Heroin is one of the most addictive substances known to man, and it’s a source of turmoil, both physical and emotional, for those people who become addicted to it. Treatment centers get their fair share of heroin addicts. The physical withdrawal from heroin is full of unpleasantries:
- Sweating
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Chills
That’s only the physical withdrawal symptoms. Emotional and psychological withdrawal from heroin is also more than just unpleasant. It’s often described as hell. For most heroin addicts, an inpatient medical detox is the best place to get well. During the detox period, there will be intense withdrawal sensations and cravings, something that no addict in this day and age should have to endure alone.
Treatment for Heroin Addiction
New treatments for heroin addiction have come along in recent years, including use of a drug commonly known as Suboxone. Available in strips or sublingual pill form, Suboxone can help to curb the cravings for heroin by introducing an opiate to the system, but there is another part of Suboxone that blocks the effects of opiates. The result is that the heroin addict gets a small dose of the opiate to prevent major withdrawal symptoms, but they don’t feel the euphoric sensations of the opiate, thus reducing craving and allowing them to slowly cease using an opiate on a daily basis.
Like all other people with substance abuse disorders, heroin addicts go through their share of ups and downs in rehab, and sometimes they fall from grace. In other words, they may fail a drug test while in a treatment center because they’ve snuck the drug into a rehab and used it. Failing a drug test in rehab is extremely serious, and it won’t be shrugged off by staff who “understand.” In a detox or residential facility, there is no room for drug or alcohol use.
What Happens If You Fail a Drug Test?
If you’re in a heroin treatment center and fail a drug test, there are wide discretion that the treatment center can use. If the heroin addict is in treatment on court or employer related orders, the results of the drug test may actually have to legally be reported to the court or employer. If no court system or employer is involved, it’s more within the rehab’s rights to determine the course of action.
In almost every case, testing positive for drugs will result in expulsion from the program. Drug use in the environment of rehab can affect other patients and even cause them to relapse or crave a drug, both very unpleasant consequences. Because of that, rehabs must be drug free environments. While there is some discretion on the part of therapists and those who run the rehab, more often than not, the patient will be removed from treatment and the grounds.
Preventing a Positive Test
Recovery is important to the people who are brave enough to tackle it. They want to get well, Despite this, heroin addiction is a very powerful addiction, and relapse remains a possibility for all recovering individuals. We wish it weren’t so, but it is. The best way to prevent being expelled from a rehab program on the grounds of a failed drug test is to not do drugs at all while you’re on the grounds of the rehab or while you’re in a program to get well. Without any drug use at all, you won’t get positive test results and lose your place among the recovering population.
That’s easier said than done sometimes, especially when there is such a strong craving to use in the early going. Speaking with your therapists and other friendly staff can help you avoid relapse. Speaking with your fellow recovering peers can also help, as they have the exact same cravings as you do and often struggle to contain them. When you first start having a craving, speak with a trusted peer or a counselor so that you can learn ways to cope with triggers when they come along. By doing this, you increase your chances of preventing a relapse that could cost you your valued place in treatment. Detoxes and residential homes must stay clear of drugs and alcohol. There are tools there that can help you abstain even when the toughest cravings come upon you.
If you’d like to learn more information about this subject, please call us today at 844-903-2111. We’ll be happy to tell you about our drug testing policies.
