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Heroin Detox in Port St. Lucie, FL

What is Heroin Detox?

Medical detoxification from heroin or heroin detox is a supervised process of withdrawing an individual from the drug in a controlled manner using medications for comfort and safety. The Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic offers heroin detox at our on-site location.

Heroin is a powerful and highly addictive opioid that can cause serious withdrawal symptoms. This is why a medical detox is so important; it helps to reduce the severity of the physical and psychological reactions associated with heroin withdrawal. 

This makes withdrawal not only safer and much more comfortable, it also greatly reduces the chances of relapse in early recovery. A medication-assisted heroin detox is the first step in successful recovery from heroin addiction. 

Detoxing Off of Heroin

An addiction to heroin or other drugs is known as substance use disorder (SUD), a brain disease that should be treated like any other illness. Contrary to belief, no minimum amount of heroin is required to develop an addiction. However, addiction is more likely with prolonged heroin use. 

It can be challenging to determine whether someone has a heroin addiction, but in the absence of the drug or a suitable alternative, eventually psychological and physical withdrawal symptoms will appear, usually peaking in around 48-72 hours from the last dose.

Psychological symptoms of heroin addiction include:

Physical symptoms of heroin addiction include:

Effects That a Heroin Detox Can Help Relieve

Heroin essentially hijacks the brain’s natural reward system, making it incredibly easy to become addicted to the drug. Although the brain receives happy hormones from other activities like music, food, and sex, heroin offers a rapid onset of euphoria. When heroin is repeatedly taken, the brain acclimatizes to this, craving it despite any adverse effects.

Heroin abuse also causes short and long-term health problems.

Short-term physical effects include:

Long-term effects and dangers of heroin abuse can include:

The Risk of Heroin Overdose

There is also a risk of overdosing on heroin, especially when consumed in large quantities. Overdose is a life-threatening complication that can result in death. 

Overdose is more likely when heroin is administered via injection or taken alongside alcohol or sedatives, such as benzos. The presence of fentanyl in most street heroin has also exponentially increased the odds of fatal overdose. 

Naloxone can reverse the effects of an overdose if used promptly by a medical professional. In the event of a heroin overdose, call 911 immediately. As heroin can affect all aspects of a person’s life, it is essential to seek professional support if an addiction arises.

What Are the Signs of Heroin Addiction?

Heroin and all other opioids, including prescription painkillers, present a risk of addiction. In fact, opioid addiction is at epidemic levels in the US and worldwide. In 2017, the US Department of Health and Human Services declared the opioid crisis a public health emergency.

In addition, studies have found that using prescription painkillers such as morphine, codeine, hydrocodone (Vicodin), and oxycodone (Oxycontin) is a risk factor for heroin use. This is especially true when people use heroin due to being unable to access prescription opioids. As heroin is cheaper than prescriptions, many will turn to the drug.

What Do Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms Look Like?

Most people who complete heroin detox experience withdrawal symptoms. 

Common withdrawal symptoms include:

If severe withdrawal symptoms are felt, medication is available to alleviate them. For the best chance of coping with heroin withdrawal symptoms, it is best to ask a rehab center about the additional support they can provide.

How Long Does It Take To Detox From Heroin?

Everybody is slightly different, but a heroin detox usually takes no longer than two weeks. 

A typical heroin withdrawal timeline looks like this:

Heroin withdrawal symptoms start within 6-12 hours of the last dose.

Withdrawal symptoms peak 48-72 hours from the last dose.

Symptoms continue for 7-10 days from the last dose and taper off gradually.

The length of detox will depend on:

The extent of a person’s heroin use.

The body’s rate of metabolism.

Whether heroin is snorted, smoked, or injected.

Whether any other medications are taken alongside heroin.

A person’s age, weight, existing health issues, and liver function.

Sometimes withdrawal symptoms persist for much longer than two weeks. When this happens, those in recovery may be experiencing post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), which can occur for up to a year following treatment. If someone experiences PAWS, ongoing support is available.

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is a Schedule I opioid derived from morphine. Users commonly administer heroin by smoking, injecting, or snorting it. When used, the effects of heroin can occur within a few minutes and can last for up to one hour or more. 

