Conquering an Opiate Addiction, including an addiction to the drug Heroin; is not an easy thing to do by any stretch of the imagination. There are experts in the field of Addiction Medicine, which say that for many folks, an addiction to opiates is like a chronic disease. What this means is that an addiction to opiates may last a lifetime, although the person does not have to be actively practicing the addiction the whole time. Being a chronic disease, like Diabetes for example, usually means the condition can be controlled but not necessarily cured.
One of the first things a person facing an addiction to drugs need to do, is to recognize they have a problem and that they are powerless to conquering it on their own. After that, the person needs to find a well-respected Addiction Medicine Physician to help to get themselves back on track. Sometimes this requires inpatient hospitalization and other times outpatient treatment may be effective.
Often time addicts, who like taking drugs, are not the most compliant of patients. Folks with drug often think they know more about drugs, including prescribed medications, than do the doctors. As one might imagine, this can become a major obstacle. As such, a person entering treatment for substance abuse needs to recognize that they are not the expert. Most doctors expect their patients to follow their advice. If a patient is non-compliant with treatment, this can result in them being terminated by the doctor. This is even more so the case for chemical dependency treatment. So, in order to stay in treatment, the person with the addiction needs to follow the treatment plan exactly as prescribed.
Like most major problems, it can be extremely beneficial to have the support of family members and close friends. It is difficult enough trying to go through treatment for drug addiction in the first place and it is much more difficult to have to go through it alone.
Often times, there are support groups to help people with addictions, like Narcotics Anonymous. Support groups can be extremely helpful and should be utilized as much as possible. While not everyone will benefit from a support group, many experts believe that group therapy can be a vital component of the rehab process.
If you or a loved one has a problems with drug addiction, help is available at The Drug and Alcohol Detox Clinic of South Mississippi. Call today-. There’s Still Hope!
