It is easy to feel helpless when someone you love has a heroin addiction. Opioids like heroin are highly addictive, and recovery is challenging. Although this person will need a heroin addiction treatment program, there are still ways the people who love them can help. It starts with educating yourself about heroin addiction treatment.
The heroin addiction treatment program at Atlanta Detox Center can provide comprehensive and compassionate care for addiction for someone you care about. We treat the person you love as part of our extended family, so you can expect the highest quality of care at Atlanta Detox Center. However, there are some things that you can do to support your loved one.
Get Educated about Heroin Addiction
The first step, and one of the most important, is understanding the disease and heroin addiction treatment. Heroin is an opioid. Although it has medical uses, it is primarily a street drug — a dangerous one.
Heroin binds with receptors that trigger the release of chemicals in the brain that make you feel good. The process rewards you for doing good things for your body, like exercise, but it can backfire with heroin abuse.
With long-term use, the brain becomes dependent on heroin. That means it takes more of the drug to experience the same high. The body also becomes tolerant to it so that you can use more heroin. The better that loved ones understand the process of addiction, the more they will support that person in their life in need of heroin addiction treatment.
Recognize the Signs
Part of that education should include learning to recognize the signs of heroin use, such as sleepiness, and pinpoint pupils. They may start to isolate themselves and miss important appointments. Over time, there may be behavioral issues like stealing. This person may have legal problems or go missing for periods.
It’s also essential that the family knows the signs of a heroin overdose, including:
- Bluish lips
- Disorientation
- Extreme drowsiness
- Loss of consciousness
- Weak and erratic pulse
Being able to recognize an overdose could be life-saving for someone you love with heroin addiction.
Be Supportive, Not Judgemental
What someone facing heroin addiction treatment needs more than anything else is support. That support may be what gets them through some of the hardest parts of treatment, such as detox.
No one chooses addiction. Experts refer to it as a disease because it is not a choice. Family and friends are a critical part of recovery, but it will only work if your support comes without judgment.
Get Heroin Addiction Help
Families are often the ones to locate treatment options. The first step in substance abuse treatment is a detox program.
Withdrawal begins right after the last dose of the drug. It is ad difficult part of recovery, so most experts recommend a medical detox treatment program.
Detox treatments like Atlanta Detox Center offer a protected and supervised environment that can help prevent relapse. They provide medical and comfort care along with therapy. The medication can ease the harsh symptoms of withdrawal. The therapy helps them find coping mechanisms to manage cravings.
Detox is generally a stepping stone to primary substance abuse treatment. It allows those in need of heroin addiction treatment to enter that program sober and ready to work towards recovery.
Start With Heroin Detox at Atlanta Detox Center
Atlanta Detox Center, located in Riverdale, GA, is an inpatient detox program. Clients live in our facility while they detox from the drug.
Services at Atlanta Detox Center include:
We provide the resources your loved ones needs to get sober so that they can move on to substance abuse treatment.
Get Your Loved One the Help They Need and Deserve at Atlanta Detox Center
Heroin doesn’t have to ruin the life of that person you love. Give us a call at 470-450-2355 or go online and fill out our contact form. The staff at Atlanta Detox Center is waiting to answer your questions about heroin addiction.
