Our treatment methods Melbourne's Exclusive Rehab for Drugs & Alcohol Since 1996
Rehabbed offers high quality treatment across the globe. Our unique and successful treatment programme combines a method known as the Recovery Zones, with a modern version of the world renowned 12 Steps programme started by Alcoholics Anonymous. Treatment includes group counselling, one-on-one therapy sessions, mindfulness practices and more.
Heroin is a highly addictive and very dangerous drug, and while some people may manage to function normally while suffering from opioid dependence, they are by far the minority. Opioid dependence n most frequently causes an addict to spiral into a life of stealing, lying and often homelessness that are a result of the need to use the drug at any cost.
If you or someone you love is suffering from opioid dependence, it is of the utmost importance to contact a medical professional. This is one of the most fatal drug addictions out there, and the sooner an addict gets help, the better their chances of making a full recovery. At Rehabbed we offer an initial assessment to help get you started on the path to addiction recovery.
What is opioid addiction?
Heroin is an illegal and highly addictive substance, and is the synthesised and more potent version of the powerful painkiller morphine. Despite the serious health risks involved with taking heroin, it remains a popular drug across the world, with an estimated 9 million people believed to be using. Opioid dependence is compounded by seeking out and using the drug despite being aware of negative side effects in your life, such as harming your mental and physical health, getting into financial difficulty, or struggling to maintain personal relationships.
While you may initially be able to conceal signs and symptoms of heroin misuse, people closest to you such as colleagues, partners and family members may begin to notice behavioural signs and symptoms in time. Visible signs of addiction include shortness of breath and constricted pupils, while possession of paraphernalia including burned silver spoons and repeated hostile or deceptive behaviours can indicate a heroin problem.
As you build a tolerance to heroin over time, it becomes increasingly difficult to stop using the drug. Increased frequency and amount of heroin being taken to achieve the same initial effects of wellbeing, euphoria and pain relief leaves you exposed to an increasing number of physical symptoms including weight loss, infections where injecting, loss of menstrual cycle in women, and increasingly visible cuts, bruises, scabs and needle marks on your arms.
The transition from dependence to addiction increases the dangerous cycle of requiring the drug in your body in order to function, and not being able to stop due to a fear of the withdrawal effects experienced should you decide not to use heroin. When addiction has reached this point, it is imperative that you seek controlled medical treatment and embark on a detoxification process in order to avoid potentially fatal complications of withdrawal.
What causes opioid addiction?
While there is no specific cause leading to heroin dependency and addiction, studies into how or why someone may be more likely than others to develop an addiction have concluded that the following factors may be involved:
Genetics - having family members who are addicted to heroin or have a history of drug use can indicate that you are more pre-disposed to developing addictive tendencies than people with no family history of substance abuse.
Biological - an additional theory includes the possibility that people developing addictions to drugs such as heroin may have brains which don’t produce enough natural endorphins. Also known as the ‘feel-good’ chemicals when we exercise or listen to music we like, the lack of endorphins in the brain can contribute to feeling as though you have to balance your mood with the aid of heroin.
Environmental - if addiction has been part of your life since your childhood or adolescent years, such as growing up in a home where addiction and substance misuse is normalised, then this can contribute to a view that drugs can be something to turn to when the stresses of life take hold.
Psychological - co-existing mental health disorders such as bipolar disorder, anxiety and depression, can often be underlying when a person is addicted to heroin. Heroin may be used to ‘mask’ symptoms of such conditions, particularly if you have not yet been diagnosed with a mental health issue.
Signs of opioid addiction in a user
The clearest signs in someone you care about include evidence of paraphernalia used when preparing, injecting, snorting or smoking heroin, and includes:
- Needles or syringes when they have no other medical conditions requiring them
- Burned silver spoons
- Missing shoelaces which may be used to strap-up injection areas on the skin
- Plastic bags containing traces of white powder
- Foil or gum wrappers with burn marks
Those with a opioid dependence may conceal their habit well and go to great lengths to ensure that the people closest to them don’t find out the extent of their drug use. If there are no obvious remnants of paraphernalia which may be used to consume heroin, then you can look for changes in behaviour which may indicate heroin abuse and addiction:
- Lying about their whereabouts or reasons for borrowing money
- Appear to sleep more than usual
- Symptoms of depression including loss of motivation and ambition
- Withdrawing from friends and family
- Lack of interest in personal hygiene
- Worsening performance at work or sudden loss of job
- Stealing or borrowing money from loved ones
- Reduced self-esteem
- Wearing clothing which hides needle marks or skin irritation caused from scratching
Benefits of a Treatment Program
Additionally, medical support during the detox process can help keep you safe. The withdrawal process can include nausea, pain, feelings of anxiety, insomnia, and restlessness. A medically supported detox at our facilities at Rehabbed in Melbourne can keep you safe and secure in our comfortable rooms.
