I had never knowingly met someone who used heroin until I began a working as a therapist at a methadone clinic.
Our kids are not likely to be that naive.
Believe it or not, there are a lot of kids getting hooked on heroin in high school.
Kids start out on pills that a friend gives them, or take them from the medicine cabinet at home.
One day they wake up feeling miserably sick.
The biggest problem with opiate abuse is that a "nice buzz" soon leads to dependency.
Now they have to use, not to get high, but just to stop from feeling sick.
And your kids will see this by the time they get into high school, if not before.
This is not just an "inner city" problem.
I have seen clients from the most prestigious public and private/church schools.
Do you know that your body doesn't know the difference between Percocet, Vicodin,or heroin? OxyContin can cost $1 a milligram.
That means an 80 mg pill can go for $80.
And a habit can grow to several a day.
Do the math.
Do you know that heroin is cheaper than marijuana? That a pill habit that costs several hundred dollars a day can be taken care of for less than $100 of heroin? If the person does not get into treatment, their habit escalates.
Not many kids can support a habit like that for long.
They can start stealing to pay for the pills, or some friend or drug dealer will tell them that heroin is cheaper, and they will, soon enough, go down that dark alley.
If your child or someone you care about has become addicted to pills or heroin- YOU WILL FEEL ANGRY "How could they be so stupid?" Remember, Addiction crosses over intellectual understanding.
It is driven by emotion.
We humans like to think of ourselves as very rational beings- but we actually have a very thin veneer of rationality covering some very primitive emotions.
Ask any addict and they will most likely admit how irrational their behavior is, but feel helpless to stop it.
If your child fell into a well, would you be mad? Or would you try whatever it takes to help them get out? Yelling and shaming someone does not help them climb out of that hole- it pushes them farther into it.
This is not to say that you should enable their addiction, but make sure that they know you are on their side as long as they are moving in the right direction.
YOU WILL FEEL DISAPPOINTED This is not the life you wanted for them.
"How can they do this to me? To the family?" Very likely, you have done the best you knew how to do in the parenting of your child.
Don't get wrapped up in making this about blame, of you or your child- try to figure out how you can help them get back on track.
Family dynamics are complex- educate yourself on addiction so you don't unintentionally create more problems.
YOU WILL BE SCARED You have heard the stories, and seen the terrible things that drug addiction leads to.
Yes, there are a lot of dangers- crime, violence and STD's come with the territory.
You can't change what has already happened- but don't assume the worst.
The first fear that many people think of is HIV- It's still a terrible thing, but even it is not the "death sentence" it was in the 80's.
The most important thing is to educate yourself and your child.
If you don't know what you are talking about you won't get far.
YOU WILL WANT TO DO SOMETHING QUICKLY TO MAKE THE PROBLEM GO AWAY There is no quick fix- and sometimes the person has to try several options before they find one that works.
So how can you help a person who has become addicted to Opiates/heroin: What is the best option for treatment? Usually the first step is to get them into an inpatient detox.
Depending on insurance, or your ability to pay "out of pocket", a detox will usually keep someone for about 5-8 days for opiate dependence.
Better ones can last 30 days or longer.
Okay- so now you bring them home - end of story? Sorry- this is just the beginning.
If you think you can keep them from relapse, you are in for a long ride.
Physical withdrawal may be over, but mental and environmental factors are alive and kicking.
Telling someone to drop all their close friendships and relationships is unrealistic.
Try and help them see why this might be necessary, but if they feel "attacked", there they go back down the hole.
Look up "motivational interviewing" on line and learn how to be effective in communicating.
Sometimes an "intensive outpatient program" is a good option.
How long will it take? It depends on how motivated the person is to tackle their dependence.
Addiction is the modern day equivalent to "slaying the dragon".
It's a fight for their life, but they won't fight that dragon just because you want them to.
Enlist the help of a professional counselor.
One familiar with family dynamics is very helpful.
A family (yes, even you) could be trying their best, but can be caught up in some dynamics that is driving someone farther into addiction.
The addicted person will have a much better chance of recovery if the family dynamics are understood and dealt with.
Don't waste thousands of dollars for those overnight treatments that "put you out" and "filter your blood" to get rid of opiates.
Unless the person has done the "head work" and is highly motivated, and is returning to an environment free of "triggers", this will not work.
If the person still feels cravings for drugs, or relapses, they may need some medication to help.
Sometimes this means psych meds, but don't try that without good counseling.
Psych meds can only do so much.
Group treatment, especially for young people, can be effective.
The person needs to learn how to change how they think- about themselves, about life, about how the world works.
This is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) If they believe they can't stand their feelings when stressed or depressed or angry, and that the only thing that helps is the drug, your best intentions will be wasted.
Next time they are out of your sight, and they get overwhelmed, they will do whatever it takes to relieve their distress.
They will use.
Opiate Addiction is a long term problem Many people find they are not strong enough to fight cravings, even after the physical withdrawal is over.
If this is true, the person may need to go on an "agonist" medication.
This is a prescription drug that "blocks "the effect of the illicit drug.
These are Naltrexone, Suboxone, and Methadone.
A few years ago buprenorphine (Suboxone/Suboxyl) made the headlines as the Great White Hope that would replace the unwieldy and much despised Methadone Clinic.
It could be dispensed by physicians as wafers, a month's worth at a time.
This has proven itself a very naïve hope.
It is a very effective alternative for the client who has some clean time and good support, and uses it as prescribed.
But never underestimate the ingenuity of the drug addicted population.
Suboxone is widely abused.
Any young person addicted to pain pills that I have treated has tried it.
Those who get it legally prescribed are as likely to sell their pills to buy dope as to use them properly.
Methadone is the most "despised" of drug treatments.
While some of its unsavory reputation may be deserved, I would ask that people not write it off.
Many people I have worked with say that methadone has saved their lives, and though imperfect, it seems to work much better for some than the Suboxone.
Naltrexone is starting to come into its own- At first it was only available as a voluntary daily treatment, so (like Suboxone) compliance becomes a major stumbling block.
Now there is a monthly shot being developed and tested which may be a great new option.
Whichever plan you choose, remember that the person who is addicted will have a better chance of success if they feel they have a say in their treatment.
Opiate addiction is a devastating diagnosis, and you and your loved one will need every tool you have to recover from it.
But don't give up- Recovery is possible.