Heroin Abuse & Addiction Treatment

Contents

• Why Seek Treatment at Athletes Recovery?
• Program Philosophy and Benefits
• Treatment Options at Athletes Recovery
• Continuing Care

Many individuals do not understand the incredible amount of stress that comes along with being an athlete. Additionally, when we think of an athlete, the type of drug abuse that comes to mind is that of performance enhancing drugs, not substances such as heroin. However, illicit drug abuse has become quite common among current and retired athletes alike. As a professional athlete, there is a huge amount of pressure placed upon you to not only perform, but to deliver exceptional results. The rush of the competition along with a possibility of fame and fortune causes many athletes to place additional expectations on themselves to be the best player on the field. When there are setbacks or mistakes made, the stress faced by the athlete can become even greater, affecting their overall sense of self-worth. A negative view of the self also applies to retired athletes who may be grieving the end of a loved career, especially if they did not meet the goals they had set for themselves before retirement. Under these circumstances it is not surprising that a number of athletes turn to substances like heroin to provide themselves with a sense of relief and escape from the daily demands of the competitive world of sports. Heroin becomes a coping mechanism that makes all concerns and stress seem to melt away.

Athletes Recovery is a program that has been specifically designed to treat the mental health and substance abuse needs of both current and retired athletes. Our highly trained staff is dedicated to providing athletes with a confidential treatment approach that can meet the unique needs of professional and collegiate athletes struggling with heroin addiction. The treatment we provide for our patients is rooted in the principles of recovery, placing extra emphasis upon spiritual, emotional, and personal growth. We are determined to do all we can to transform the lives of those we treat as they begin their journey toward recovery. Together we can help you overcome your addiction and achieve a better future.

Why Seek Treatment at Athletes Recovery?

If you are currently using heroin to cope with the current stress of life as an athlete or if you are a retired athlete trying to numb emotions about your past career that are causing you pain, then you have most likely begun to see a number of detrimental effects in many areas of your life. The longer you continue to use this substance the stronger the addiction will become and, if left untreated, will only lead to more problems. The health problems associated with this drug depend somewhat on how the drug is abused. For those addicts who inject heroin, they may develop collapsed veins, bruises, bacterial infections, and serious infectious diseases such as AIDS. Smoking heroin on the other hand can lead to respiratory problems including pneumonia. In addition to physical effects, heroin abuse can cause an individual to pull further away from friends and family, leaving them socially isolated. It can cause them to spend excessive amounts of money to obtain the drug and it could ultimately mean the end of their career.

Heroin can be one of the most addictive substances that can be abused and, without proper treatment, an addict is usually unable to kick the habit. An inpatient treatment program that specializes in working with athletes is often the best option for helping them to stop abusing this terribly destructive drug. In addition to a number of different therapeutic approaches, an inpatient program provides athletes with the ability to step back from their stressful lives and take the time to focus solely on recovery.

Program Philosophy and Benefits

Athlete’s Recovery is a private, confidential program that is specifically tailored to meet the needs of current and retired athletes who are struggling with mental health and substance abuse issues that may be unique to their career. Our culturally-competent, compassionate, and experienced treatment staff works hard to provide each client with an individualized client-centered plan of care that meets the personal needs of each athlete we treat. The treatment methods we use at Athlete’s Recovery place an emphasis on strength and accountability of the team. Additionally, our services are based upon the mental and physical regimes our athletes are inherently familiar with. We want each patient to leave our program knowing that they have had the best experience imaginable.

Treatment Options at Athletes Recovery

Before starting the treatment process at Athlete’s Recovery, each athlete will complete an initial intake assessment, which will provide our treatment staff with a clear picture of his or her presenting symptoms and concerns. A treatment plan will then be developed based upon the results of your assessment. You will be fully included in the treatment planning process, taking into account any concerns you may have and answering all of your questions. Your personalized treatment plan may include some of the following therapeutic approaches:

Detoxification: If you have arrived at our program physically dependent upon heroin, you will need to complete our detoxification program before beginning other treatment methods. Our medical team will provide medically-monitored detox, which will allow us to effectively remove any drugs in your system as we monitor you for safety and comfort. Once this process is complete you will be able to fully engage in the therapeutic process.

Individual therapy will provide you one-on-one time with a licensed therapist who will be able to help you work to determine the underlying circumstances that may have led to the development of your heroin addiction as well as help you process surrounding emotions. Additionally, you will be able to explore the unique difficulties faced by athletes and work on ways to cope without this drug.

Group therapy can be extremely beneficial because it will provide you with the opportunity to work with other athletes who understand the challenges you may be facing. As a team, you will build off of one another to develop better coping skills, emotion regulation, learn how to identify triggers, and how to prevent relapse.

Family therapy is a very important part of the treatment process as addiction is a family disease. This time is often used to educate everyone about the disease of addiction and teach family members how they can help their loved one through the recovery process. Family therapy can help open lines of communication and allow everyone to freely express their emotions.

In addition to traditional therapy, Athlete’s Recovery offers a number of additional treatment approaches. These may include:

• Exercise and weights
• Prayer and meditation
• Physical therapy
• Educational therapy
• A.A. and N.A.
• Yoga
• Acupuncture

Continuing Care

When you have come to the end of your inpatient treatment program you will work closely with your treatment team to develop a plan for continued care that will help ensure your recovery success. Some of our athletes find that they would do best in a sober living facility. Others may feel that they have made enough progress to continue their recovery in either a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or intensive outpatient program (IOP). Both PHP and IOP programs allow our athletes the opportunity to work on their therapy during the day while slowly reintegrating back into their community in the evenings. Finally, others may discharge home with a sober coach, referrals to traditional outpatient therapy, and references for community resources.