Heroin, a very addictive drug, comes from morphine, which is processed from the seedpods of the Asian poppy plant.
Usually found in powder form, heroin can be white or brown. It can be cut or mixed with another substance. If the other ingredient is another form of a different drug, that can be fatal.
When one wishes to break a heroin addiction, there are many ways this can be accomplished. One way is by using certain medications. Methadone is one medication that is used to combat heroin addiction. It works well, but can sometimes lead to addiction problems itself.
A relatively new drug, Buprenorphine, is also showing good results in the treatment of heroin addiction. This drug also has the added advantage of being less likely to form an addiction.
Other methods include individual and group counseling, and behavior-modification therapy. In other words, the patient is given rewards or points for remaining drug-free, taking and passing random drug tests, and complying in other ways with the rehabilitation program.
Once a patient has accumulated enough points, or has earned a reward, the “redemption process” may very well take place in the form of contact with family members, friends, or others. If this is the case, it is very important that those who are aware of this part of the program make sure that they hold up their end of the bargain.
If the patient is allowed to see or talk to those on the outside, as a result of reaching goals and continuing to show responsibility, it will mean more to that person than can be imagined. For this reason, family members and others should do anything possible to ensure that they visit when they are allowed to or that they call when they have been told that they can.