Heroin Treatment in Oklahoma City

Heroin use often leads to a strong physical and emotional dependence. Understanding your local treatment options will help to put you on the road to recovery. At Landmark Recovery of Oklahoma City, we use evidence-based treatment to help you overcome heroin addiction.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is an illegal opioid drug derived from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the resin of various opium poppy plants. ¹ This highly addictive drug can be smoked or snorted, but most users usually inject it into their veins. Heroin quickly gets into the brain, where it binds to activates special opioid receptors. This stimulates the release of the neurotransmitter dopamine, reduce pain and providing the user with a surge of pleasurable sensation. ¹ Heroin also depresses important functions like breathing and heart rate, and large doses of the drug can result in unconsciousness, coma, permanent brain damage, or death.

The use of heroin alters certain brain circuits and causes a reinforcement of drug taking behavior, making it difficult to stop yourself from using it again. ² Heroin is one of the most addictive drugs around, and some people may succumb to addiction even after using the drug just one or two times.

Consequences of Heroin use in Oklahoma

Many people in Oklahoma suffer from heroin abuse. Heroin has seen a recent growth in popularity across the state, partly as a result of the widespread misuse of prescription painkillers linked to the current opioid epidemic. ³ As prescription opioids become harder to obtain, many people suffering from addiction have turned to heroin as a cheaper and easier-to-find substitute.

According to data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, the overall rate of heroin use in Oklahoma 0.34%. ⁴ Heroin use is most prevalent among 18- to 25-year-olds, with 1 in 128 young adult Sooners reporting the use of heroin in the past year. ³ Heroin use is also an issue facing Oklahoma teenagers. At least 1 in 100 high school students (grades 9-12) have used heroin at least once in their lifetime, ⁵ while around 1 in 500 high school seniors report current heroin use within the last month. ⁶

Heroin use has led to tragic consequences for the state of Oklahoma. In 2018, there were 79 unintentional overdose deaths in Oklahoma that involved heroin. ⁷ The state has also seen a significant rise in the number of individuals suffering from heroin addiction. According to the Treatment Episode Data Set maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, heroin accounted for nearly 9% of all admissions to drug addiction treatment facilities in Oklahoma in 2019, a three-fold increase from the 3% of patients seeking heroin treatment in 2015. ⁸

Treatment Programs for Heroin Addiction

A variety of effective treatments are available for heroin addiction, including behavioral therapies and medications that help reduce withdrawal symptoms and curb cravings. Research shows that the most effective approach for most people involves an integration of both types of treatments.

Before starting any treatment, you must stop using heroin and clear all traces of the drug from your body. During this process of detoxification, or detox, you will likely begin to experience withdrawal from heroin within hours of your last dose. Symptoms of heroin withdrawal can be extremely uncomfortable and typically include: ¹

• Pain
• Insomnia
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Paranoia
• Cramping
• Sweating

When considering your options for heroin addiction treatment in Oklahoma City, it is very important to select a treatment center that offers the opportunity to undergo medically supervised detoxification. At Landmark Recovery of Oklahoma City, you will be in a safe environment under the care of medical professionals as you detox from heroin. During your detox several different medications may be used to minimize the harshest effects of withdrawal symptoms, helping to reduce your risk of relapse. Our team of trained professionals will provide around-the-clock care, taking the necessary measures to keep you comfortable as we closely monitor and address any potential complications that may arise. Our heroin addiction treatment team in OKC is ready to help.

Medication-assisted treatment

Several FDA-approved drugs can be used in the treatment for heroin addiction, including methadone, buprenorphine, suboxone, or naltrexone. These medications help alleviate the cravings for heroin and lessen the physical withdrawal symptoms during the detox process. For some people, these medications can be used on a long-term basis, for up to several years.

Behavioral therapies for heroin addiction

An essential component of heroin addiction treatment at our Oklahoma City facility involves therapy and the learning of new habits and behaviors to help prevent relapse. After successfully completing detox, you will be smoothly transitioned into a science-backed treatment program featuring individual and group counseling and various behavioral therapies. An important goal of our heroin addiction treatment program is to provide you with the ability to cope with stressful life events without needing to get high, and to this end evidence-based practices like mindfulness-based cognitive therapy are an integral component of our heroin addiction programs.

Get More Information

Please call Landmark Recovery of Oklahoma City at  405-896-8426 to learn more about our medically supervised heroin detox process and to find out which of our personalized heroin treatment programs can best meet your individual needs. Take the first step to recovery today.