Heroin Anonymous

The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that around 23 percent of people who use heroin will become dependent on the drug. This opiate, derived from the poppy flower, is a highly addictive drug; the drug’s grips on a person can be extremely hard to escape from. Heroin use affects the brain and body, as well as the life of the user and the lives of those around the user. Because heroin is such a powerful drug, treatment has to be comprehensive and appropriate for the person. Medications on the market like buprenorphine and methadone have shown promise for long-term maintenance, but other support methods like Heroin Anonymous (HA) can be effective as well, particularly when combined with other drug treatment approaches.

What Is Heroin Anonymous?

Like the name suggests, Heroin Anonymous is an anonymous group with the purpose of strengthening members’ resolve and commitment to abstinence from heroin. The only necessary requirement to join is the desire to quit using heroin. While quitting is easier said than done, groups like Heroin Anonymous help heroin addicts find acceptance and cope with heroin abstinence.

Following a 12-step system much like its predecessors, Heroin Anonymous encourages members to accept powerlessness over addiction and give that power to a higher entity. Its religious undertones can discourage some people from attending, but the main point of Heroin Anonymous isn’t spirituality – it’s the community. By finding a group of peers who have experienced similar events, who have struggled with the same addiction and who have committed to abstinence, a person can feel a sense of accountability, awareness, and ownership for his or her sobriety and actions.

How 12-Step Groups Can Augment Treatment

Many inpatient heroin addiction treatment programs employ a 12-step approach to recovery. Oftentimes, recovering addicts will attend 12-step meetings at their treatment facility, or they may attend meetings nearby their rehab center. By beginning to attend Heroin Anonymous meetings while still undergoing intensive care in your treatment program, you lay a solid foundation for your return home.

Heroin Anonymous is a great step for heroin addicts seeking support for their addiction. In most instances, HA may only work as a supplementary step to a larger, more comprehensive treatment plan. In most cases of heroin addiction, detox is a necessary first step in the recovery program, and it’s imperative that this is done under 24-hour medical supervision. While the ongoing support found in HA can be crucial to sustained sobriety, lasting recovery often begins and takes hold in a more comprehensive inpatient addiction treatment program.

At Alta Mira, we are proud to utilize the most up-to-date methods for combating drug addiction, including addiction to heroin and opiate drugs. Our personalized treatment plans are matched to your specific needs and addiction. As part of our continued care, you have the option to participate in Heroin Anonymous meetings in order to get consistent support and mentorship from more experienced recovering addicts. Heroin addiction doesn’t have to claim your life. Call us today to learn more.