Going to heroin rehab is often the best decision an addict can make. But it can be difficult to make that choice. This is a powerful drug that can be hard to quit, but with the right support, it is possible.
Heroin addiction has been a serious public health issue for years in the United States. An estimated 808,000 people ages 12 and older (or 0.3 percent of the population) reported using heroin in 2018. Inhalants, methamphetamine, hallucinogens, and cocaine each had higher reported rates of use.
The overdose death rates tell a different story, though. 14,996 deaths were caused by a heroin overdose in that same year. The drug claimed over 40 lives every day. Heroin is responsible for the third-highest number, despite having one of the lowest rates of use.
It’s clear the heroin and opioid epidemic in the United States is still nowhere near solved. These alarming overdose rates make the need for heroin rehab apparent, regardless of the number of people using it. Effective intervention from a treatment program can save a person’s life before heroin can claim it.