​Call 1.855.970.2547, 24/7 to speak to a treatment specialist for free. Get help finding the best treatment options available for yourself or a loved one. Rehab centers, detox centers, inpatient, outpatient programs, therapy, counseling, sober living housing and more. A 5 minute phone call is all it takes to get you the help you need. Get help now. Call: 1.855.970.2547

If you’re going to help your man quit heroin then you’re going to have to be willing and determined to do whatever it takes to do so, no matter what that may be; otherwise, nothing will change. And most importantly, you’re going to have to try your best to do everything in a kind and loving manner in order to have any kind of positive influence on him. And by doing so, you just might be able to help him and save his life.

​It won’t be easy, and nothing is guaranteed, but at least we have to try. And doing so will require love, patience and compassion on your behalf. So get ready. We have a lot of work to do.
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Anyone can quit weed. Anyone can quit coke. And anyone can quit crack. But not many people are able to quit heroin and stay clean for good. But once you know what you’re up against, you’ll have a much better understanding of why it’s so hard to quit heroin. You’ll be able to plan better and then execute your plan with full force.

​Heroin, is a highly addictive street drug that is derived from opium and comes in the form of powder, (white, beige or grey), and also as a black tar substance known as black tar heroin. Heroin produces a high that creates intense euphoria, a feeling of pleasure and a state of peace and relaxation. It creates a sense of warmth, comfort and safety regardless of present danger. It relieves physical and emotional pain within seconds and removes depression and anxiety all at once. It takes away all his problems, past and present, and sends him into a painless and trouble free state of being. And in time, it becomes the ultimate means of self medication. And these are just a few of the reasons why it’s so hard for your man to quit heroin and let this drug go. To most addicts, it’s the solution for everything.
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​NOTE: Some long term users may not display any nodding or drowsiness and/or may only do so for a very short period of time as long term users have built up a high level of tolerance to the drug.

Heroin is either snorted, smoked or injected. And if your man is injecting heroin then the chances of him dying from an over dose are always present. And if he’s not shooting up now, then there’s a good chance that he will be shooting up soon.

Health risks for continual use of heroin include: infection of the heart lining and valves; kidney disease; liver disease, (which can lead to hepatitis C); pulmonary complications including various types of pneumonia; skin infections; abscesses; collapsed veins; increased risk of contracting (HIV) and other blood-borne viruses. And even sharing snorting straws has been linked to hepatitis transmission.

Smoking heroin is also dangerous as well. The effects associated with smoking heroin can include Leukoencephalopathy, which is the destruction of the myelin sheaths that cover nerve fibers; Dyspnea, which is shortness of breath, usually associated with disease of the heart or lungs; Status Asthmaticus, which is a long-lasting and severe asthma attack that does not respond to standard treatment; and reduced pulmonary function which can lead to pneumonia. There are many health risks and dangers involved with the continued use of heroin, including respiratory failure, and death. And this is why you need to act fast.

However, it’s not that simple. He can’t just quit, just like that. This drug is much too strong and is highly addictive. His body and mind has become physically and mentally addicted to heroin, and without it, he just can’t function as a normal human being. Furthermore, if he doesn’t have it every day then he’ll become very, very sick and go into severe withdrawal. And it takes anywhere from 6, 8 to 24 hours (after their last use of heroin), before the addict begins to get sick and go into withdrawal.

​Heroin withdrawals can last for 4, 5, 6 days or more. And this is why he can’t just quit, just like that. Because he knows very well that if he attempts to do so then he will become very, very sick. And not many addicts are willing to become sick by choice. This is not just a regular sickness of withdrawal from drugs, this is more like the worse flu in the world multiplied 1000 times with bone crushing leg pains, bone pains, stomach pain, muscle pains and more.

And if he’s not careful then he can even go into seizures and crack ribs. That’s how serious this is. And that’s why he can’t just quit, just like that. And because of this, his brain has been programmed to seek and use heroin no matter what the cost, or else he’ll become very, very ill. And unfortunately, this is what he lives for every day. His life revolves around heroin.

Furthermore, heroin has become like the other woman in his life - the Devil woman. Not only is he physically addicted and dependent on the drug, but he’s in love with the drug as well. He loves heroin and how it makes him feel. He has formed an emotional bond and attachment with the drug and simply can’t live without it. He loves you, but he loves her too and he just can’t seem to let her go. He needs it just to feel normal but he loves the high and how it makes him feel. It takes away all his problems and all his worries, and in his own mind, he just can’t live without it.

