It is an unfortunate fact that many Americans struggle with drug addiction. In fact, throughout the 2010s and continuing into the 2020s, there is an opioid crisis across the United States, and many agencies are working hard to find a solution. Many studies are done every year to track the general state of American public health, and this certainly includes the usage of prescription drugs as well as the abuse of hard drugs. The numbers confirm that many people today ares suffering from opiate or heroin abuse, but the good news is that it is never too late to seek help, such as at methadone clinics in Chicago or Los Angeles, or visiting heroin detox centers. Methadone is a legal drug that can help an addict recover, and at a detox center, a patient is sure to get clean of drugs and seek further help at the hands of professionals. So, when it comes to treatments for heroin addiction, what are the first steps? How can treatments for heroin addiction be done at a detox center safely and correctly?

Drug Abuse Statistics

The numbers show that from 2015 to now, many Americans are struggling with heroin or opioids abuse problems, and they will need treatments for heroin addiction right away. How many people does this add up to? In the year 2015, around 591,000 Americans suffered from a disorder involving heroin use, and among them, 155,000 were young adults and 6,000 were adolescents. Some Americans as young as 12 years old are addicted to drugs like these substances. In that same year, among the 20.5 million Americans aged 12 and up who had a substance use disorder, two million were abusing prescription pain relievers, and 591,000 were using heroin. In fact, four in five heroin users started off by abusing prescription pain killers, and around 23% of Americans who use heroin end up with an opioid addiction.

Abusing drugs like these can have all sorts of negative effects on a person, until they seek out treatments for heroin addiction or opioid abuse. Constant drug use is a major financial strain, even for an employed abuser, and such a person may resort to theft and other crimes to fund this habit. Many end up losing their employment, and even end up homeless. And even if that doesn’t happen, the abuser is likely to alienate friends and family alike, which puts an emotional strain on everyone involved. Worst of all, drug abuse may prove fatal, and the risk of overdosing is always present. In particular, it should be noted that fatal drug overdoses ranks first among causes of accidental deaths in the United States today. But this tragedy can be averted when a person seeks treatments for heroin addiction, which can take different forms.

Drug Addiction Solutions

In some cases, a drug addict will search out treatments for heroin addiction after they have experienced an intervention, where concerned friends and family members confront them as a group and address the problem. This often proves effective, though some drugs addicts may (for their own reasons) seek help on their own initiative. So, what does this treatment entail? Getting a prescription for methadone is one such solution, and has proven effective against heroin abuse for decades. So long as it is used as prescribed, this drug can block off the addict’s cravings for heroin, and help them ease out of an addiction.

Another solution is to detox at a specialized detox clinic, and many of those clinics can be found across the United States. A drug addict should not try to detox alone at home, since they may fall for the temptation to relapse, or worse, they may suffer dangerous withdrawal complications and no one will be on hand to help. Instead, the addict may check themselves in, and spend a few days and nights at the detox center as the drugs leave their body naturally. This will not be pleasant, but it is the vital first step to recovery, and medical staff will be on hand to monitor the patient and help them if need be. Next, the patient may undergo counseling and therapy for emotional support, and learn how to lead a drug-free life. Anonymous support groups can also prove quite helpful for this endeavor.