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Heroin is a dangerous, life-altering, and extremely addicting drug. Heroin addiction is a rough road that generally leads to one (or more) of three destinations: jail, institutions, or death. Staging a heroin addiction intervention can encourage an addict to stop in his tracks and help get them on the right path.
Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug that can be injected, snorted, or smoked. It is made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin is often sold as a white or brown powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.” Heroin affects the brain’s pleasure and reward centers by flooding them with dopamine, a chemical that causes excitement. This intense feeling of euphoria can lead to addiction.
If you have a loved one that would benefit from you staging a heroin intervention about their drug use, keep reading for more information and methods of approach!
A heroin addiction intervention is a structured confrontation that takes place in order to help convince a heroin addict who is struggling to seek help. It presents an opportunity for him to do so and lays out consequences if he doesn’t. A heroin intervention is done in person, face-to-face, and is best when lead by a professional. Family, friends, employers, co-workers and anyone else who is close to the addict and is willing to be a support can be part of the group.
Staging a heroin intervention can be a difficult task. The first step is to determine the type of intervention that will be most effective: a classroom setting, individual counseling with the child or family, or both. There are also many different types of interventions that may be appropriate for a given situation. For example, if it is suspected that a young person has an addiction, then an inpatient treatment center may be the best option because of added structure and support. Read on to find out more about heroin intervention and making it hit home for your loved one.
The goal of an intervention is ultimately to get heroin addicts to voluntarily go into a rehabilitation center or to go for some form of treatment. It is not designed to simply force the addict to stop their ‘bad behavior’ of using drugs because that’s not how addiction works. As is said in Narcotics Anonymous, addiction is a chronic, cunning and baffling disease. The object of the game is to convince the addict to get realistic and effective help.
One trademark characteristic of addiction is denial. Even if heroin addicts admit they have a problem, they are likely to think it’s not that bad or that they can just quit using on their own. It is the intention of an intervention to help to convince them otherwise. Doing so very well may involve showing some “tough love”, like ultimatums, that let them know their continued use will bring consequences. While not every intervention results in immediate surrender to treatment, the implementation of repercussions will at least begin to steer heroin addicts in the right direction.
Heroin is one of the hardest drugs to kick because abstinence from it brings on withdrawal. Your loved one may have even attempted, unsuccessfully, to quit on his own. An intervention offers options that are sensitive to his physical and mental dependency such as a detox program that will assist him in getting through it as comfortably as possible.
Heroin addiction does not cure itself. It must be stopped. If you don’t want your loved one to lose everything, possibly including his life, the most loving thing to do is to stage a heroin intervention. The bottom line is that an intervention introduces hope and with hope, all things are possible.
If you have a loved one with a heroin addiction, you know firsthand how difficult it can be to deal with someone who is ruled by a drug. Addiction is an illness that effects the entire family. Other family members and close friends can easily find themselves in a role as well such as a “co-dependent”, “enabler” or even a “victim”. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the addict’s actions and behaviors. An addict can convince their partner that they are imagining things or can actually have their mother buying drugs for them because they get “sick” without a “fix”. No, it doesn’t make sense. It sounds absurd. That is why the disease is called “cunning and baffling”.
It is important for you to work alongside a professional who can keep you on route with your plan. It’s common for families of heroin addicts to get sidetracked with such feelings as doubt, pity for the user, fear, and anger. A professional can help you as well as the addict.
In order to get properly prepared for a confrontation, it’s a good idea to determine why you think your loved one is addicted. Perhaps he has admitted it to you or someone else but if not, here are some signs that point to a heroin addiction:
The time to stage a drug intervention depends on the severity of the addiction. Serious addiction may require a full-fledged intervention program, whereas mild or moderate addiction may be treated through a combination of therapy, medications, and support from family and friends. If you feel that your loved one is struggling with an addiction, contact your doctor immediately. An intervention can save lives and bring people back from the brink of relapse.
An intervention is only successful if it’s carried out by someone who knows their loved one very well. To stage an effective intervention, it’s important to ensure that everyone involved has the emotional wherewithal to handle difficult situations. If you’re unsure how to proceed, consult a professional counselor as soon as possible.
If you suspect your loved one is using heroin (or any other drug), the time to intervene in immediately. Begin your plan today. Tomorrow is never promised, especially when heroin is involved.
Heroin intervention can save lives and potentially offer a path to recovery. Heroin addicts may need help to overcome their addiction. Helping a heroin addict learn that they have a problem and how to overcome is a noble endeavor, and works to help them face their drug abuse head-on.
When someone you love has a heroin addiction, it’s common to feel helpless and hopeless. Staging an intervention is the most loving and constructive thing you can do to point him in the way of treatment. Planning and conducting an intervention is not an easy thing. It can be very uncomfortable, inconvenient and even scary. With help from the information you have just learned, you will be better equipped to carry out a successful intervention that will introduce help and hope so that your loved one can begin a wonderful new journey to recovery.
If you or someone you know needs help with heroin or other opioids, Find Addiction Rehabs is here to help, with certified interventionists on-staff and recovery representatives that can answer questions and help with placement at top facilities nationwide. So give yourself a break, and your loved one a new lease on life, by reaching out today!