Common nicknames for heroin include dope, smack, H, skag, and boy. Color can range from light tan to brown or black depending on how it is made and what it is mixed with. It may be powdery or have a tar-like consistency. 

Heroin is often mixed, or cut, with substances to bulk supply and maximize profits. Common inert substances mixed with heroin include starch, sugar, caffeine, and rat poison. Fentanyl is often found in street heroin these days as a cheap means to increase potency, but it also greatly increases the likelihood of fatal overdose.

Does Heroin Detox or Treatment Cure Heroin Addiction?

Heroin detox and treatment are not cures for addiction. There is not, as of yet, a cure for addiction. However, a medically-assisted heroin detox followed by residential addiction treatment and a solid aftercare plan that includes 12-step recovery or an alternative offers the best chance of recovery. 

As part of addiction treatment, those in recovery usually attend therapy to understand the factors that contribute to addiction. Usually, heroin addiction develops due to trauma or mental illness, but everyone is different. During treatment, behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), can help people uncover their bad habits and turn them into good habits, gaining the necessary skills for a life in recovery.

Addictions often co-occur with mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, bipolar, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For this reason, it is essential to learn healthy coping mechanisms for any mental health illness. Appropriate medications to aid mental health disorders can benefit a person’s overall well-being and reduce the risk of relapse.

The Dangers of Heroin Relapse

Sadly, relapse is common. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) found that substance abuse relapse rates are approximately 40 to 60%. Relapse does not mean failure, though. For many, it is simply part of the recovery process. However, steps can and should always be taken to try and prevent it. When a relapse happens, additional detox treatment is necessary. Although it may seem easier said than done, those in recovery should always try to avoid relapse if possible. In the event of a relapse, help is available. Many people also find that keeping in touch with their support system helps them remain on track and in recovery. Recovery support can take many forms, including a 12-step program, ongoing therapy, family therapy, and emotional support from family and friends. There are additionally many support groups and communities for people living with sobriety. Although detox treatment is short, sobriety is a lifelong effort that requires maintenance. Although it might seem impossible at the start, taking it one day at a time with the right people around you will make your recovery journey much easier.

Why Choose NP Addiction Clinic?

Why our mental health and heroin detox in St. Lucie, FL County rehab center is right for you and your loved ones.
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24-Hour Support

We are dedicated to helping people heal, recover and live better lives, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week. Count on us to be there when you need us most. 

On-Site Detox

Unlike most facilities, we provide a complete, in-house safe and comfortable medical detox.We care for you from start to finish.
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Mental Health Treatment Pros

We are experts in treating depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction and much more. Our mental health expertise is above and beyond the norm.
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Aftercare and Alumni Support

Our aftercare, alumni support and MAT programs are second to none. We’re invested in your recovery and wellness for the long haul. 

Heroin Detox and Recovery Are Here

At NP Addiction Clinic, successful recovery is only a phone call away. We are always open, and we accept most private insurance plans that can cover your entire cost of treatment. A life in recovery is within reach and we can help you achieve it.

Contact us today:

24/7 Helpline: (888) 574-3506

Samantha Kelly​

Director of National Business Development & Admissions Coordinator

I am a dedicated and passionate professional with extensive experience in business development Admissions and marketing. I have an incredible passion for showing others that there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel if someone truly wants it.
Being in recovery myself I understand the struggles of addiction and alcoholism. I Started this Career path in 2009. With multiple years of experience, I bring a multi-faceted approach and am always seeking new ways to make a difference in the lives of those I work with.

Kim L. Buckner

Facilitator

As a Substance Abuse Motivational Speaker, Pastor, Peer Advocate, and Facilitator. Kim helps clients avoid relapse by understanding their triggers. Those people, places and things that can cause craving, as well as internal triggers like feelings, thoughts, or emotions. Kim also clients with identifying and building healthy relationships now that they’re clean and sober.

Kim’s background includes extensive experience as a motivational speaker and work in faith-based organizations helping youth and adults alike. He says he is motivated by giving back to the community, understanding, and not judging who she comes into contact with. Kim’s favorite quote is by Dr. Raymond Johnson: “The respect given to others rebounds to the giver to deny the scared in the Other is to deny it in oneself.”

