Dealing with heroin addiction is an uphill battle. Heroin is one of the most addictive controlled substances. It produces severe withdrawal symptoms, cravings, mental disorders, and health problems. Recovery requires extensive treatment for heroin addiction, as well as ongoing support from treatment specialists, friends, and family.
Heroin addiction treatment centers in Illinois now provide a variety of effective treatments to assist a person through every stage of recovery. The right treatment can restore brain function, help a person return to normal life, and strengthen their resolve to stop using heroin. Let’s take a look below at three types of treatment for heroin addiction and how Northern Illinois Recovery Center can help you.
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Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT)
Extensive scientific research has established that certain types of FDA-approved medication can reduce the effects of withdrawal symptoms and cravings during recovery. When symptoms and cravings are reduced, a person is less likely to relapse. Common types of medication-assisted treatment or MAT include:
- Methadone
- Buprenorphine
- Naltrexone
- Suboxone
When a person takes this type of treatment, the medication blocks the effects of opioids such as heroin. As a result, the user no longer feels high when injecting heroin into their system. They will also not feel withdrawal symptoms. Medication is especially effective during rehab when cravings linger long after the detox is finished.
Evidence-Based Behavioral Therapy
Many of the factors involved in heroin addiction are psychological. They are often associated with mental health disorders or childhood traumas. Medication alone will not solve the condition. Clients often turn to therapists to address the underlying causes of addiction through behavioral therapy.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is designed to change your mindset and behaviors related to heroin use. Sessions help you improve your coping skills and replace negative thoughts and beliefs with positive ones. A key component in CBT is mindfulness, which helps you become more aware of your mental activity.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) is an evidence-based type of therapy that can help you mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and borderline personality disorder. These are conditions that are often associated with addiction. During your sessions, you and your therapist work with acceptance and change-oriented strategies to develop greater coping skills.
Dual Diagnosis
If you have a mental disorder and substance abuse problem, you can receive treatment for both. Through dual diagnosis, your therapist identifies your mental health issue and your addiction. They provide a substance abuse treatment program that helps you manage the symptoms of your disorder while overcoming your addiction at the same time.
Holistic Therapy
A continuing trend in addiction treatment is the integration of holistic therapy into a standard treatment plan. Although not a primary form of care, holistic therapy is effective in healing the mind, body, and soul, helping a person experience a more comprehensive form of wellness.
Different types of holistic treatment for heroin may include:
- Massage therapy
- Mindfulness
- Yoga and mediation
- Nutritional therapy
- Fitness therapy
- Acupuncture or acupressure
Holistic techniques can reduce the physical symptoms of addiction and withdrawal, help you find emotional balance, and even give you a spiritual grounding during recovery. It can also address unhealthy eating habits or lack of exercise. There are numerous benefits of holistic therapy that make it the perfect supplement to primary therapy.
Learn More About Treatment for Heroin Addiction at Northern Illinois Recovery Center
If you are suffering from heroin addiction, then contact Northern Illinois Recovery Center. We offer complete treatment for heroin addiction that guides you through every stage of recovery. Call Northern Illinois Recovery Center at 855.786.1978 to find out more about our addiction therapy services. We are here to help you break the cycle of addiction for good.
Licensed Physician and Surgeon
Dr. Beth Dunlap, a board-certified addiction medicine and family medicine physician, and is the medical director at Northern Illinois Recovery Center. She is responsible for overseeing all the integrated medical services at both campuses. Beth completed medical school, residency, and fellowship at Northwestern University, where she continues to serve on the faculty as a member of the Department of Family and Community Medicine. She has extensive experience in addiction medicine at all levels of care, and her clinical interests include integrated primary care and addiction medicine, harm reduction, and medication-assisted treatment.
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