Heroin addiction takes a huge toll on an individual and their family. Freeman Recovery Center offers several options for the treatment of heroin use disorder in the Volunteer State – Tennessee. The mental health and substance use specialists are experienced and skilled at medical detoxification, substance use disorders, addiction, and dual diagnosis.
What is Heroin Use Disorder?
Heroin use disorder is a medical condition that’s characterized by the compulsive use of heroin. This is a highly addictive opioid drug derived from morphine. Criteria for diagnosis include persistent use of the drug despite experiencing harmful consequences and significant impairment. Heroin is closely associated with health problems, disability, and failure to meet responsibilities at work, home, or school.
Symptoms of addiction include intense cravings for the drug, heroin withdrawal symptoms when not using it, and an increased tolerance to needing more of the drug to achieve the same effect. Treatment begins with medical detoxification and transitions to a combination of medication-assisted therapy (MAT), counseling, and support groups. Addressing heroin use disorder is crucial as it significantly decreases the risk of overdose and death.
Heroin Addiction Rate in Tennessee & The US
Opioids of all kinds, including heroin, are the main driver of drug overdose deaths and nearly 88% are related to synthetic opioids. From 2001 to 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recorded the rate of deaths from synthetic opioids other than methadone had increased by 22%, while deaths related to heroin had decreased by 32%.
The individual cost of drug addiction depends on the amount that’s used, the frequency it’s used, and an individual’s overall health. Vice profiled drug use in Canada in 2016 and found prescription opioids cost $75 per day while heroin cost $220 per gram. An analysis of 58,835 adults with opioid use disorder who were treated from 2010 to 2017 showed there was a reduced risk of opioid overdose and death in those who took the drug Suboxone. A 2018 study concluded, “Buprenorphine-naloxone remains an underutilized treatment for opioid use disorder despite its efficacy, safety, and relative ease of use.”
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What Makes Heroin Addictive?
Heroin is highly addictive, primarily because of the active ingredients that interact with the brain. Heroin is converted into morphine when it enters the brain. In the brain, it binds to and activates mu-opioid receptors. Activation of these receptors blocks pain and enhances feelings of pleasure and well-being. This state is often described as a rush, which particularly reinforces addiction.
The activation of mu-opioid receptors triggers a biochemical process including the release of dopamine, which is a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward. The surge of dopamine contributes to the strong compulsion to use heroin again. This develops a physical dependence and tolerance. With regular use, higher doses are needed to achieve the same euphoric effect, and withdrawal symptoms are more severe without it.
What is Heroin Detox?
Heroin detox programs or detoxification is the crucial first step in treating a heroin use disorder. Detox involves clearing heroin from the body while safely managing withdrawal symptoms. Medical detoxification should happen in a controlled setting, supervised by healthcare professionals. This ensures safety and comfort, helping to reduce the potential for life-threatening complications.
Withdrawal symptoms can range from muscle aches, anxiety, and sweating to severe complications such as vomiting and diarrhea. Withdrawal symptoms can begin within a few hours of the last time an individual consumes heroin and is a significant hurdle in the recovery process.
Medical detoxification uses medicines to reduce cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms to make the process more manageable. These medications can include buprenorphine and methadone, which help individuals transition into supportive therapies, such as behavioral therapy and counseling, to address the psychological aspects of addiction and set the stage for comprehensive rehabilitation.
What is Heroin Addiction Treatment?
Heroin addiction treatment requires a comprehensive approach to address the psychological and physiological aspects of addiction. Treatment begins with detoxification to manage withdrawal symptoms under medical supervision. This is followed by therapeutic interventions better tailored to meet the individual’s needs.
These interventions often include medication-assisted therapy (MAT) using drugs such as naltrexone, buprenorphine, and methadone, to normalize body functions without the euphoric effect of heroin. Behavioral therapies, such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management provide the individual with skills to cope with triggers and change harmful thinking patterns. Finally, rehab includes support groups like Narcotics Anonymous, where individuals receive peer support and accountability, which are vital for long-term recovery.
Heroin Addiction Rehab Centers in Tennessee
It is crucial to find heroin addiction rehabilitation options with mental health and addiction specialists who are skilled and experienced in treating heroin addiction. We encourage you to call Freeman Drug and Alcohol Addiction Center at (615) 645-3677 or contact us online for more information about our treatment options, including medical detoxification, residential treatment, and intensive outpatient programs (IOPs).
Detox/Residential Inpatient facility: 1615 HWY 96, Burns, TN 37029
Hours of Operation: 24/7
PHP/IOP/OP Facility: 222 State St, Dickson, TN 37055
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8am – 9pm
Admin/Admissions Office: 250 State St, Dickson, TN 37055
Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 8am – 5pm
Verify Your Insurance Coverage for Heroin Treatment
How To Find a Heroin Addiction Rehab Center in Nashville, TN
It’s important to identify a heroin addiction rehab facility that meets your individual needs. Heroin addiction treatment should be customized to your situation and offer you the best options for overcoming heroin addiction. Consider the following recommendations to help you find the right heroin abuse treatment center.