Caty Burns

Clinician

Caty graduated from Indiana University Bloomington in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and minors in Counseling and History. Throughout her undergrad, she worked at the local CASA program, supporting volunteers advocating for children who had experienced abuse and neglect. Caty worked for seven years at a community mental health center (CMHC), partnering with children, adults, and families.

During those seven years, she taught life and coping skills as well as behavior management, provided case management and peer recovery services, and facilitated treatment teams that included the client, family, providers, and community members. I have also worked at an IOP providing group therapy services. She is currently working towards my Master of Social Work.

In her free time, Caty enjoys reading, especially historical fiction, spending time outdoors and having movie nights with her family. Disney World is her happy place, and she dreams of living among the elephants.

Madison Knowles

Mental Health Therapist

My name is Madison Knowles, I am a Mental health therapist at NPAC. I am a single-mother of two and I have a daughter who is globally delayed and has been diagnosed with autism. I have been in this industry since I was 16 years old, as I was fascinated with human behavior. I obtained my masters in applied behavioral analysis and started off working with people with disabilities. I then found my love for counseling when I worked with juveniles who had mental health and substance use issues. I then decided to go back for my mental health therapy license after that and working in a forensic treatment center. I went on to obtain my therapy credentials and since 2017, I have also been working on my PhD in forensic psychology in which I am currently working on my dissertation. I am inspired by change and how resilient people can be. My favorite inspirational quote is “Some will, Some won’t, So what, NEXT!!!” This quote has inspired me to try, try, and try again no matter how hard life gets, someone will give you a chance eventually. As a therapist at NPAC, I have been given the opportunity to work with diverse populations such as in substance use and mental health and I am known for my work with people on the schizophrenic spectrum as well as with other clients with other severe conditions including personality disorders.

Megan Carmona, LMHC

Lead Therapist

Our Lead Therapist, Megan, is a bilingual Licensed Mental Health Counselor who specializes in working with adults who struggle with addiction, anxiety, depression, and trauma. As Lead Therapist, she provides individual, family, and group therapy sessions to our clients.  Megan says “I am very passionate about therapy, especially about supporting my clients in exploring their strengths and identity. My goal is to provide individuals with the tools that can help them achieve independence in coping with their challenges and facilitating personal development.” In her free time, Megan enjoys watching docu-series and playing video games with her family. Her dream is to own acres of land so she can care for vulnerable animals, especially old dogs, cats, and horses. 

Kristen Bensley

Primary Clinician

As Primary Clinician, Kristen works with all aspects of our clinical team, from case management to primary therapy.  She has broad experience working in the mental health field. Prior to joining our team at the Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic, Kristen was part of the team awarded the Evernorth Behavioral Health Center of Excellence Designation by Cigna. She says her motivation is to help people rediscover who they are and become excited about the future and all the possibilities life offers. Kristen’s favorite quote is: “You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.”

Ronn Daigle, MSW

Therapist, Utilization Review Clinician

Ronn Daigle services as a Therapist and Utilization Review Clinician at the Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic. He has been working in the field of substance use disorder treatment since 2011, with experience in all facility-based levels of care. Ronn earned, both an Associate of Arts in Psychology (2013) and Bachelor of Science in Human Services, with an Addiction Studies Concentration (2015) from Indian River State College. 

Ronn additionally earned a Master of Social Work degree in 2021 and is a current Registered Clinical Social Work Intern working toward licensure (LCSW). He describes himself as detail oriented, and solution focused.

Ronn says: “There is nothing more fulfilling than working with someone who doesn’t believe in himself or herself, and being there in the moment with them when the belief begins. We work with individuals who come to us at a point and time in their respective lives where they do not believe that change for others is possible; let alone for themselves…throughout the process they eventually come to a point where they realize that change is not only possible, but achievable.”

Erika Melecio, LMHC, MCAP, CEI

Assistant Clinical Director

Erika Melecio, LMHC, MCAP, CEI is the Assistant Clinical Director at Neuropsychiatric Addiction Clinic who specializes in the treatment of LGBTQ, addiction, as well as mental health disorders ranging from depression and anxiety, to Bipolar Disorder, trauma, personality disorders, psychotic disorders, and eating disorders. Erika utilizes a number of modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, and Mindfulness amongst others. Erika has been in practice for close to a decade and has earned her license in Mental Health Counseling, as well as being a Master’s Certified Addiction Professional. Erika has worked with many individuals including couples counseling and family therapy, and is fluent in Spanish.
 
