Two Intense Approaches To Heroin Addiction Medical Detox
Diamorphine, or heroin, as it is more commonly known, is the deadliest and most destructive of the twenty most widely used recreational drugs. It is the most destructive both in terms of the physical harm it causes and the potential for addiction. Most methods of heroin addiction medical detoxification utilize either the 12-Step Program, widely accepted by recovering alcoholics, chemical analogues or antagonists that compete with the drug for opiate binding sites. These antagonists do not induce the same sense of euphoria as the addictive substance but they do bypass the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that cause so many attempts at detox to fail.
Methods
Two extreme approaches to diamorphine detoxification are presented. One, called instant detox, involves injecting a combination of drugs while the patient is under an anesthetic. Reportedly, the body is cleansed of the drug within twenty minutes. The patient is required to take oral naltrexone for a year afterward. At the other extreme is do-it-yourself cold turkey, a methodical process of discontinuing the drug without checking into a clinic or attending family drug addiction counseling.
Instant Detox
Instant detox was first used by an Austrian doctor in 1988. He injected addicts with naloxone, the intravenous analogue to the oral naltrexone. By itself, the naloxone treatment cleared the drug but caused the patient immense discomfort. The doctor added a sedative to make the patients more comfortable. This approach reduces the drug clearance time from a period of several weeks down to a matter of a few days.
Cold Turkey
DIY cold turkey is the other extreme. Cold turkey is the term given to the process of suddenly stopping to take an addictive substance instead of using replacement medication or reducing the dose gradually. The DIY approach requires a bit of forward planning to make the process less distressing.
The Plan
Instead of waking up one morning and deciding today is the day to stop using heroin, the individual is advised to plan ahead and set aside a two-week period during which to stop taking the drug. Building up a small nest egg to use for intermittent rewards during the detoxification process is strongly encouraged to help succeed. The family is sent on vacation and friends are asked not to stop by or telephone during the detox period.
Where To Stay
Find a comfortable place to stay for the duration, some place where you can surround yourself with food and drink of your choice, watch television and read books. If your home isn’t suitable, stay with parents or non-addicted friends. This is not an easy way out. The first few days will be filled with painful muscle cramps, shivers, chills, depression and insomnia.
Rewards
By taking it one day at a time, setting small milestones and rewarding yourself with a nice meal, a DVD or a new outfit, it can be done. By the end of the two weeks, possibly sooner, your body will have expelled the drug and you will be on your way to complete rehabilitation and a drug-free, productive life.
