People across the country and in Texas use heroin every day. This illicit drug is widely used and contrary to common misconception, many heroin users maintain relatively normal lives. While many young adults may experiment with heroin, regular users are usually over 30. These people need to take the first step toward recovery. Keep in mind that detox is the first and often most important step of heroin recovery and long, healthy sobriety.
If you or someone you love needs heroin detox in Texas, we can help. At Santé Center for Healing, we provide a range of addiction recovery services, including heroin detox. Learn more about our programs today by calling us at 866.238.3154 to get started.
What Is Heroin?
Heroin is a popular semi-synthetic opiate that people smoke, inject, or snort. Like other opiates and opioids, heroin comes from the opium poppy. Originally developed in medical labs in the 1800s for surgical painkillers, it was later replaced by morphine, codeine, and synthetic opioids like OxyContin and fentanyl.
When heroin enters the bloodstream, it converts to morphine, creating a euphoric feeling as it blocks pain receptors in the brain. For many people, heroin use is a form of self-medicating for emotional, physical, and psychiatric pain. As heroin converts to morphine, it slows down messages from the brain to the body, causing slower heart rate, slower metabolism, and slower breathing. These effects are extremely dangerous if someone overdoses on heroin.
The more frequently someone takes heroin, the more heroin they will need for the same effect. Over time, heroin changes the brain, causing intense withdrawal symptoms when someone stops using heroin cold turkey.
3 Benefits of Heroin Detox For Long-Term Sobriety
Because heroin changes a person’s brain chemistry, professional detox is the safest, most effective way to successfully stop using heroin. Heroin withdrawal, often called “dope sickness,” is especially hard to endure without medical and psychiatric support. When someone becomes addicted to heroin, their brain will crave more heroin 6–12 hours after the drug leaves their system. Most times, willpower is not enough to keep them from using more heroin or other drugs when cravings set in.
Three key benefits of heroin detox are:
- Medically assisted detox to lessen withdrawal effects and help clients recover faster
- Lower risk of relapse and overdose than quitting cold turkey
- Mental health diagnosis, treatment, and support with tools for stress reduction, addiction triggers, and better communication
Detox is the healthiest way to approach recovery. With medically assisted detox, clinicians administer medications like Suboxone and methadone to reduce withdrawal by weening clients off opiates. This can increase the efficacy of therapy and rehab overall.
Begin Heroin Detox and Addiction Treatment in Texas Today
If you and your loved ones are struggling with heroin, do not attempt to quit cold turkey. The team at Santé Center for Healing can help. With more than 25 years of experience in mental health and addiction recovery, our clients receive a diagnosis for heroin addiction and any co-occurring disorders. Our programs include:
- Clinical assessment
- Detox
- Residential treatment
- Intensive outpatient program
- Transitional living
- Men’s drug rehab
- Women’s drug rehab
- Relapse prevention
- Alumni support
With the following therapy programs, clients receive individualized, flexible mental health care alongside detox and rehab:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- EMDR
- Experiential therapy
- Neurofeedback therapy
- Psychotherapy
- Psychodrama therapy
- Ropes course therapy
- Yoga therapy
With individual, group, and family therapy, 12-step programs, and a robust alumni program, Santé Center for Healing has the program for you.
Learn More About Heroin Detox
If you’re ready to learn more about our programs, call Santé Center for Healing now 866.238.3154 to find out how our treatment programs can help you thrive.
