Treatment facilities are packed. Jam packed. Inpatient rehab? It is expensive. Insurance companies? They are refusing coverage. Addicts are looking to get clean from heroin, a tiring uphill battle. And it seems like we will never be able to help every single person who wants it.
Here are the 4 obstacles to getting heroin treatment and getting sober (at least the biggest ones):
Withdrawal: Withdrawal is most opiate users worst nightmare. Especially heroin users. Heroin addicts will begin to crazy racing thoughts, their bones will hurt, they will begin to sweat, and it will start to feel like the world is going to end. Hot and then cold, cold and then hot. The withdrawal itself doesn’t kill, but it can cause many addicts to just to give up and go back to using heroin. With a now lowered tolerance, many overdose, and then a few die. Withdrawal is tough. And we get it. It is one of the biggest obstacles to getting sober. But withdrawal can be overcome and there is a higher chance of making it through it if you have the help from a facility. That is if you can find a bed, which brings us to our second obstacle.
Lack of beds: The number of people using heroin the United States has nearly doubled from 2007 to 2012 to some 669,000 people and more people are now seeking treatment for their problem. But of the 23.1 million Americans who needed treatment for drugs and/or alcohol in 2012, only 2.5 million people received help from a facility. There just aren’t enough beds at treatment facilities, or there aren’t enough facilities in general. There are about 12,000 addiction treatment programs nationwide, according to the nonprofit Treatment Research Institute in Philadelphia. Of those, only 10% are residential facilities, and about 80% are outpatient programs. The other 10%? They are methadone clinics. So let’s say you do manage to find a bed, how are you going to pay for it? Here is obstacle number 3.
The Constant Battle with the Insurance Company: While most insurance policies state that they allow coverage up to 30 days in a residential treatment center, nobody actually gets those 30 days and if they do, there is usually a high deductible that has to be paid somehow. The average duration in residential care? It is usually 11 to 14 days. So let’s say you want to pay out of pocket? What is it going to run you? Well, here is obstacle number four.
The Cost: If you are paying out of pocket, a 30 day inpatient stay could cost you ONLY 5,000 dollars. But the average cost is usually around 30,000 dollars. The cost of a heroin detox only is usually around 3,000 dollars and that is for 3 to 5 days of care. Most clinics require payment up front if insurance can’t be used.
Luckily there are numerous ways around these obstacles and we know the roads to take. Nothing has to stand in the way of you getting help for yourself or your loved one. All of these obstacles are surmountable even though they are there. If you need treatment for yourself or a loved one, get expert help and advice. No one has to wait to get help because of these obstacles,so don’t.