Heroin Detox Treatments

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Old Ideas

Since so much of our scientific understanding of addiction is relatively new, and since so much about drug and alcohol addiction is tied up in belief systems, it’s not surprising that myths about this disease abound.

“There are two main misconceptions that really drive me crazy when it comes to addictions,” says Dr. Kathleen Brady, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. “One of them is this whole idea that an individual needs to reach rock bottom before they can get any help. That is absolutely wrong. There is no evidence that that’s true. In fact, quite the contrary. The earlier in the addiction process that you can intervene and get someone help, the more they have to live for. The more they have to get better for.”

The other big myth, says Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the federal government’s National Institute on Drug Abuse, is that you have to want to be treated in order to get better. Even as an internationally respected researcher, she once believed that to be true, Volkow says, but she knows now that people who are forced into treatment do recover. Addicts may be pushed to enter a detox center or treatment program by an employer, a companion or the criminal justice system. Employers may threaten to fire a person unless treated; a spouse may threaten to leave the relationship, or the court may offer treatment in lieu of prison. (In this case, people convicted of nonviolent, drug-related crimes may go through specialized alternative courts, called drug courts, in which they can reduce their sentence or avoid jail altogether by getting intensive addiction treatment.) In fact, research has shown that the outcomes for those who are legally mandated to enter treatment can be as good as the outcomes for those who entered treatment voluntarily.

Myths About Drug and Alcohol Addiction*

* Adapted from Myths of Addiction. Carlton K. Erickson, Ph.D., University of Texas Addiction Science

1. Addicts are bad, crazy, or stupid.

Evolving research is demonstrating that addicts are not bad people who need to get good, crazy people who need to get sane, or stupid people who need education. Addicts have a brain disease that goes beyond their use of drugs.

2. Addiction is a willpower problem.

This is an old belief, probably based upon wanting to blame addicts for using drugs to excess. This myth is reinforced by the observation that most treatments for alcoholism and addiction are behavioral (talk) therapies, which are perceived to build self-control. But addiction occurs in an area of the brain called the mesolimbic dopamine system that is not under conscious control.

3. Addicts should be punished, not treated, for using drugs.

Science is demonstrating that drug addicts have a brain disease that causes them to have impaired control over their use of drugs. Drug Addicts need drug detox treatment for their neurochemically driven brain pathology.

4. People addicted to one drug are addicted to all drugs.

While this sometimes occurs, most people who are dependent on a drug may be dependent on one or two drugs, but not all. This is probably due to how each drug “matches up” with the person’s brain chemistry.

5. Addicts cannot be treated with medications.

Actually, addicts are medically detoxified in hospitals, when appropriate, all the time. But can they be treated with medications after detox? New pharmacotherapies (medicines) are being developed to help patients who have already become abstinent to further curb their craving for addicting drugs. These medications reduce the chances of relapse and enhance the effectiveness of existing behavioral (talk) therapies.

6. Addiction is treated behaviorally, so it must be a behavioral problem.

New brain scan studies are showing that behavioral treatments (i.e., psychotherapy) and medications work similarly in changing brain function. So addiction is a brain disease that can be treated by changing brain function, through several types of treatments.

7. Alcoholics can stop drinking simply by attending AA meetings, so they can’t have a brain disease.

The key word here is “simply.” For most people, Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is a tough, lifelong working of the Twelve Steps. On the basis of research, we know that this support system of people with a common experience is one of the active ingredients of recovery in AA. AA and the Twelve Step Program doesn’t work for everyone, even for many people who truly want to stop drinking.

Source: HBO Addiction

Advances in research have helped us to identify and understand the risk factors that can contribute to the development of drug and alcohol problems in adolescents, as well as ways to reduce those risks. One of the most important things we have learned about treating adolescents is the importance of addressing other issues in their lives in addition to their problems with drugs and alcohol. My research over the past 15 years has focused on developing more effective ways of integrating the assessment and treatment of addiction with the mental health, behavioral and family problems that are often linked to substance use in adolescents.

Parents often ask:

• “What are some of the factors that increase my child’s risk of substance use and what can I do to reduce those risks?”
• “What are some early signs that my teenager might be using drugs or alcohol?” What are the some of the risk factors?

What are the some of the risk factors?

Research has shown that children who have significant mood and behavior problems, such as prolonged temper tantrums, excessive aggression, impulsivity or risk-taking have a greater chance of developing substance use problems in adolescence compared to those who do not have these behaviors. In addition children who have learning disabilities or other academic or behavioral problems during elementary and middle school years may also be at higher risk of early drug or alcohol involvement during adolescence.

What can I do to reduce the risks?

Early evaluation and treatment

The good news is that early evaluation and treatment can help reduce the risks if your child does develop some of these problems. A number of proven interventions for childhood behavior problems focus on helping parents learn the tools of effective behavioral management such as how to notice and reward good behavior as well as how to identify and interrupt problem behavior cycles. Another important aspect of effective treatment is the cognitive and behavioral skills training that helps children achieve greater control over their own behavior, moods, and thoughts. Early diagnosis and treatment of learning disorders, attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder and mood disorders may also reduce the risks of substance use and other associated behavioral and mental health problems in adolescence.

Be an involved parent

Research shows that parental support, monitoring and involvement in their child’s life is an important protective factor against adolescent drug use. Involvement in a child’s school reduces behavioral and academic problems and also helps parents to know their children’s friends and their friend’ parents. This helps parents connect and network with other parents in monitoring their own children’s activities as well as those of their peer group. Research clearly shows that appropriate parental monitoring protects against the risks of problem behaviors including substance use.

Open and honest communication

Regular family discussions characterized by open, honest and respectful conversation regarding behavioral expectations and consequences, including attitudes and family rules about drug and alcohol use can reduce the risk of adolescent drug use and other serious problem behaviors. The tricky part for parents is achieving the balance between being clear, consistent and authoritative when establishing household rules and the consequences of rule violation while at the same time making it “safe”for your kids to tell the truth. Make it clear to your teenager that he or she can call you anytime, day or night, if they feel that they might be in an unsafe situation. For example, let them know that if the person who was to drive them home is intoxicated, you will come and pick them up -no questions asked, at least not on the way home.

Get the help you need

All of us are affected and connected by the enormous personal and societal impact of substance use and addiction. The majority of us have had a family member or a close friend who has suffered from the impact of substance use or addiction (or we have suffered ourselves). When this happens it is important to get the additional help and support from family, friends and professionals that we need. Several individual and family-based treatment approaches are effective in treating substance use in both adolescents and adults. Information about illicit drugs, alcohol, prevention and treatment programs can be obtained on the following websites:

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
• Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
• Drug Strategies
• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)