In recent years Ohio's heroin epidemic has become a serious statewide issue. Many residents that struggle with heroin addiction initially began their substance abuse with prescription opioids. Due to the cost and availability of prescription opioids, many addicts turned to heroin as a cheaper more easily obtainable substitute. Ohio law enforcement officials note that brown powdered heroin is the most common form of the drug available in Ohio and black tar heroin is not as widely accessible. Additionally, the majority of heroin addicts in Ohio use the drug intravenously. This has lead to a needle-sharing problem among heroin addicts; which in turn increases the risk of Hepatitis C and other blood borne viruses.
Due to the extreme heroin addiction problem in Ohio, drug and alcohol treatment centers are located across the state. Ohio drug and alcohol rehab programs range in their intensity of services and care to the length of time the client remains in the program. No matter what type of rehab program a person enrolls in, the very first step of the recovery process is detox. This is the first phase of rehabilitation because it works to rid the person's body of any remaining drugs in their system while managing their withdrawal symptoms. Completing this phase of treatment enables the person to be physically, emotionally and mentally ready to work on the behavioral issues associated with their addiction problem.
Detox can be completed in a variety of settings ranging from a hospital setting or professional medical detox facility as well as an inpatient drug rehab or residential treatment program. Persons addicted to heroin, prescription opioids and other physically addictive substances must have medical supervision during their detox process. Often, physically addictive drugs require medication to manage the person's more severe withdrawal symptoms and decrease their cravings. It is important to realize that recovery from addiction takes more than completing detox. While detox helps the person to get clean, they will not remain sober without additional addiction treatment. Continued treatment after detox helps the person work through the reasons why they begin using as well as develop skills to prevent future substance abuse.
Choosing the correct treatment program for yourself or a family member can be one of the the most important decisions you ever make. With so many choices for treatment, and so many variables to consider, getting help from a knowledgeable addiction specialist who understands what types of treatment will work best is invaluable.
Our addiction specialists are available 24 hours a day to answer any questions you may have about treatment. All calls and services are completely free of charge and completely confidential. Start your recovery today!