Morteza and Karen Khaleghi list several clear signs that someone is enabling an addict:
Source: www.foundationsrecoverynetwork.com Just like the addict in your life had to admit to a heroin addiction, you need to honestly assess yourself and admit that you have been enabling that addiction. You can’t afford to make your needs second to someone else’s or to sustain the addiction. It’s time to stop. Am I an Enabler? According to the University of Pennsylvania Health System, enabling takes the following forms:
It’s time to let these behaviors go and get active. Get Real and Stop the Denial A heroin addiction doesn’t disappear just because you refuse to look at it. While you continue denying there is a problem, the addiction grows worse and worse and the chances it turns deadly increases. Even researchers agree that denial is a driving force behind addiction. Don’t Live in Fear A life lived in fear is a life half lived. You might worry that the addict in your life will break ties with you when you are no longer facilitating their continued heroin use. But, they will definitely cut ties with you when their heroin addiction deems it necessary. Act now. Don’t fear the distance between you. Remain Firm Don’t rush in to remove consequences of heroin addiction. Let the addict solve his or her own problems. Set boundaries and adhere to them. When you do this, it pushes the addict that much closer to realizing the destructive nature of heroin addiction and doing something about it. When you stop enabling, it isn’t a sign that you don’t love the addict. It is a sign that you care so much that you want them to get better and you want to help that happen. 2: Treatment Options: Suboxone New to the market in 2002, Suboxone has been touted as a miracle drug. And when it comes to treating heroin addiction and addiction to other opiates, it appears to be. Medication-Assisted Treatment Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) uses the combination of medication, therapy and a support system to assist a drug user through withdrawal and into continued abstention. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration, notes MAT, including ones using Suboxone, has:
Your Brain on Suboxone As long as people with heroin addictions use Suboxone, it acts on the brain to control withdrawal, ease symptoms, and prevent users from getting high when they use opiates. Suboxone has two components and each has a different function. Buprenorphine tricks the brain into thinking it has an opiate present, which keeps withdrawal and cravings from setting in. Naloxone blocks receptors in the brain from being activated by opiates, like heroin. This gives heroin users little reason to try to get high. The Ceiling Effect Another bonus of Suboxone is that it has a ceiling effect, which blocks users from using it to get high. Some patients try to divert Suboxone into recreational use, but increasing the dosage of Suboxone doesn’t get users high. It Lasts Suboxone also lingers in the system for some time. It will continue triggering the brain for a full 24 hours, preventing users from getting high. Plus, any other opiate use will also have no effect. For the roughly 669,000 users of heroin who were reported in 2012, this news is a big relief. Should they develop a heroin addiction, they have treatment options. 3: Protecting Yourself During Withdrawal: Suicide Detox is an important part of recovery from heroin addiction, but it also triggers withdrawals, which can be debilitating. One of the most difficult to manage are suicidal thoughts. It’s less about the chance of getting depressed during this period and more about the certainty that you will. Suicidal Thoughts Depression and suicidal thoughts are higher among opiate users than among those who do not use them and the symptoms do continue after usage has stopped, which is why they feel so strong during withdrawal. They have presented themselves and for the first time in a long time, there isn’t any heroin to dull the symptoms. Preparing for this as a part of detox can help those detoxing from heroin addiction to better cope with the symptoms. Seek Professional Detox Heroin is linked to suicide normally; a study of 16 state reporting systems on suicide demonstrated opiates, including heroin, were present in 20 percent of cases. Roughly on in five suicides in the US involves opiates. But, those urges increase briefly during detox. For this reason, use a treatment center. It will provide you with oversight and staff that can step in if you decide to take action and attempt suicide. But, it can also provide you with medication and other treatments to alleviate symptoms, thus curbing the desire to self-harm. Take Precautions Luckily, a detox program will not allow you access to hazards that could be used to hurt yourself during this time. If, however, you try to detox at home (you really shouldn’t), be sure to remove items that could be used to commit suicide. Be Mindful of Symptoms Maintain as much self-awareness as you can and if you feel your thoughts cycling in dangerous ways, reach out to someone. Notify the staff at the detox center. Call a friend. Let people know that you feel unsafe. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |