Heroin Addiction And Methadone Maintenance Research Paper
Heroin Addiction & Methadone Maintenance
Deborah Booth
Psychology 305 – DO4
Liberty University
Heroin Addiction & Methadone Maintenance
Diacetylmorphine, aka: heroin, smack, horse, black tar, china white, and H, the slang names are as numerous as the places you can score this highly addictive narcotic. Heroin, a derivative of morphine, via opium, which comes from the resin of the Papaver somniferum plant has been in use for nearly 3500 years (Doweiko,2012, p.137). To understand the fascination, addiction, and potential therapies of heroin, we must first understand its history.
Before man knew anything about chemicals and drugs, they knew about the land the animals and plants that were used in relieving various …show more content…
What has been a significant factor is the crime rate increase in order for those addicted to stay “well.” Communities faced with how to treat the opiate addicted; beyond the obvious by placing them in jail or prison. The behavior of crime may be rehabilitated, but not the addiction itself, which for most was the only driving factor. It’s a vicious cycle, and for most the frustration is bigger than their habits. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom do have physicians who will prescribe heroin (although rare) for the addict unable to reap the benefits of methadone maintenance, or the terminally ill suffering extreme pain. Specialized “injecting centers” are available to addicts trying to dodge the street heroin complexity, in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Australia and even Canada. There are still very strict laws enforced with the purchasing or smuggling of heroin in these countries, thus rigid program regulations must be followed. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) remains the preferred form of treating opiate addiction, and “has demonstrated strong efficacy in the outpatient treatment of opiate dependence (Hettema et al, …show more content…
Many traditional treatment centers such as those who utilize the 12 Step philosophies, assert that MMT is incompatible with recovery and the abstinence-based treatment models, thus creating a division among them. This kind of thinking is yet another pitfall that carries the heroin addict seeking MMT, into “secretive
Deborah Booth
Psychology 305 – DO4
Liberty University
Heroin Addiction & Methadone Maintenance
Diacetylmorphine, aka: heroin, smack, horse, black tar, china white, and H, the slang names are as numerous as the places you can score this highly addictive narcotic. Heroin, a derivative of morphine, via opium, which comes from the resin of the Papaver somniferum plant has been in use for nearly 3500 years (Doweiko,2012, p.137). To understand the fascination, addiction, and potential therapies of heroin, we must first understand its history.
Before man knew anything about chemicals and drugs, they knew about the land the animals and plants that were used in relieving various …show more content…
What has been a significant factor is the crime rate increase in order for those addicted to stay “well.” Communities faced with how to treat the opiate addicted; beyond the obvious by placing them in jail or prison. The behavior of crime may be rehabilitated, but not the addiction itself, which for most was the only driving factor. It’s a vicious cycle, and for most the frustration is bigger than their habits. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom do have physicians who will prescribe heroin (although rare) for the addict unable to reap the benefits of methadone maintenance, or the terminally ill suffering extreme pain. Specialized “injecting centers” are available to addicts trying to dodge the street heroin complexity, in countries such as Switzerland, Germany, Holland, Australia and even Canada. There are still very strict laws enforced with the purchasing or smuggling of heroin in these countries, thus rigid program regulations must be followed. Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) remains the preferred form of treating opiate addiction, and “has demonstrated strong efficacy in the outpatient treatment of opiate dependence (Hettema et al, …show more content…
Many traditional treatment centers such as those who utilize the 12 Step philosophies, assert that MMT is incompatible with recovery and the abstinence-based treatment models, thus creating a division among them. This kind of thinking is yet another pitfall that carries the heroin addict seeking MMT, into “secretive