Heroin addiction treatment in Israel

Heroin addiction is a chronic disease that has rapid progress and in a short time can cause irreversible consequences, up to death. It is characterized by a pronounced withdrawal syndrome, therefore, it is almost impossible to cope with pathological cravings by a single will. Psychiatrists-narcologists, psychotherapists, and consultants of the IsraRehab clinic are successfully treating heroin addiction in Israel. 

Heroin addiction symptoms

Heroin addiction starts with 2-3 doses. The first dose allows you to get a powerful sedative, analgesic effect, a relaxed state. The Symptoms of painful cravings include the following: 

• puncture marks on the hands;
• increased thirst: a person can have a bottle of water or mineral water near his bed;
• daytime sleepiness;
• needless weight loss;
• appetite disorders;
• tendency to lie;
• hoarseness of voice;
• sudden shift of mood from excessive activity and joy to a depressed, gloomy condition and aggression;
• corestenoma;
• skin ulcers, abscesses, non-healing for the long term.  

A person can be sneaky and withdrawn, use words of obscure meaning, wear long sleeves, even in hot weather just to hide the puncture marks. You can hardly call these symptoms specific since they are characteristic of all addicts who use any drugs by injecting them. 

Less popular ways of using heroin are smoking, injecting substances into the anus, and oral use. This means that there may be no traces of injections on the hands, nevertheless, the person will suffer from heroin addiction and demonstrate other manifestations of the disease. 

Symptoms of recent substance use are quite common. This drug depresses the respiratory center of the brain, inhibits the nervous system: a person typically experiences “lagging”, as if sleeping in any position, he can sway and often touch his face, as if it was itching. These symptoms can last up to several hours. 

In case of an overdose, it can lead to a life-endangering condition such as difficulty or lack of breathing, an epileptic seizure, etc. 

Diagnosing heroin addiction in Israel

An experienced narcologist can recognize heroin addiction by sight. However, the diagnosis requires laboratory confirmation, and it is also very important to assess the overall health and mental health of a patient to develop a treatment program properly. 

As part of the diagnosis, the doctor needs to talk to the addict’s relatives. Heroin addiction reduces criticality, so the patient may not tell about all the interesting features of his disease; sometimes only relatives can help to draw an accurate portrait, give information about the duration of the disease and the frequency of drug intake. 

The assessment of health condition is carried out using lab tests, hardware, and instrumental methods such as ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs, ECG, electroencephalogram, computed tomography, etc. 

The psychological condition is assessed using tests, questionnaires, and projective techniques. The doctor must exclude or confirm the presence of comorbidities: it is crucial when choosing the psychosocial rehabilitation program. 

Heroin addiction treatment methods at the IsraRehab clinic

The first treatment method, obligatory for all cases of addiction, without exception, is detoxification. Such drug therapy is designed to solve several problems at once:

• accelerate the elimination of toxins;
• improve overall well-being;
• replenish the deficiency of irreplaceable substances, restore the water-salt balance;
• stop violations that have developed with the use of drugs;
• mitigate withdrawal symptoms. 

Hypnotics, sedatives, analgesics, means for normalizing the heart rhythm and other medications are used according to indications in severe cases of withdrawal. This stage takes up to 2-3 weeks, depending on the patient’s health condition.

This is followed by the stage of psychosocial rehabilitation, within which the following methods can be used:

• “12 steps” program;
• cognitive behavioral therapy;
• gestalt therapy;
• transactional analysis;
• psychodrama;
• analysis of feelings;
• occupational therapy;
• individual psychoconsulting;
• communication with like-minded people in groups and in free time, etc.

The IsraRehab clinic tried to do its best to create the most therapeutic environment: an atmosphere of acceptance and understanding, an optimal daily routine, a minimum number of patients treated at the same time.

The third stage on the way to a sober life is adaptation. It is also called resocialization: a person returns to his old life into a real society. He is prepared for it: during the rehabilitation period, the patient receives new attitudes and skills, changes the value system, and forms healthy beliefs. Adaptation helps to test the acquired knowledge in practice, to start an independent life, while the support of mentors, specialists, and like-minded people is designed to prevent a possible breakdown. 

The cost of heroin addiction treatment in Israel

The treatment period is determined by the stage of addiction, the health and psyche condition of a patient, degree of motivation, and interest in a fast recovery. The cost of the treatment is mainly influenced by the time the patient spends in the clinic. See the prices in the table below, and get more accurate calculations by contacting the center’s consultants at the specified phone number. 

• Price table

• Diagnostics

  500 $

• Treatment and therapy

  from 7000 $

If you notice symptoms of heroin addiction of your nearest and dearest or he/she asks you for help, do not put off visiting a narcologist. You can ask any questions regarding addiction to the specialists of the IsraRehab clinic; please, give us a call to get a consultation or make an appointment. The reviews from patients and their relatives will tell you about the effectiveness of treatment methods in our clinic. Check them out and make the right choice.