- Research: Begin by exploring addiction rehabilitation centers in Nashville using online resources such as search engines, directories, or healthcare organizations. Compile a list of prospective options that you will use for further evaluation.
- Website: Use the addiction rehab center websites to verify that the center is accredited and licensed to provide treatment. Accreditation signifies compliance with stringent quality standards. Organizations such as the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF) or the Joint Commission evaluate and offer accreditation status for heroin rehab centers.
- Consider the Treatment Approach: Centers employ treatment methods for heroin addiction recovery programs, which should be evidence-based and include holistic approaches. Evidence-based therapies can include medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, individual counseling, group therapy, and holistic therapies.
- Facility: Consider the facilities and amenities available. Much of this information can be gathered from the treatment center’s website. These may not be the most critical factors, but undergoing treatment for heroin addiction recovery in safe and comfortable surroundings can contribute to your experience and potential success.
- Staff Qualifications: The treatment center website should have information about the mental health and addiction specialists’ qualifications and experience. Look for licensed healthcare professionals who have expertise and experience in heroin addiction treatment.
- Finances: If you have health insurance, verify your insurance coverage to help determine affordability. Speak with the treatment center’s financial counselors for a better understanding of the type of financial assistance that may be available, such as payment plans, sliding scale fees, scholarships, and grants.
- Reviews and Testimonials: Evaluate the online testimonials from former clients or family members that are not posted on the treatment center website. Pay attention to positive and negative feedback to ensure you’re making an informed decision.
- Call the Treatment Center: After you’ve narrowed your list, schedule a tour of the treatment centers that meet your criteria to get more information about the admission process, treatment programs, costs, and rules that govern your rehabilitation.
Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Addiction
Heroin addiction symptoms can be broken into psychological and physical symptoms. Treatment for heroin addiction is often customized to the severity of the addiction. Below are some of the mental and physical symptoms of heroin abuse, but it is not a full list.
If you have questions about heroin addiction signs or want more information about treatment, we encourage you to call Freeman Drug and Alcohol Addiction Center for more information.
Psychological Symptoms of Heroin Abuse
Heroin abuse significantly impacts individual psychological well-being, often leading to a range of symptoms that profoundly affect mental health and behavior. Understanding the symptoms is crucial for recognizing the signs of abuse and initiating timely intervention.
- Depression: Heroin users can experience intense depression. The drug initially causes a surge of euphoria, but as the effects wear off, the user can plummet into a state of deep sadness. Depression can be exacerbated by deteriorating life circumstances, strained relationships, and financial or legal problems.
- Anxiety: Users may feel constantly on edge, restless, or overwhelmed by worry. The feelings can stem from paranoia about obtaining the drug, fear of legal repercussions, or the stress of hiding their addiction.
- Mood Swings: Users quickly shift from feelings of euphoria to intense irritability or anger and then depression. These swings are unpredictable and a response to the cycle of drug use and withdrawal symptoms, making emotional stability a challenge.
- Impaired Judgment: Heroin impairs cognitive functions, leading to poor decision-making. This can lead to risky behavior, such as driving under the influence or unsafe sexual practices.
- Paranoia: Regular heroin users become overly suspicious or fearful of others, including friends and family. This can lead to isolation and a breakdown of relationships.
- Hallucinations and Delusions: In severe cases, long-term abuse can lead to hallucinations or delusions, which are symptoms associated with the drug’s neurochemical effects on the brain. Users may hear voices, hold false fixed beliefs that are not based on reality, or see things that aren’t there.
- Memory Loss: Chronic use affects the brain’s cognitive ability, leading to short-term memory loss and difficulty processing information.
- Lack of Motivation: Users become lethargic and unable to complete tasks. Over time, the user’s sole focus becomes the pursuit of the drug, which significantly diminishes their ambition to achieve any goals or engage in productive activities.
- Psychological Dependence: Heroin produces psychological dependence, which is a critical symptom of abuse. The user believes they need the drug to function or cope with daily stresses.
Physical Symptoms of Heroin Abuse
Heroin abuse leads to a host of physical symptoms that can significantly harm the body, ranging from short-term to long-term consequences that may persist even after drug use has stopped. This list of physical symptoms demonstrates the drug’s profound impact on the body and the critical need for comprehensive treatment.
- Shortness of Breath: Heroin depresses the central nervous system, which slows breathing. The effect can be severe enough to cause respiratory insufficiency and is potentially fatal.
- Constricted Pupils: One of the most noticeable physical signs of recent use is small, constricted pupils. This is called “pinpoint pupils” and happens because heroin activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which controls the muscles in the iris.