Throughout my years of practice, one of the things I enjoy helping people find is inner peace. Whether you are in the deepest parts of depression, overrun by your anxiety, controlled by your addiction, or there are certain issues in your life that are negatively impacting your ability to function, and have a happy, healthy life, maybe now is the time to talk about it. I am a big believer in empowerment, working hard in therapy, and utilizing different techniques to help you regain that inner peace that may have been lost along the way. I want to work with you as a team because with two people, absolutely everything is possible. I want to be there as a therapist, to help build you up, support you, but also help you be honest with yourself and accountable. At the end of the day, when all is said and done, my biggest goal for you is going to be simple….for you to no longer need my services. Why? Because if you no longer need my services, it means that you have regained your peace, you have regained your strength, you have regained your confidence. It means that you now have the tools to address any issues that try to derail you, and best of all, you will have the insight to overcome and thrive. So let’s begin this journey together, and get you to the place you want to be, emotionally, mentally, psychologically, and in your sobriety.

Aurelio Ayuso, MSW, LCSW, CAP, ICADC

Clinical Director

Aurelio has worked with those that suffer from the disease of addiction in adults and juveniles alike for over 10 years, beginning in the United States Navy where he proudly served for 20 years, working with those that were succumbed by addiction due to trauma and continuing his passion for helping those in need locally in Central Florida.

He specializes in both Addictions and Trauma, he has worked first as a therapist then as the clinical supervisor to both the Juvenile and Adult Drug Court programs in Brevard County. Aurelio has been instrumental in developing substance abuse treatment programs directly tailored to help those that also suffer from complex trauma due to their addiction. He has been recognized by several organizations for his forward thinking and ability to tailor treatment to individuals in the most restrictive environments.

Mr. Ayuso received his Graduate Degree in Clinical Social Work from the University of Central Florida in Orlando. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker as well as Certified Addictions Professional in the State of Florida, and Internationally Certified Alcohol & Drug Counselor. Aurelio specializes in the treatment of Addiction, Trauma, and Abandonment using strength based strategies deeply rooted in Solution Focused, and Mindfulness Therapies. At the Neuropsychiatric Addiction Clinic he passionately develops holistic curriculums that foster the belief that through addressing the mind, body, and spirit together, the Disease of Addiction can be addressed successfully.

Robert Lehmann, MHSA

Chief Operating Officer

Bob Lehmann is the Chief Operating Officer at the Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic. He has a Master’s Degree in Human Services Administration with a concentration in Mental Health Administration and over twenty-five years of experience as a senior executive at addiction and mental health treatment facilities.

One of the reasons for his commitment to excellence in addiction treatment was his experience related to family members who suffered from the disease of addiction. Bob has been actively involved in community organizations throughout his career. Recently he was one of the founders of the Florida Addiction Treatment Coalition (FATC) and is its present Vice President. FATC was designed to bring together treatment executives in Florida to advocate on behalf of treatment facilities and the clients they serve adhering to a foundation of integrity and service excellence.

Jose R. Toledo, M.D.

Medical Director

A well-rounded and accomplished individual, Jose R. Toledo, M.D., is the Medical Director of Neuro Psychiatric Addiction Clinic.

Dr. Toledo is a neurologist with 25 years of experience and has been in private practice since 1991 on the Treasure Coast of Florida. He completed his neurology training at the State University of New York and his Fellowship training at the University of Pittsburgh in Epilepsy and Clinical Neurophysiology.

He also completed 24 months of acute inpatient psychiatry at the Western Missouri Mental Health Center, University of Missouri in Kansas City. In 2008, Dr. Toledo participated in and was certified in the continuing medical education activity entitled “Buprenorphine and Office-Based Treatment of Opioid Dependence” from The Medical University of South Carolina during which began his quest to found and head Neuropsychiatric Addiction Clinic.

Dr. Toledo is a brain specialist with particular competence in addiction medicine and out-patient detoxification treatment and integrates the fields seamlessly. He is certified to prescribe Buprenorphine (Suboxone). He incorporates his background in neurology into the addiction field. Dr. Toledo is member/fellow of The American Medical Association, The Florida Medical Association and The American Society of Addiction Medicine