Law Enforcement Agencies and Drug Rehab Centers in Iowa Face Major Heroin Crisis
Over 220 people throughout North Iowa sought treatment for opioid addiction within the last few years, according to data from a local addiction treatment agency. Heroin overdose deaths are on the rise in Cedar Rapids, while opioid overdoses in general are climbing throughout the rest of the U.S. A recent meeting held at Music Man Square in Mason City addressed the state’s heroin crisis, and examined how the problem can be improved with help from law enforcement and drug rehab centers in Iowa.
If you or someone you care about is addicted to heroin, get help now before your problem or that of your loved one becomes worse. Call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to learn more about rehab centers in your area that specialize in treating heroin addiction.
North Iowa Heroin Deaths On the Rise
Local law enforcement held a meeting to address the current heroin crisis in Iowa.
The meeting in Mason City was hosted by local law enforcement, as well as the Cedar Rapids Police Department and other local agencies intent on improving the current opioid epidemic. Data from Prairie Ridge addiction treatment center showed that Northern Iowa only saw one to two heroin overdose deaths annually during the early 2000s, and now sees as many as 20 heroin overdose deaths per year. The rise in heroin deaths is affecting local Iowa communities and threatening public safety.
Al Fear, Cedar Rapids Police Officer and Eastern Iowa Heroin Initiative Coordinator, says heroin addiction is affecting children as young as 13 years old all the way up to seniors in their 70s. Fear says the drug is “breaking ethnic, racial, and sex barriers,” and indicates that heroin addiction continues to grow worse throughout Iowa communities.
Treating Heroin Addiction at Rehab Centers in Iowa
Heroin addiction can be treated using medications, behavioral counseling and therapy, or a combination of both treatment types for the best sobriety outcome. Both treatments help recovering addicts restore normal brain function and behavior so they can resume their lives after treatment in a healthy manner without substances. Rehab centers throughout Iowa offer a variety of addiction treatments that can help heroin addicts achieve lifelong sobriety.
Medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone can help minimize opioid cravings and withdrawal symptoms during the patient’s detoxification stage. Most addicts who stop using heroin abruptly tend to relapse due to these painful, severe side effects, but medications available at rehab centers help addicts avoid relapses by easing cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Behavioral counseling and therapy is comprised of several different treatments that can be tailored to individuals based on their addiction statuses and personal needs. For instance, patients can participate in contingency management programs that reward points for negative drug tests, which can then be traded for vouchers for items and activities that promote healthy living. The key to successful behavioral counseling and therapy at rehab is choosing the right treatment program that best meets each individual patient’s needs.
Are you or someone you care about struggling with heroin or opioid addiction? Get help right away before your addiction or that of your loved one becomes worse. Call our confidential helpline at 888-414-2380 to learn more about drug rehab centers in Iowa that can help you achieve lifelong sobriety from heroin and opioids.
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