Compared to the devastating effects of addiction to the substance, the cost of heroin addiction treatment is nothing. Heroin addiction is one of the most problematic social problems people face in Canada. Typical of every form of addiction, it doesn’t only affect the victims. The crisis also extends to family and close friends.
There has been a steady increase in the occurrence of heroin addiction over the past few years. Despite the readily available information on how destructive such a habit can be, more people fall into it. Once a person reaches the addiction stage, it becomes difficult to stop using such a substance.
Heroin is highly psychoactive. Its stimulation of dopamine occurs faster than other drugs, irrespective of the mode of application. This makes it more probable for people to get addicted even after first use. Hence, to avoid the addiction to heroin, the best solution is not to start using the substance.
However, with an increasing amount of people using the substance, heroin addiction services have become more critical. The presence of these facilities to tackle the problem is good.
Recovery from heroin addiction is not easy. It’s a lifelong process, with the possibility of the cost of heroin addiction treatment eating deep into the victim’s income. Relapse is also a real possibility, which takes the victim steps backward on the journey to recovery.
If you’re thinking of pursuing heroin addiction treatment, it’s essential to prepare for the cost and associated expenses. Here, we will explore the cost of heroin rehab, detox and lifelong treatment.
What is Heroin Addiction Treatment?
Heroin only provides momentary relief or happiness to the user. The result is dependence, which is a terrible situation to be in. With dependence, the user will feel incapable of going about everyday activities without the substance.
The use of heroin releases dopamine in your brain. This release makes you feel good for the moment. The situations that cause you to take heroin are known as triggers. For many substances, you may have to take them for quite some time before you get addicted. It’s faster with Heroin.
Heroin is an opioid substance, and they function mainly to change how your brain operates. These changes occur rapidly. Hence, you can become an addict after a single-use. This brings you to the stage where you feel a compulsive urge to use the substance, despite the harm.
The process of helping an addict back to normalcy is known as heroin addiction treatment. However, overcoming this alone is somewhat impossible. You can’t simply wake up to make the decision that you don’t want a part of the substance again.
Most times, the urge overrides your will. You feel helpless against the substance. This is due to the changes the substance has caused in the brain.
While it’s challenging to overcome heroin addiction alone, there are still chances of recovery. With the help of a professional, the disease is treatable. However, the rate of recovery varies on different factors. This variation in recovery rates will also influence the cost of heroin addiction treatment.
Heroin addiction treatment is not a straightforward process. There are so many variables involved, which are peculiar to different individuals. Beyond recovery rates, the form of treatment you need may differ from that of another person.
Heroin addiction is a chronic disorder, one which comes with frequent relapses. This makes it difficult to employ a short-term, one-off treatment. There are numerous interventions you need in combination with a great deal of monitoring.
There are different types of treatment, which we will take a look at in the following section. These different treatments have other effects. They work on different aspects of the problem.
Hence, it’s more effective to combine more than one treatment type. However, you have to bear with the cost of heroin addiction treatment that will follow this strategy.
The heroin addiction treatment process is complicated. It’s a complex mix of side effects, withdrawal symptoms, support, relapses, cravings, amongst other things. This makes it vital that you commit to professional heroin addiction treatment in Canada.
The Types of Heroin Addiction Treatment
Beyond the heroin addiction treatment pricing in Canada that seems on the high side, the struggle to normalcy can also be overwhelming. If you leave it in the hand of a non-professional, you’ll never be free.
There are physical and psychological aspects to heroin addiction treatment. The latter is always the most difficult to tackle.
The aims of heroin addiction treatment are simple;
- To stop you from using drugs
- To rid you of dependence on heroin
- To ensure you are back to normalcy and achieve productivity again in society.
As simple as these goals sound, the journey takes time. How much you have to pay for heroin addiction treatment then reflects this.
Over the years, several treatment options have shown effectiveness in dealing with heroin addiction. These are:
- Behavioural therapy
- Medications
- Use of medical devices and applications in dealing with withdrawal symptoms
- Treatment for mental health issues occurring at the same time
- Support
As we established earlier in this article, professionals leverage a combination of these options. Combining these options has greater effectiveness compared to when used alone. Also, you should know that the treatment process for individuals is peculiar. The treatment process and prescriptions should be tailor-made to each patient.
This is due to differences in body physiology, as well as the degree of addiction. Hence, you shouldn’t try to place yourself in a treatment because your friend is doing it too. This can end up being a waste of time and resources.
Behavioural Therapy
Behavioural therapy is arguably the most popular heroin addiction treatment. The cost of heroin addiction treatment, in this case, is most likely recurrent. This is because leveraging behaviour therapy ideals, despite the advantages, can take a very long while.
Behavioural therapy is a treatment approach that uses different tricks and tips to try to enact changes in the attitude and psychological disposition of addicts. Some of the standard processes involved in this therapy include using incentives, skilling up to avoid triggers, etc.
