| Heroin has always been considered to be one of the | | | | than 200%. |
| strongest forms of drug addiction in Alabama. The | | | | Though heroin addiction comprises only a small part of |
| very elaborate program on heroin addiction treatment | | | | the overall extent of drug addiction in Alabama (a |
| in Alabama is proof enough of that. Heroin is an opioid, | | | | 2004 statistic by the Treatment Episode Data Set of |
| a derivative of morphine, and much more addictive | | | | the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services |
| than its parent substance. A person who is once | | | | Administration shows that people checking in for heroin |
| hooked to heroin will find it very difficult to come out of | | | | addiction treatment in Alabama are only 4% of the |
| that dependency. It will take all the effort the treatment | | | | total people checking in for addiction treatment in the |
| providers can make in order to pull them out of the | | | | state), it is certainly a very concentrated form of |
| addiction. Let us answer some questions here on this | | | | addiction and needs great attention. |
| substance with special regard to heroin addiction | | | | What are the options available for heroin addiction |
| treatment in Alabama. | | | | treatment in Alabama? |
| Why is heroin such an addictive substance? | | | | Heroin addiction treatment in Alabama is done on an |
| The addiction treatment program in Alabama has | | | | inpatient basis with a detox treatment if the addiction is |
| studied in detail how heroin addiction works. When a | | | | quite severe in nature, i.e. if the person has been using |
| person takes heroin, it triggers the brain to secrete the | | | | heroin for a significantly long period of time and if the |
| chemical dopamine, which is responsible for the | | | | person has tried other modes of treatment but has not |
| pleasure sensation in the body. This is why the person | | | | met with success in them. In these centers the |
| enjoys consuming heroin; it marks the release of the | | | | preferred medication used for the treatment is |
| pleasure-producing dopamine. But as the person | | | | methadone. Methadone has been in use for heroin |
| continues with the heroin habit, the brain becomes | | | | treatment in Alabama since three decades now. This |
| more and more immunized to the substance, and the | | | | is an opioid itself, and the primary intention of a |
| secretion of dopamine decreases. This effectively | | | | methadone treatment is to reduce the craving that the |
| causes a decline in the high produced due to heroin. In | | | | person has for heroin. |
| order to supplement this decline, the person starts | | | | However, extreme caution is advised with methadone |
| taking more of the substance. | | | | treatment because it is a habit-forming substance itself |
| Thus, a progressive increase of the amount of the | | | | and it can produce its own withdrawal symptoms if |
| substance begins. The person starts taking more and | | | | stopped or reduced abruptly. For that reason, this |
| more of heroin just in order to experience the same | | | | treatment can go on for quite a long time. As the |
| high that was experienced previously. In the process, | | | | temptation for heroin reduces, the treatment providers |
| the person gets drawn deeper and deeper into the | | | | will also reduce the amount of methadone to be taken |
| addiction. This can lead to an eventuality such as | | | | by the patient. A maintenance treatment will always be |
| heroin overdose, which is anyway a significant | | | | kept on because it is not possible to stop methadone |
| contributor of addiction related deaths within the state. | | | | completely in the short term. Also, methadone can |
| Where is heroin available in Alabama? | | | | seriously interact with some other prescription drugs. |
| Basically speaking, heroin is available throughout the | | | | That is the reason this mode of treatment is always |
| length and breadth of the state of Alabama. It is | | | | administered in an inpatient treatment setting. |
| actually found much more commonly now that it was | | | | There is another opioid that has been recently |
| found until a few years earlier. Some of the prime | | | | approved by the FDA for heroin treatment in Alabama. |
| areas that have a prevalence of heroin availability in | | | | This is buprenorphine, another habit-forming drug, but to |
| Alabama are Auburn, Birmingham, Mobile and | | | | a much lesser extent than methadone. Buprenorphine |
| Montgomery. The indication that these areas have | | | | can be prescribed even on an outpatient treatment |
| higher heroin availability is seen from the higher number | | | | basis. The introduction of buprenorphine in heroin |
| of people of these areas that are checking into | | | | addiction treatment in Alabama has made it possible |
| addiction treatment. Within the last five years, the | | | | for some people who are in mild to moderate stages |
| percentage of people who are checking in for heroin | | | | of heroin addiction to get an outpatient treatment |
| addiction treatment in Alabama has gone up by more | | | | program to cure their condition. |