- Behavior Change: The drug impacts behavior, triggering swings from hyperactivity to sudden drowsiness. After the initial euphoria, users experience a phase of drowsiness when cognitive function is markedly slowed.
- Disorientation: Heroin impairs thought processes, judgment, and memory. Users appear disoriented or exhibit a noticeable inability to perform tasks.
- Dry Mouth: This is a common and immediate side effect of drug use, identified by a noticeable lack of saliva. Over time this contributes to poor dental health.
- Skin Flushing: Heroin can trigger skin warmth, flushing, and a sense of heaviness in the extremities. This is related to the interaction with opioid receptors in the brain and body.
- Digestion: Nausea and vomiting are common symptoms that happen just after drug use and result from the effect on the digestive system. Long-term use invariably leads to chronic constipation as the digestive system slows.
- Weakening Immune System: Heroin compromises the immune system, making individuals more susceptible to infection. People who inject heroin can experience bacterial infections and abscesses at the site of the injection when using a non-sterile technique and repeated use of the same site.
- Decreased Pain Sensitivity: Heroin has analgesic properties, which means it reduces pain sensation. This prevents users from recognizing injuries or medical conditions that require immediate attention.
- Weight Loss: Significant weight loss and malnutrition result from decreased appetite and neglect of nutritional needs.
- Sexual Dysfunction: Long-term heroin use can impair sexual function and reduce libido, particularly in male users.
Heroin Use Disorder Treatment Programs
Heroin use disorder treatment programs offer individuals a comprehensive approach to treatment ranging from residential and inpatient rehab care to traditional outpatient treatment programs. Heroin addiction support groups are an integral part of all aspects of care.
Heroin Addiction Day Treatment (Partial Hospitalization Program)
Day treatment programs are also known as partial hospitalization programs (PHP). They provide a structured, intensive environment for people who are battling heroin addiction while still allowing them to live at home. The programs usually require attendance for multiple hours each day, five to seven days each week.
It’s a middle ground between full inpatient care and an intensive outpatient program. The treatment usually includes a variety of therapeutic modalities, such as medication-assisted treatment, individual and group counseling, cognitive behavioral therapy, and heroin addiction support groups. Together, these address the physical and psychological aspects of addiction.
Heroin Addiction Evening Treatment (Outpatient Program)
Heroin addiction evening treatment programs offer individuals the opportunity to continue their therapy while maintaining daily commitments to work, school, or caregiving. The program schedules sessions for several hours in the evening, providing the same level of intensive care as day treatment programs.
Key components of evening programs include medication-assisted treatment, cognitive behavioral therapy, and group and individual counseling. The structure is ideal for those who need a comprehensive recovery support system without disrupting their daytime obligations.
Heroin Addiction Detox Program
Heroin addiction detoxification is a critical first step in the recovery process. Treatment centers that offer heroin rehab programs are usually also detox centers. Programs are designed to safely manage the acute physical symptoms of withdrawal under medically supervised care. This can last from a few days to a week, depending on the severity of the addiction.
Heroin Addiction Inpatient Residential Treatment
Heroin addiction intervention within an inpatient rehab or residential care treatment center provides a highly structured environment for those with severe heroin addiction. Individuals live at the facility for a predetermined duration, depending on the individual’s needs. This type of treatment removes the individual from potential relapse triggers in their daily environment to an area that provides 24-hour support.
Comprehensive services typically include medication-assisted treatment to manage symptoms and cravings. This combination of evidence-based treatment and holistic therapies helps the individual heal their body and mind together. Using this immersive approach is critical for deep-seated addiction and offers the best chance for recovery by focusing on long-term behavioral change and relapse prevention.
What Medication is Used for Heroin Addiction Treatment?
Heroin addiction treatment typically incorporates medications that help to manage withdrawal symptoms and decrease the likelihood of relapse. Some of those key medications used in the treatment of heroin addiction include Suboxone, Subutex, Methadose, and Vivitrol. For more information about medication-assisted treatment (MAT), call Freeman Addiction Recovery Center.
- Suboxone is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone that is widely used to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms because of its effectiveness. Buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, which provides a safe level of opioid activation while naloxone is an opioid antagonist and counteracts the opioid effects.
- Subutex is buprenorphine alone, which was commonly prescribed before Suboxone was available. It is a standalone product that helps to manage withdrawal symptoms but is typically only used under special circumstances.
- Methadose is methadone, a drug typically used for long-term maintenance treatment. It is a long-acting opioid agonist that helps normalize the body’s functions without the euphoric effects of heroin.
- Vivitrol is naltrexone, an opioid antagonist that works by blocking the effects of opioids at their receptor sites. This is crucial for those who have detox and are trying to remain heroin free. It’s offered as a monthly injection which is convenient and ensures compliance.
