An Efficacious Approach to Heroin Abuse
Harm Reduction, Maintenance Treatment and Counselling
An Efficacious Approach to Heroin Abuse
In the film Through a Blue Lens, the relapse of heroin addicts was a prominent issue, one that is the greatest obstacle to overcome. In order to mitigate both physical and psychological damage, harm reduction, counselling, and the availability of various maintenance treatments such as methadone and naltrexone are vital. Without a harmonized strategy against heroin addiction society will continue to face the growing problems that come with the disease.
Arguably the most important step of dealing with the …show more content…
Like alcohol, heroin lets the user forget their life problems; overlooking these issues is a significant contribution to the high relapse rate that plagues all addiction programmes. However, the effects of heroin are severe in the way that while they may think they will gain control of their life through use of the drug, they soon dictate the user’s lifestyle. It is a lifestyle that is impossible to maintain with psychological integrity, which is why the support of others is necessary.
Another important variable that alters the efficacy of harm reduction treatment is the stigma attached to heroin addiction. Many users report losing the trust of friends, family, and other loved ones which only weaken the social bonds needed to overcome the psychological dependence on the drug. Social perception of an addict is one that is homeless, unemployed, and an otherwise non-contributor to society which is a fallacy; upper-class and otherwise hard-working individuals suffer the same consequences of heroin use. It is a slippery slope that can result in the same fate as those of a lower socioeconomic