Reports from the Midwest region show a spike in heroin use, and death. In Indianapolis in 2012, 45 heroin users died from overdoses. The Coroner’s Office recorded five heroin overdoses in six days. Last year, the Metro Drug Task Force seized 1,823 grams of heroin worth $547,000. Detectives have seized 1,301 grams of heroin worth $390,317 so far in 2013, outpacing last year’s statistics. In St. Louis the amount of heroin seized by police has skyrocketed from just 104 grams in 2008 to 7,087 grams so far this year. Heroin arrests shot up from 32 to 364 during that time. University Hospital treated 252 heroin overdose patients this year between June and August, up from 116 in the same period a year earlier. And local drug-treatment facilities say that they, too, are seeing an increase in addicts of the opium-derived drugs.

Although prescription drug abuse is still the much bigger problem, the number of heroin abusers will steadily increase as people battling addiction lose access to their supply of prescription drugs. The heroin withdrawal process is so difficult, its abusers often avoid detox and rehab at all costs—many abusers continue their drug use even when they desire to live a sober life.

Seabrook provides 24-hour physician and nursing care. This program includes a comprehensive medical examination and Nursing Intake, with monitoring of a patient’s physiologic and psychological withdrawal. Appropriate interventions are facilitated and this component includes administration of medication, mental status examinations, addiction education, relapse prevention and motivational counseling. Detoxification is the process of allowing the body to rid itself of a drug while managing the symptoms of withdrawal. It is often the first step in a drug treatment program and should be followed by treatment with a behavioral-based therapy and/or a medication, if available. Detox alone, with no follow-up, is not treatment.