heroin addiction Archives - Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

The Difficulties of Treating Heroin Addiction

Treating heroin addiction can be difficult as men and women who struggle with addiction will go to great lengths to hide it from friends and family. As their addiction grows and tolerance levels increase, they become obsessed with drug abuse and will do anything necessary to get more. This can include stealing from loved ones, lying about their drug use, and threatening violence if someone tries to stop them.

If you are concerned that a friend or loved one is abusing heroin, look for these signs of heroin addiction:

Changes in behavior

Withdrawing from friends and family

Needle or track marks on arms, legs, or in between fingers and toes

Paranoia

Worsening physical appearance or lack of personal hygiene

Finding drug paraphernalia such as burned spoons, needles and syringes, glass pipes, and missing shoe laces

At Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery, we provide men and women in Colorado with safe and effective heroin addiction treatment. We offer a full range of addiction treatment programs using a combination of medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapies for a well-rounded treatment experience.

3 Reasons to Enroll in a Heroin Addiction Treatment Program

The best form of treatment for heroin addiction involves a combination of medication-assisted treatment and behavioral therapies. Patients will receive medical support to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings while developing healthy coping skills to maintain their sobriety through group and individual behavioral therapy sessions.

Here are three reasons why you should enter a heroin addiction treatment program:

A safer way to detox – Detoxing from heroin addiction can be deadly if patients try to detox alone. Medication is used to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings, giving patients a chance to focus on their recovery with less risk of relapse.

Gain healthy coping skills – Patients work with behavioral therapists one-on-one to develop healthy coping skills to help them confront the feelings that led to the addiction. During group therapy, they practice these skills with their peers under careful supervision by therapists who will make note of any troubling behavior that needs addressing.

Improved confidence and self-esteem – Patients work with peers during group therapy to practice coming skills and build their confidence. The more they practice these skills, the more confident they become in reaching their goal of lifelong sobriety.

Learn more about how a heroin addiction treatment program can help you by using our online contact form.

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery: Your Top Resource for Treatment for Heroin Addiction

Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery offers safe and effective treatment for heroin addiction for men and women from all walks of life. We provide outpatient treatment that combines medication-assisted treatment and various forms of behavioral therapies, such as:

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT)

Dual diagnosis treatment

Group and individual therapy

Family therapy

Our patients graduate from their addiction treatment program with the skills they need for lifelong, sustainable recovery. For more information about our heroin addiction treatment program, call 833.448.0127 today to speak with our compassionate staff about enrolling in our outpatient addiction treatment facility.

Heroin affects the brain and body in ways that can eventually lead to a serious addiction. It doesn’t discriminate, so people from any background can become vulnerable to its effects. Getting the right help can be key to overcoming heroin addiction. Buprenorphine treatment is one way that Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery helps individuals struggling with a dependency on heroin. It’s administered as part of our medication-assisted treatment program as an alternative to taking an abstinence-only approach.

What Is Buprenorphine?

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist that produces an effect similar to taking heroin but at a lower level. It’s been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treating individuals diagnosed with an opioid use disorder. Clients at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery typically receive buprenorphine treatment alongside other counseling and behavioral therapies as part of an overall treatment plan for heroin addiction.

Clients receive the medication in tablet form at the recommended dosage once per day. We try and make sure clients receive buprenorphine treatment at the same time each day for consistency. You should never take more than the recommended dosage of buprenorphine to avoid the potential of developing a dependency, similar to the one that you might form with heroin.

How Does Buprenorphine Help with Addiction?

Taking buprenorphine helps clients reduce their need for heroin and other opioids over time. It helps alleviate cravings and can reduce the risk of a client having an overdose. You should stop taking any kind of opioids around 12 to 24 hours before starting buprenorphine treatment. Clients are often in the early stages of withdrawal when they start taking the medication. Heroin withdrawal symptoms can include:

Cravings for heroin
Sweating
Nausea
Abdominal distress
Depression
Agitation
Muscle spasms

The discomfort caused by heroin withdrawal can dissuade people from trying to kick an addiction to heroin. That’s where buprenorphine treatment can make a real difference. Alleviating a client’s withdrawal symptoms can increase their desire to complete a rehab program and continue treatment while in recovery.

Clients work with our addiction specialists and doctors to gradually wean themselves off of buprenorphine treatment. One of the reasons that the drug is popular for use with MAT is that it doesn’t typically cause clients to develop a psychological dependency.

Because each client has different needs when it comes to heroin treatment, everyone should have a choice when it comes to care. While an abstinence-only approach to heroin addiction can work for some, it’s not the path forward for everyone. That’s why Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery provides a range of treatment options for clients.

What Are the Side Effects of Using Buprenorphine?

You should let your doctor know if you have known allergies to buprenorphine or ingredients used to make buprenorphine. Make sure you fully disclose other substances you may be taking, including vitamins, nutritional supplements, OTC medications, and prescriptions. Doctors need that information to make sure that you won’t have an adverse reaction to buprenorphine treatment.

People receiving buprenorphine treatment may experience the following side effects:

Sweating
Dry mouth
Fatigue
Dizziness
Constipation
Nausea
Vomiting
Tremors
Palpitations
Sleep issues
Muscle pain

Inform your doctor immediately if your symptoms worsen to include respiratory distress or signs that you are developing a dependency. Your physician may adjust your dosage or make other arrangements for treating your heroin addiction.

Receive Buprenorphine Treatment at Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery

Our facility offers other treatments and therapies to help clients with addiction issues, mental health disorders, or a combination of the two. Clients get the chance to educate themselves about their addiction and better understand how to manage situations that might cause them to relapse.

If you or a loved one need help to overcome a heroin addiction, reach out to Colorado Medication Assisted Recovery at 833.448.0127.

Tag: heroin addiction

3 Reasons Why You Should Enter a Heroin Addiction Treatment Program