Behavioral treatment involves therapists and counselors to help you learn about the triggers for heroin use. Our team can help you learn coping skills, find ways to overcome setbacks, and create a plan for long-lasting recovery. While in cognitive-behavioral therapy, you can work on your decision-making skills. As you develop a rapport with our experienced staff, we can find the best way for you to build new, healthy habits. We want to not only regulate your pain but help you find the root causes of your addiction too.
Because withdrawal is often painful, medication can also be used to help you manage cravings. Some medications can also help you manage cravings for opioids. By using these treatments in tandem, we can help you find lasting relief.
Finally, we believe in the importance of a mind-body connection during your recovery. Proper nutrition, exercise, and a peaceful environment are just a few of the amenities we provide during your time at Rehabbed.
Find Help at Rehabbed
Accommodation in a private room in St Kilda, Melbourne
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Meals & Personal training
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Daily group therapy
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One on one counselling
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Learning how to live
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Introduction to 12 step fellowships
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Consultation with our Medical Specialist
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Plus more
Why choose Rehabbed?
At Rehabbed, we are dedicated to providing exceptional treatment to all who entrust us with their care. We recognise that addiction does not define who you are, and we want to help you to put this behaviour behind you so that you can begin living the full and happy life that you deserve.
We understand that using heroin has likely caused immense distress throughout all aspects of your life, and it is our mission to help you to achieve recovery on all levels – mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. In order to do so, we are pleased to offer the following:
Professional experience - the compassionate staff members that make up our treatment teams have extensive experience in helping individuals overcome their struggles with addiction to heroin. Their knowledge and expertise will allow you to receive the most clinically excellent treatment available.
Personalised care - we recognise that the specific ways in which the use of heroin has impacted you, may differ from the way that it has impacted others. As such, we are committed to creating an individualised treatment plan that is uniquely tailored to you.
Comprehensive care - we strive to make sure that you are able to achieve recovery in a truly holistic way. As such, we provide a wide range of services that can be implemented into your overall plan of care.
Heroin Rehab Center: Addiction Therapy Treatments
Therapy is a continuous process. It begins in the first stage of detox and following the client through inpatient, outpatient, and even aftercare treatment.
Once the detox is completed, addiction therapy will increase. This is because the individual will begin to feel some relief from the physical aspects of the addiction. Now the focus of treatment can be more geared to psychological dependence. This is ultimately what caused heroin abuse to start and continue.
Once the client enters into a treatment program, the entire day is focused on learning about the addiction and the effects thereof. This keeps them extremely busy and focused on positive behaviors free of any triggers.
Inpatient addiction rehab programs are designed to fill their day with addiction and behavioral therapy and positive tasks focused on real healing.
Our addiction and behavioral health therapy sessions are either done as individual or as group therapy sessions. Both types of therapy sessions are needed when dealing with it. Heroin addicts will isolate and project their problems on to those around them, especially to those closest to them, and often those are the ones that love them the most.
For these very reasons, the combination of individual and group therapy is important because it forces them to not only deal face to face with their personal problems that led to the addiction, but it also teaches them accountability for their negative behaviors.
Ongoing Treatment And Relapse Prevention
Some people addicted to Heroin turn to outpatient rehab for help. Outpatient rehab is generally recommended for people with mild addictions. It allows people in recovery to get therapy and medications while continuing to maintain their work and personal lives. All individuals seeking treatment should first meet with a Substance Abuse Professional for an evaluation to determine the appropriate level of care that meets their needs.
After Heroin rehab, ongoing treatment is crucial to staying sober. Making regular visits to a therapist helps many recovering Heroin addicts stay focused on sobriety. Therapists can help recovering addicts identify and overcome triggers and weaknesses. They can also provide methods to cope with Heroin cravings.
Heroin is a central nervous system depressant, which means that it also produces sedation. This is why drug abuse users talk about “nodding off” or “going on the nod” to refer to the deep drowsiness it produces. At high doses, heroin can slow the heart rate and respiration to a dangerous level, causing unconsciousness and death. In addition to the danger of overdose, opiate dependence can cause other serious health problems, including:
- Permanent chemical imbalances in the brain
- A deterioration in cognitive skills, such as decision-making and memory
- Chronic heart and lung problems
- Constipation
- Frequent illness and infection
- Exposure to blood-borne diseases (for IV users), including hepatitis B and C and HIV/AIDS
- Infections or abscesses at the injection site, potentially leading to serious infections of the circulatory system
The best way to avoid getting addicted to heroin is to steer clear of the drug in the first place. If you are already using, seek help from a professional treatment program. Medically managed detox makes the experience of withdrawal safer and more comfortable. Opioid replacement therapy and anti-addiction drugs can help to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. As part of a comprehensive rehab program, you’ll have therapeutic support to help you build a healthy, drug-free future.