Does Insurance Cover Heroin Abuse Treatment?
Yes, most insurance policies offer some level of coverage for heroin abuse treatment as mandated by two Federal laws. The first is the 2008 Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the second is the 2010 Affordable Care Act. However, while federal law mandates that insurance companies offer treatment for substance use disorders, they do not define the level of coverage.
Coverage levels are determined by your insurance policy. Most insurance policies have a member services phone number where you can get information about your insurance coverage level, ask questions about heroin addiction therapy options, and check on heroin addiction treatment facilities in your local area.
However, when you call Freeman Alcohol and Drug Addiction Center at (615) 645-3677 or contact us online, our admission counselors can answer those questions. We can verify your insurance coverage, connect you with our financial counselors to develop a financial plan to help you achieve recovery, and answer questions about our treatment options.
How Much Does Heroin Abuse Treatment Cost Without Insurance?
Heroin abuse treatment costs without insurance depend on factors like the geographical location of the treatment center, the severity of your addiction, the length of treatment, and whether treatment is primarily inpatient or outpatient. Each of these factors influences costs. Normally, out-of-pocket expenses are the difference between the treatment center charges and your insurance policy coverage.
However, without insurance, your out-of-pocket costs become the difference between the treatment center charges and any financial assistance you may obtain. When you call Freeman Addiction Recovery Center at (615) 645-3677 or contact us online, our admission counselors can guide you in finding financial assistance in your local area and connect you with financial counselors who can discuss a payment plan or possible sliding scale fees.
Major Insurance Providers in Tennessee That Cover Rehabilitation Programs for Heroin Misuse
Two federal laws mandate that major insurance providers offer coverage for mental health conditions and substance use disorders. Major insurance providers in Tennessee that help cover rehabilitation for heroin addiction include providers such as Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Cigna, Optum, and Magellan. Each provider has defined insurance plans that determine the level of coverage for care.
While each insurance company provides coverage, your coverage is determined by your insurance policy. The best way to understand the benefits and limitations of your policy is to call Freeman Recovery Center or contact us online to speak with our admission counselors. They can verify your insurance coverage with your provider and get additional information you may need for prior authorization, deductibles, copays, and coinsurance.
What is a Luxury Residential Rehab Center?
A luxury residential rehabilitation center has an upscale facility combining medical care with high-end amenities. These treatment centers are designed to offer evidence-based heroin addiction treatment within a comfortable environment that sometimes resembles a resort or boutique hotel. Luxury residential rehab centers can also include holistic therapies, such as meditation, massage therapy, and gourmet meals prepared by professional chefs.
The aim is to create a serene and supportive setting to enhance recovery by reducing distractions and stress. Many luxury rehab facilities provide private rooms and exceptional privacy for those seeking discreet, personalized treatment. For more information, call the Freeman Alcohol and Drug Addiction Center at (615) 645-3677.
How To Get Admitted for Heroin Rehab with Freeman Recovery Center
Admission to Freeman Drug and Alcohol Addiction Center begins with your first phone call to (615) 645-3677. Our admission counselors can verify your insurance information and answer questions about treatment options, including residential, inpatient, and highly structured outpatient programs. The mental health and addiction specialists at Freeman Substance Abuse Recovery Center have the experience and skill to customize your program.
As needed, your program includes medical detoxification as your crucial first step to recovery before transitioning into a heroin addiction counseling program designed to address the physiological and psychological symptoms of addiction. Our admission counselor will schedule your initial assessment, which offers you additional information about what your rehab plan might include and gives our addiction specialist information to determine if we are a good fit. Following your initial assessment, you’ll work closely with our admission counselor to ensure that the customized plan developed for you addresses your needs.
Statistics on Heroin Addiction Rate in Tennessee and the US
- Opioids of all kinds are currently the main driver of drug overdose deaths and nearly 88% are related to synthetic opioids.
- According to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, cases involving heroin rose dramatically from 2015 when there were 559 cases to 2020 when there were 2,321 cases. The total number of cases involving fentanyl rose even more dramatically from 106 in 2015 to 3,404 in 2020.
- From 2001 to 2021, the rate of deaths from synthetic opioids other than methadone increased by 22% while deaths related to heroin decreased by 32%.
- The individual cost of drug addiction depends on the amount used, frequency, and overall health. Vice profiled the cost of drug abuse in Canada in 2016, finding prescription opioids cost $75 per day and heroin was $220 per gram.
- An analysis of 58,835 adults with opioid use disorder treated between 2010 and 2017 showed a reduced risk of opioid overdose and death in those taking Suboxone.
- In a 2018 study, researchers concluded “Buprenorphine-naloxone remains an underutilized treatment for opioid use disorder despite its efficacy, safety, and relative ease of use.”
- Suboxone (buprenorphine/naloxone) reduces the number of opioid receptors available in the body in a dose-dependent manner.
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