If you or someone you love is struggling with a heroin addiction, it may feel at times like you’re fighting a losing battle. There’s a good reason for that.
Heroin is an opioid that floods your brain with dopamine (known as the “feel-good” hormone), giving the person using it extreme feelings of euphoria. But quickly, the brain stops producing its own natural supply of dopamine. When that happens, your body will quickly become dependent on heroin just to feel normal.
Because of how quickly heroin enters the brain, it is exceptionally addictive–both physically and psychologically. This is very similar to the effects of prescription opioids.
Let’s take a closer look at what to expect in the recovery process for a heroin addiction.
Wondering if your loved one is addicted to heroin? Here are the heroin addiction signs to look for.
Heroin Addiction Recovery Rate
Because heroin is an opioid, many of the heroin recovery statistics and studies combine data about heroin with other opioids, making it harder to find exact numbers specifically for a heroin addiction.
One group of researchers looked at data from 28 different studies on opioid addiction. Of the individuals who they followed for 10+ years, less than 30% of them were opioid-free at their most recent follow-up.
That’s a sobering statistic, but there are a lot of factors that influence those numbers.
Another study, based in Australia, showed that after 2 years, about 65% of people with a heroin addiction had not used the drug within the past month.
So we can see just from those two studies, that the recovery rate for heroin addiction isn’t crystal clear. What we do know is that there are several factors that influence heroin recovery rates.
Time Spent in Treatment for Heroin Addiction
There’s a lot of evidence that suggests opioid/heroin addiction is a chronic issue with a high relapse rate. As a result, many people need multiple rounds of treatment in their journey to long-term recovery.
Studies show that more time spent in treatment is tied to longer periods of opioid abstinence.
5 Years Is a Big Milestone
It may seem like common sense, but the longer you’re able to stay free from heroin use, the more likely you are to continue on that path.
For people who were able to stay clean from opioid or heroin use for 5 years, the risk of relapse drops significantly.
Support & Stability Are Key
Heroin addiction is a complex issue that can be influenced by many factors in each individual’s life–including past trauma, mental health conditions, and more. As a result, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution or exact path to recovery.
But we do know that having ongoing support and stability in your life makes a big difference when it comes to heroin addiction recovery. So what does that look like?
- Following your treatment plan: If you enter a treatment center for heroin addiction, it’s important to follow their care plan to completion rather than leaving early.
- Post-rehab support: After leaving rehab, you’ll typically get recommendations on receiving ongoing support as you reintegrate into regular life.
- Community: Finding the right community after treatment can be a challenge. Some people may have the support of friends and family waiting for them. Others may be returning to difficult relationships or to circumstances that contributed to their addiction in the first place. Surrounding yourself with people who will walk with you toward recovery can make a huge difference.
- Work: One other factor in long-term recovery is work! That’s right, holding down a steady job can provide financial stability, structure, purpose, and connection–all of which help you in your recovery.
The Road to Recovery Starts Here
We wish we could say that recovering from a heroin addiction is easy. But the statistics on heroin recovery show us that it’s a challenging journey that often includes some setbacks along the way.
But seeking the help you need is always the right choice, whether you’re struggling with addiction for the first time or if you’ve relapsed after a period of success.
No matter where you are in your journey, Sana at Stowe can help. Our Drug Use Screening Test can be a great resource to help you understand the severity of your situation. And our skilled, compassionate staff is ready and able to help you break this cycle of addiction and step into a new chapter in your life.
To learn more about how we can help with heroin addiction, call us today at 866-575-9958.
