Two Intense Approaches To Heroin Addiction Medical Detox   by Ben Pate

in Health / Diseases and Conditions    (submitted 2012-01-10)

Diamorphine, or heroin, as it is more commonly known, is the deadliest and most destructive of the twenty most widely used recreational drugs. It is the most destructive both in terms of the physical harm it causes and the potential for addiction. Most methods of heroin medical detox utilize either the 12-Step Program, widely accepted by recovering alcoholics, chemical analogues or antagonists that compete with the drug for opiate binding sites. These antagonists do not induce the same sense of euphoria as the addictive substance but they do bypass the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms that cause so many attempts at detox to fail.

Methods

Two unconventional methods of detoxifying from diamorphine will be discussed. One, called DIY or do-it-yourself cold turkey, is a carefully planned approach to cutting yourself off from drug use that does not involve going to family drug counseling or checking into a drug treatment facility. At the other extreme is instant detox, using a combination of drugs that are injected while the patient is under a general anesthetic. This method is reported to wipe the body clean of the drug in as little as twenty minutes. The patient is then prescribed oral naltrexone for a year afterward.

Instant Detox

Instant detox was first used by an Austrian doctor in 1988. He injected addicts with naloxone, the intravenous analogue to the oral naltrexone. By itself, the naloxone treatment cleared the drug but caused the patient immense discomfort. The doctor added a sedative to make the patients more comfortable. This approach reduces the drug clearance time from a period of several weeks down to a matter of a few days.

Cold Turkey

DIY cold turkey is the other extreme. Cold turkey is the term given to the process of suddenly stopping to take an addictive substance instead of using replacement medication or reducing the dose gradually. The DIY approach requires a bit of forward planning to make the process less distressing.

The Plan

The DIY approach begins by planning ahead and selecting a two-week period during which to discontinue drug use. Set aside a small nest egg, a sum of money with which to reward yourself with small treats during the detoxification process. Pack the wife and children off to the grandparents, tell your friends to leave you alone and explain what you have planned.

Where To Stay

A key part of DIY is to find a comfortable place to live during these two weeks. Being able to get up and make a cup of tea, watch television and read the addict's own books are crucial components to the success to this technique. If the individual's own home isn't suitable, a friend, sibling or parents' place will be fine. The process won't be easy. The early stages will be full of insomnia, depression, chills, shivers and severe muscle cramps.

Rewards

By taking it one day at a time, setting small milestones and rewarding yourself with a nice meal, a DVD or a new outfit, it can be done. By the end of the two weeks, possibly sooner, your body will have expelled the drug and you will be on your way to complete rehabilitation and a drug-free, productive life.

About the Author

Instant detoxification and DIY cold turkey are two extreme approaches to heroin addiction medical detoxification. The first is in its experimental stages and it does have risks that have to be weighed against the certain death of a life of drug addiction. The second is painful, unpleasant and may feel like death but in the absence of underlying medical problems, is not life threatening. It is recommended to consult family drug addiction counseling before embarking on any program of drug detoxification.