There are several subsections in this category. The various types of therapies are geared towards particular abuse or addiction. According to Drug Abuse.gov, some of these behavioural therapies (and what they tackle) include;
- Cognitive-behavioural therapy: This is best for substances like Alcohol, Marijuana, Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Nicotine.
- Contingency Management Interventions/Motivation incentives: This therapy is best for alcohol, stimulants, opioids, Marijuana, and Nicotine.
- Community Reinforcement Approach Plus Vouchers: This includes alcohol, cocaine, and opioids.
- Motivational enhancement therapy: This is for substances like alcohol, marijuana, and Nicotine.
- The Matrix model: This is a therapy mainly for stimulants
- 12-step facilitation therapy: This is for alcohol, stimulants, and opiates like heroin
- Behavioural therapies primarily for adolescents.
All these therapies are geared towards resolving mental issues in relation to these substances. The basic idea behind this therapy is that heroin addiction was learned. Hence, the way to overcome them is through an unlearning process with healthier habits as a replacement.
We cannot overemphasize the effectiveness of behavioural therapy. According to reports by APA.org, about 75% of people who took part in behavioural therapy experienced the benefit.
Though because there is no telling how it may take for an individual to see the benefits of this therapy, it’s hard to estimate a round figure for the cost of heroin addiction treatment.
You should note that with behavioural therapy, the earlier you start post-addiction, the better. This is why there is a very high effectiveness rate of therapy with adolescents — they are still at a stage where it’s easier to learn. You shouldn’t wait till the side effects of heroin take a lethal toll before seeking help.
Related Article: Is There Hope for Someone Dealing with Abuse?
Use of Medications
Medications also play a huge role in overcoming heroin addiction. However, it is not advisable to rely solely on meds to recover. In fact, this may lead to the previous addiction being replaced by a new one — your meds.
Also, as much as you can, ensure you don’t take these meds without a medical professional’s proper prescription.
- For chronic heroin addiction treatment, methadone is the most commonly used medication. Thanks to federal regulation, the use of this drug without professional help is deemed illegal. The simple function of methadone is to aid heroin detoxification. Although, this cannot solve the addiction problem alone. You have to combine it with the right behavioural therapy.
- Suboxone treatment is another medication approach to heroin addiction treatment. Suboxone is best for people with mild heroin addiction. Once you have a prescription, you may not need to go to the doctor now and then.
- The inpatient treatment option is another medication treatment. Unlike the others, this treatment starts after withdrawal. Whenever you withdraw from the use of heroin, there are withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can get unbearable and lead to relapse. This is where this drug comes in. You will take the medication to treat the aches and pains that come with withdrawal. You can also decide not to use these drugs through the withdrawal process.
For whatever medication or therapy you decide to leverage, support is critical. Without adequate support, relapse can occur. This relapse occurs mostly when the person is alone. Hence, the need for a dedicated support system with professional monitoring. It makes it easier to avoid triggers and prevent a possible relapse.
Principles of Effective Heroin Addiction Treatment
Drug addiction is a very complex illness. With heroin, it happens almost immediately. Recovery from the slump of heroin abuse takes discipline.
You need to understand and accept the following principles. Not abiding by these is tantamount to wasting money on the cost of heroin addiction treatment.
- You can always be back to normal, irrespective of the complexity: While the urge and craving are always intense and seemingly uncontrollable, you can be normal again. In the heat of it, it overrides the brain’s structure and functions. The consequences of this can be damning. Hence, you must believe that you can overcome it. That’s when you’ll have the confidence to start.
- There is no single treatment for everyone
- An effective treatment does an all-around job: An effective treatment is one that attends to the heroin addiction issues, as well as other psychological, social, mental, or legal problems. These additional treatments, amongst other factors, are what makes the cost of heroin addiction treatment high.
- You should stay in treatment for as long as possible: Treating addiction is a long process. The timing also varies from one person to another. Hence, you shouldn’t only plan for three months because your friend spent 3 months at a heroin rehab. You should visit a professional to examine your situation.
- Therapies are very important
- Medications are also important but should be more of a support to counselling and therapy.
- Your therapy or medication treatment should be under continuous monitoring. This would allow for modification, changes, or additions.
- Heroin abuse can lead to other mental disorders
- The first stage of heroin addiction treatment is heroin detox.
- You can also be forced to get treatment, which will still be effective. Even if you don’t willingly want treatment, situations and sanctions can force you to get one. In such a case, the treatment will still be effective. All that matters for treatment to be effective is that you get it consistently.
- You should duly monitor medication use during treatment. This way, you can avoid subconsciously replacing your opioid addiction with dependence on another substance.
- In a professional treatment program, the professional will test you for other conditions. Some of these conditions include; HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis.
What is the Cost of Heroin Addiction Rehab?
The cost of heroin addiction treatment you incur depends on several factors. The type of recovery treatment you are taking also determines how much you pay. In the same vein, there are different treatments for different degrees of heroin addiction.
