Heroin Addiction Treatment: New Life – Cartwright, Fresno

Many people you meet in recovery have a story to tell. Some people come into heroin addiction treatment after years of using heroin and they’re finally ‘sick and tired of being sick and tired.’ Some people started with prescription drugs they obtained legally. For reasons such as family history of addiction, their own addictive behaviors, or difficulty dealing with what was going on in life, the need for more opiates to satisfy cravings started to rule their world. After prescription drugs, some turned to street drugs. After all, they can be cheaper and easier to find.
 
But not everyone gets to the point of wanting to seek heroin addiction treatment. The flipside is that overdose deaths are too common these days. The Fresno Bee ran an article about an overdose death in September 2016¹ that told the story of a 22-year old young man: “In the old days, you used to say, ‘No, our kids don’t do drugs, those kind of kids do drugs.’ It’s not like that anymore. It touches everybody.” The father “personally knows of four young men who died of drug overdoses within the past few months, and says at least three people from his son’s graduating class died of drug overdoses.”
 

Steps in Treatment

It’s a problem not only in Fresno, but all across the state and country. It may not be easy, but there is hope for recovery in heroin addiction treatment. Going cold turkey can be risky since the opportunity for relapse and overdose increases. Medication-assisted treatment is the most effective means for heroin addiction treatment. Treatment begins with an evaluation so that a medical professional understands your history completely. This is an important step in determining a plan. The next step is to go through withdrawal from heroin. Methadone or buprenorphine are common medications that ease the symptoms of withdrawal so that it’s bearable. Withdrawal will take several days, and then methadone maintenance begins. Counseling is an important part of the process because they are there for you every step of the way.
 

Heroin Addiction Treatment During Pregnancy

Women who find out that they’re pregnant often decide that they’re ready to seek treatment. If this is your situation, you are doing the best thing possible for yourself and for your baby. The good news is that medication-assisted treatment is safe for women who are pregnant. Methadone is not harmful to the mother or baby, and women can continue methadone treatment while breastfeeding. Women can also receive counseling in treatment that helps them take a new path in life.
 

Addiction & Relapse Prevention Education

Understanding where the addiction came from and the triggers that perpetuate addiction is an important step in healing. A heroin addiction treatment center provides counseling services that help people heal and move forward in life. With counseling and healing, the potential for relapse decreases. People who have support know that they’re not alone, which is a critical step in making a new life free of drugs.
 
There is a BAART program on Cartwright for those close to Fresno. Don’t wait to begin heroin addiction treatment. Find out how you can life a healthy life, free of the bondage of heroin.

¹George, C. (n.d.). Like so many drug overdose victims in Valley, he was too young to die. Retrieved April 25, 2017, from http://www.fresnobee.com/living/liv-columns-blogs/carmen-george/article102485267.html