What Are the Treatments for Abuse of Heroin?

Heroin is a highly addictive opiate derived from morphine. According to The National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin abuse is most effectively treated by a combination of medicine and therapy.

Definition

• Dependent users may experience physical withdrawal symptoms such as muscle and bone pain, vomiting, nausea, and an intense craving for heroin when they stop using the drug.

Treatment

• Treatment of heroin abuse begins with detoxification, which is the process of ridding the body of heroin. Clonidine and buprenorphine are drugs that can be used to diminish withdrawal symptoms during detoxification.

Medicine

• Methadone, a synthetic opiate that may reduce withdrawal symptoms and diminish cravings for heroin, has a long history of use for treating heroin addiction. Buprenorphine has less overdose risk than methadone, and naltrexone blocks the effects of heroin.

Therapy

• Inpatient care at a residential treatment center or therapeutic community can provide a supervised, safe place to overcome withdrawal. Outpatient therapy such as individual and family counseling, support groups, cognitive-behavioral therapy, and contingency management may aid in long-term treatment.

Types

• A Canadian study published in HealthDay in 2009 concludes that heroin administered in a clinical setting was more effective than methadone for keeping some addicts enrolled in treatment programs. Research funded by the NIDA suggests that rapid, anesthesia-assisted detoxification is risky and no more effective than conventional methods.