Treatment of Heroin Addicts/Abusers

There are many ways to treat heroin addicts. A long-term user (someone who has used for over a year) often has to use methadone or LAAM (a long-acting preparation) for a long time to diminish the strong withdrawal symptoms of the addiction. By using this substance, patients can stabilize and start revalidation or rehabilitation. However, some patients will never be able to stay abstinent for a long time. In that case, it is better to focus on decreasing the physical risk and the chance of death.

Psychosocial treatments are effective parts of a total treatment plan of patients with opiate disorders. Cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral therapy, psychodynamic therapy, group therapy and family therapy can be effective with heroin dependence. The choice for a certain treatment should be made after it is obvious what the patient wants, what problems should be solved, whether there are any other psychological problems and what have been the results of earlier treatments.

A patient with mild or moderate withdrawal symptoms can sometimes deal with these problems at home. The treatment of a heroin withdrawal syndrome is usually focused on relief of the critical symptoms and the motivation to take part in a long-term treatment of heroin addiction. Methadone or LAAM can be prescribed temporarily and also Clonidine can be used to suppress the withdrawal symptoms. The use of other narcotics can interfere with or complicate the attempt to kick the habit.

The success of the treatment depends on various things:

• The quantity and the kind of substances used.
• The severity of the disorder and the consequences.
• Simultaneous physical and/or psychological disorders.
• The strong and weak characteristics of the patient.
• The patient's motivation!!!
• The social surroundings of the patient (friends, acquaintances, colleagues, family, etc.)