agonist, is taken either orally or sublingually. Lastly, the Naltrexone, an antagonist that is injected into the body monthly.

The behavioral method suits outpatients and people living in residential homes. It is divided into cognitive behavioral therapy and cognitive management. In cognitive behavioral therapy, the expectations and behavior of the patients to the drugs is changed, and they are skilled on how to handle life. Contingency management mainly involves awarding of the patient for every negative result.

Most patients will only require one of the two main methods in the rehabilitation program. However, a few need a combination of both methods. The use of both methods is more effective for the specific patients as compared to the individual methods. To decide on the method to be used on a patient, the doctor will assess the needs of the patient and select the most appropriate.

It is important to note that different people have different needs. Thus, one method that works for one person is not guaranteed to work on another. The guardian thus has to work hand in hand with the doctor to ensure that the patient receives the best treatment, medication, and method or treatment approach that meets the particular needs of the patient.




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