Rehabbed offers a full continuum of rehab services for individuals struggling with substance abuse. Call our toll-free number today for information about our progressive treatment programs.
Medical Disclaimer: Rehabbed aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
The best way to avoid getting addicted to heroin is to steer clear of the drug in the first place. If you are already using, seek help from a professional treatment program. Medically managed detox makes the experience of withdrawal safer and more comfortable. Opioid replacement therapy and anti-addiction drugs can help to reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings. As part of a comprehensive rehab program, you’ll have therapeutic support to help you build a healthy, drug-free future.
Rehabbed offers a full continuum of rehab services for individuals struggling with substance abuse. Call our toll-free number today for information about our progressive treatment programs.
Medical Disclaimer: Rehabbed aims to improve the quality of life for people struggling with a substance use or mental health disorder with fact-based content about the nature of behavioral health conditions, treatment options and their related outcomes. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider.
People who struggle with substance use disorders but complete treatment and stop using any drug are not cured—they are in recovery. This means they recognize that:
- They will always be attracted to using heroin even though they do not currently use it
- They must maintain major lifestyle changes to stay in recovery
- Even when they no longer use the drug, their addiction has left a lasting impact on the way they view themselves and the world around them
So, while these individuals don’t consider themselves to be cured, they can recover and be “no longer active” in heroin use.
At Rehabbed, we use an comprehensive treatment program rooted in the 12-Steps that includes many kinds of therapy. Each client receives an individual treatment plan based on our in-depth assessment, established protocols and our long experience.
If you are treated at Rehabbed, your length of stay will depend on your progress toward your individual treatment goals. You and your counselor will develop those goals. Your family is usually involved, when appropriate.
While inpatient treatment is highly beneficial for anybody struggling with heroin addiction, there are certain individuals who would greatly benefit from taking advantage of inpatient program services. Inpatient treatment might be best for you if you:
- Have struggled with a history of relapsing.
- Have had a severe, long-term heroin addiction.
- Have coexisting medical or mental health conditions that need special attention.
If any of these describe your specific situation, you may have the most recovery success with an inpatient detox program. With constant staff monitoring and care, this immersive experience helps set many down the path towards reclaimed health and sobriety.
Outpatient facilities can vary widely. Many outpatient rehabs provide treatment in the form of education, group therapy, individual therapy, and in some cases, access to psychiatric care or medication assisted treatment. Outpatient programs range in levels of intensity and, to some extent, the treatment plan can be tailored to each client, with the number and type of scheduled weekly groups varying based on the individual’s needs.
The time commitment can be substantial in an inpatient (residential) rehab setting, and studies suggest that a minimum of 90 days in treatment is essential for successful outcomes and long-term sobriety. Due to the tenacious nature of heroin addiction and the many facets of an individual’s life it affects, an inpatient treatment program is commonly sought.
Heroin is highly addictive, both mentally and physically. Those who attempt to quit often suffer from a withdrawal period that can be extremely uncomfortable. A benefit of many inpatient treatment programs is that they commonly include some form of medically supervised detox and around-the-clock support to keep those recovering as safe and comfortable as possible—minimizing relapse risks.
While there isn’t a blood test or other lab work to diagnose addiction, there are distinctive behavioral indicators that the disease has taken hold. If you obsess about getting opioid drugs and using the drug and then spend the remainder of your time recovering from the effects of drug dependence, you’re probably looking at addiction. Other telltale signs include compromising your values, behaving in ways that put yourself or others at risk, and experiencing negative consequences in your relationships and other aspects of your life because of your drug dependence.
Heroin and opioid treatment programs and services vary by provider and by the type and level of services needed to effectively address your particular situation. Here are some key components of successful opioid addiction treatment programs:
- Medical detox
- Assessments including medical, mental health and substance abuse history
- Mental health services
- Medical services
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Group and one-to-one chemical health services
- Wellness and fitness
- Twelve Step Facilitation
- Nutritional counseling
- Individualized planning
- Family services
- Spiritual care
- Educational and experiential workshops
- Post-rehab planning
It’s also important to know that your pace through rehab won’t be identical to those around you. While there are common milestones in healing from opioid use disorder, your recovery path will be your own—based on your specific situation, challenges and needs. One or more of the following rehab levels may be recommended for you:
- Inpatient—24/7 staffing and programming
- High-Intensity Outpatient Program—20 or more hours of programming a week for four or more days per week with possible on-site sober housing options
- Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)—Usually starts with 12 hours of programming for four days per week but can lessen over time as you progress in your recovery
- Continuing Care—This can be anywhere from one to eight hours a week depending on your needs