Heroin Drug Rehab Options for Women |

Heroin Drug Rehab Options for Women

There are many different ways of treating heroin addiction in women. They include medication, psychotherapy, 12 step programs or a combination of all three, depending on the individual. All the methods of treatment help restore brain behaviour to normal so that women come out of a heroin drug rehab able to function in society. Heroin addiction is on the rise in women, and it is incredibly important to seek treatment for yourself or a family member or friend that you know is struggling with addiction and needs help through heroin drug rehab. Addiction to heroin is particularly common in women ages 18 to 25, but is also increasing in older women as well.

Through heroin drug rehab, whether inpatient or outpatient, it is possible for women to completely recover from heroin use, overdose and addiction. The sooner addicted women begin treatment the better. This article outlines some of the different treatment options for women in terms of heroin drug rehab so that you are aware of the options available and can decide which one is best suited to you or your loved one who is in need. It is important to discuss potential treatment with a professional health care provider so that the patient is gives the best possible treatment in drug rehab.

Residential Heroin Drug Rehab Options for Women

For women who are addicted to heroin, or for those suffering with multiple disorders, inpatient drug rehab treatment is nearly always recommended. It is the best option if heroin use is severely affecting a person’s life, causing problems with employment, finances, criminal activity or isolation. Residential drug rehab provides 24 hour intensive care for women in a safe environment where there is access to medical care. Usually women will remain in heroin drug rehab for two months to a year, and receive medication and therapy over this period.

The treatment will include detoxification from heroin, followed by a combination of pharmacological and psychological treatments in order to prevent further cravings. Not only is it important for women to stop heroin use but also to stay drug free in the future. Results show that the longer women stay in drug rehab, the more likely they are to stay clean from heroin long term. However, it is also possible for women to have a short stay in a residential treatment center and then receive behavioural therapy and counselling as an outpatient. Long term care and counselling are the best way to prevent future heroin relapses. Regular follow-ups after inpatient treatment are very important.

Outpatient Heroin Drug Rehab Options for Women

Not all women suffering with addiction need residential treatment. Another option is to visit an outpatient facility regularly. Treatment of this kind can take place individually, in groups or a combination of the two. Therapy is provided to help the women as well as the family around them. This aims to improve relationships within the family and provide family members with the skills to be able to help the individual in rehab.

Intensive treatment is needed in order to support women through the detoxing process and break habitual patterns. Following this, treatment will become less intensive. Women may, for example, be required to attend one session a week in order to monitor their progress and prevent relapse. Outpatient treatment is a good treatment option for women using heroin recreationally.

Pharmacological Treatments during Heroin Drug Rehab

The first step in heroin drug rehab for women is detoxification. This process is not the treatment itself, but it must happen first so that treatment of the addiction can begin. Most people who go through detoxification without further treatment relapse back into full addiction and usage of heroin very quickly. Detoxing from heroin can cause difficult withdrawal symptoms, including nausea, vomiting and extreme pain. Such nasty symptoms can be enough to drive a person to relapse very quickly. It is therefore important to reduce withdrawal symptoms and make the patient as comfortable as possible. Medications are very useful for this purpose to reduce pain levels and stop heroin cravings.

Medication may not only be needed during the detoxification process, but also to help prevent relapse as well. The three most common pharmacological treatments for women are methadone, buprenorphine and naltrexone. These drugs bind to the opiate receptors in the patient’s brain. Then they work either mimicking the effect of the opiate or reversing it, or a combination of both. As these drugs reduce cravings and heroin seeking activity, they open the way to providing women with behavioural treatments to help them be properly reintroduced to society.

Behavioural Treatments and Therapy for Heroin Drug Rehab

Many behaviour treatments can be provided to women as both inpatients and outpatients. Two of the most effective heroin rehab therapies are called CBT (cognitive-behavioural therapy) and Narrative Therapy. This aims to do two main things. The first is to modify the person’s expectations that are associated with their heroin use, helping the women rationalise their thinking. It makes them more aware of the thought processes that lead to drug use and causes them to consider the reasons behind it as well as being more aware of the consequences of their actions. The second thing that CBT aims to do is provide the women with more healthy coping mechanisms for the difficulties and stress in their life. They can use these new skills to combat future temptation.

Contingency management is another technique used for women during heroin drug rehab. It works on a rewards based system. The patient earns vouchers or points when they present with a negative drug test. Their ‘earnings’ can be exchanged for items that encourage them to live in a healthy, drug free way. This therapy is particularly useful for outpatients who are often faced with stressful life situations and opportunities to use heroin. Adequate therapy will not just address the woman’s drug addiction but also other factors that may be affecting her mental health. The types of therapy used will vary among women depending on their personality and circumstances.

It is Never too Late for Women to seek Drug Rehab

If heroin abuse is destroying your life or the life of a loved one, there is still hope for full recovery. It is vital that you seek help from a care professional and find the right kind of drug rehab to stop heroin use for good.