HEROIN ADDICTION: STANDARD AND NEW TREATMENT APPROACHES:
The purpose of this literature review is to examine the existing literature related to several treatment modalities for heroin addiction. The focus of this examination is the comparison of traditional treatment strategies with new alternative approaches.
The review begins with a description and discussion of traditional methods followed by a description and discussion of alternative treatment therapies; it ends with a comparison of the two basic methods which focuses on their similarities and dissimilarities as well as the ways in which the newer approaches have attempted to correct for some of the problems associated with the older treatment approaches.
So that the therapies discussed can be placed in context, a brief description of heroin addiction and its diagnosis as well as withdrawal problems is offered below.
Diagnosis of Heroin Addiction and Withdrawal Problems
Finnegan (1991) has noted that the following physical signs are indicative of an individual who is addicted to heroin: pupillary constriction; dermatologic signs of IV injection (track marks, thrombotic veins, subcutaneous nodules and localized edema over superficial veins); bizarre behavior or labile affect; and a history of drug-associated disease (e.g. hepatitis, bacterial endocarditis or cellulitis). While all of these signs strongly point to heroin addiction, Finnegan states that the most effective method of diagnosing heroin abuse is through urine analysis and the observation of the symptoms associated with abstinence.
Symptoms associated with abstinence have been referred to as "Abstinence Syndrome," according to the Orange County Health Care Agency Counselor's Guide (1993). The guide defines this syndrome as a set of symptoms appearing during the immediate period following the cessation of opiates; these symptoms include irritability, insomnia, tiredness, anxiety and cravings. Sympt...