Hence, you need to visit a professional for an examination first before worrying about the price. If you want to have a general idea of how much these treatments cost, below is a breakdown.
Detoxification
This is usually the first stage of heroin addiction recovery. There are several ways you can get detox done. However, the price for it always ranges between $1000 and $1500 in total. If you are an inpatient (on admission to the facility), the cost of detox will be pre-included in the total program cost.
Factors that come into play in the cost of detoxification are; whether you are an inpatient or not, as well as the amount of heroin in your system. The process of detoxification needs careful monitoring, which also increases the price.
Inpatient rehabilitation
This is the form of rehab and therapy that needs the addict to remain in the facility. This is mainly for people with chronic addiction. Basically, it costs an average of $6000 to $30000 for more affordable centers.
Other popular centers can charge about $20000 for just 30 days. Remember, the time each patient needs for heroin addiction treatment varies. For those that will be up to 60 or 90 days, the price ranges between $12000 and $60000.
Outpatient rehabilitation
This is the best program for those with mild heroin addictions. This program is relatively cheaper than the inpatient program. For a three months program, the heroin rehab cost averages $5000.
Some centers are more popular and can cost an average of $10000. The frequency of your visit to the outpatient rehab centre also affects the cost of heroin addiction treatment.
Medication
Medications also play an important role in addiction recovery. There are different meds for heroin abuse. Hence, the exact type you require may be cheap or costly, relative to others.
There are also cases where you don’t need any meds. But when you do, the yearly cost may wind up to some thousands of dollars. For instance, standard methadone treatment for heroin addiction can cost up to $4700 yearly.
The Combination of all these treatment options, for whatever duration your recovery needs, costs a lot. While this cost is high on its own, it’s not as costly as remaining an addict. Beyond the fact that heroin addiction costs you your health, it also costs so much money to stay an addict. The continuous use of the substance ends up sapping out more money than you can account for.
In severe use cases, addicts end up stealing or selling properties just to afford the substance. The financial instability that results from the addiction can lead to other issues at work, marriage, family, etc. Former heroin addicts state that they spend tens of thousands of dollars on the substance. This amount of money is not easy to come by — not in today’s world.
Factors that Determine the Cost of Heroin Addiction Treatment in Canada
Several factors play vital roles in the cost of heroin addiction treatment. The influence of these factors may not be much, but they are worth considering.
Type of center you visit
To start with, the disparity between the cost for inpatient and outpatient treatment is extensive. Inpatient treatment includes other expenses like housing, intensive care, amongst other things.
Treatment process
There are cases where you don’t need detoxification when you start your recovery process. There are also cases where you don’t need medication for heroin addiction treatment. The experiences are peculiar for different persons.
You can’t diagnose your condition by yourself. You need to visit a heroin addiction treatment expert for that. The doctor will then draw out a peculiar treatment process. The pricing of this peculiar treatment process will undoubtedly be different from that of your friends.
Amenities
Different rehab centers come with unique amenities. These treatment amenities influence the overall cost of heroin rehab. Some centers include facilities like massage, acupuncture, swimming pools, etc.
Duration
How long you will keep getting treatment directly influences how much you pay. Facilities will recommend a particular duration your treatment will take at the beginning. However, there are cases where you may need more time.
Treatment may go on for years, which considerably influences price. There are also cases where you only get to move from being an inpatient to outpatient.
Some treatments also involve scheduled checkups with a specialist, even when you are heroin-free. These subsequent consultations come at a price. To avoid needing to have a lengthy recovery process, it’s best to get treatment early.
Support activities
When recovering from addiction, specialists will recommend that you take up some activities. These activities are to prevent your exposure to triggers or to substitute the ‘happy feeling’ the substance gives. Most of these activities have the aim of correcting your mental disposition.
This can require you to go out of your way to be in the midst of people, to prevent relapse from loneliness. While the cost of these activities may not seem like much, they play a role in the overall recovery cost. For instance, signing up for a yoga class will require money.
Relapses
Relapsing is when you go back to consuming the substance you are trying to avoid. When relapses happen, they end up extending your recovery time or process. They may also be an indication your current treatment processes are futile.
Hence, the need to adopt a new one that’ll cost extra. Relapses can, however, be frequent or infrequent. If it’s infrequent, there is probably no need to change your recovery process.
Related Article: How Do You Know If Someone You Love is Addicted to Heroin?
Final Take
The cost of addiction recovery treatment is way lesser than the price of remaining an addict. Hence, there is no reason why you shouldn’t seek to get better. Heroin addiction results in financial dents, alongside the health complications that can potentially result. While recovery may take a long time to achieve its aim, the time and money are always worth it.
Start by visiting 1000 Islands Rehab Centre. Our experts are ready to diagnose you and build a heroin addiction recovery framework that’ll work for you. Call (855) 929-4045 to speak to any of our heroin addiction recovery experts today!