how counseling can change your life

Quitting Heroin? Here Are 3 Things You Can Do To Make The Process Easier

23 June 2016 by Timmothy Miles

Living a sober life free of heroin is sure to provide a variety of benefits to take advantage of – you can look forward to saving money, making new friends that are positive role models, and becoming a better person overall. The process of quitting heroin won't be a breeze, but there are a few things you can do to make the process easier and help ensure your success. Consider implementing one or more of the following options into your recovery plan:

Get Methadone Treatment

It's common to start feeling withdrawal symptoms within about a day after quitting heroin. You may experience stomach cramps, runny eyes, excessive sweating, poor sleep quality, and general body aches during withdrawal. Getting methadone treatment is an effective way to keep withdrawal symptoms under control and to minimize cravings, so you're less likely to relapse.

Upon being admitted into a treatment facility, you'll be assessed and may receive a few blood tests to ensure that the treatment protocol you are placed on will be effective. You will likely receive personalized counseling and gain access to various support groups and resources that help make the process of getting sober more comfortable and successful.

Keep a Daily Progress Diary

You can keep yourself on track by maintaining a diary that documents your progress, feelings, mindset, and activities on a daily basis. Record any goals you've achieved during the day, how you feel about your progress, what activities you've done to support your sobriety, and any challenges you faced that have been overcome or still needs to be faced. It's also a good idea to include a new goal or two that you can work toward in the coming days. You'll be able to look back on your diary to determine which techniques and activities have been working, and where some improvement can be made.

Volunteer in Your Community

By volunteering on a regular basis, you may find it easier to stay sober long-term thanks to all the benefits you'll experience throughout the process. Committing to volunteer work will help keep you grounded within your community and provide you with network opportunities that may result in job offers. When volunteering you can also expect to:

• Make new friends who are positive influences in your life.

• Learn the importance of responsibility and following through.

• Build new life skills that help you deal with cravings and ward off relapses.

You should find many volunteer opportunities within your community at local libraries, community centers, and even retirement homes.

These methods and techniques can be used in combination with one another to help round out your over recovery plan and maximize your chance of achieving long-term sobriety success.  For more information, contact the Center For Behavioral Health or a similar organization.

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