This is what you’re up against – a highly addictive drug called heroin, and a very addicted heroin addict. And now that you know what you’re up against, then it’s time to plan the war - The war against drugs.
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There are a few ways to quit heroin and the following are the most commonly used methods:

-Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with the Help of OTC Meds. 
-Quitting Heroin with the Help of Kratom
-Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs.
-Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone.
-Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center (or Detox Center).

Many times, addicts have no access to detox, rehab, methadone or Suboxone and quitting heroin cold turkey with OTC meds becomes their only hope. And many times, the addict has already tried detox, rehab, methadone and suboxone and still can’t seem to stay clean. Also, the OTC meds as mentioned above are easy to obtain and inexpensive as well. And yes, quitting heroin cold turkey with OTC meds works.

However, the reason why most addicts fail when quitting heroin cold turkey is because they just lie there in bed waiting to die. They don’t take any OTC meds, drink any water, nor take hot baths or walks outside. They just lie there in bed getting sicker and weaker until they cave, give up and use. But if he follows my Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey plan, followed by my 7 Day Survival Plan then he just might make it out of this thing alive, just like others have done in the past. He’ll still go through the withdrawals but it won’t be as bad with the OTC meds and the long hot baths as it would be without those essential elements. It won’t be easy, but it can be done.

For more information on how to quit heroin cold turkey with OTC meds please read my article: “How to Quit Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds” followed by “How to Survive the First 7 Days While Quitting Heroin”.
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Plan B: Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs is when the addict quits using heroin with the help of prescribed medications such as Clonidine, Valiums or Xanax for anxiety and/or Tramadol or Vicodins for pain. However, these prescription medications can also become addictive and therefore should be used as a short term, (4 to 6 day) crutch, solely to get off of the heroin and make it through the first few days, which are the worst for heroin withdrawals.

He’ll still feel withdrawals to a certain degree and may still have to implement cold turkey strategies such as taking hot baths and long walks. But quitting heroin warm turkey with the help of lesser evil pharmaceuticals becomes less painful than quitting heroin cold turkey. A prescription for these pharmaceutical drugs can be obtained in most countries by visiting any local, private, family doctor. And you may be able to get some pain meds off the street or from a friend.

For more information on how to quit heroin warm turkey with pharmaceutical drugs please read my article: “How to Quit Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs”.
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Although some addicts may need to stay on methadone for longer periods of time, that is entirely up to them, their circumstances, their desire to be free and their current state of mind. And although some people may be against methadone, sometimes it’s needful, and for many addicts’ methadone may be their only hope for getting off of heroin for good. 

Methadone comes in tablets, dispersible tablets, and in oral liquid solution and can be obtained by visiting the local methadone clinic(s). Methadone can also be prescribed by a local, private, family doctor as well.

Suboxone (Buprenorphine) is a semi-synthetic opioid medication which is used to help addicts quit heroin and opiate addiction and relieves 90% of withdrawals and sometimes, all. Suboxone comes in the form of small orange tablets or small film strips, both of which are placed under the tongue to dissolve, enter the blood stream and reach the opioid receptors in the brain as quickly as possible. These days many addicts prefer quitting heroin with the help of Suboxone, (or Subutex), over Methadone simply because it's easier to obtain and it’s easier to come off of the Suboxone than it is to come off of the Methadone. Yet the transition from heroin to Suboxone is not that simple.

The addict must be in full withdrawal from the heroin before taking their first Suboxone dosage or else the Suboxone will cause him to go into precipitated (severe) withdrawals, and that’s when most addicts cave and opt for heroin instead. But if he can wait out the 12, 16 to 24 hour sick period before taking that first Suboxone then once he takes it he’s fine. And every sub after that is a smooth and easy dosing which can be administered at home, in a doctors office, or at a Suboxone clinic as well. However, just like Methadone, Suboxone is also highly addictive as well and should be used for 15, 30 to 40 days or less, (much less if possible) while tapering (weaning) down the entire time. 

However, every addict is different and some addicts may need to stay on these drugs for a longer (or shorter) period of time. That is a decision that the addict will have to make for themselves. But the sooner he gets off of all of these drugs then the better off he’ll be and the sooner his body and mind can return back to normal, or as close to normal as he can get.

For more information on Quitting heroin with Methadone and/or Suboxone, please read my articles: “How to Quit Heroin with Meds” and “Quitting Heroin with Suboxone”.
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Plan D: Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center (or detox center) is when the addict goes to an inpatient drug rehabilitation center and quits heroin in a secured and controlled environment which consist of a medical supervised detox, rehabilitation program, counseling, meetings and more. And for many addicts, this may be the best solution and the best form of treatment.

In an inpatient treatment center, the addict is far away from home, drugs, drug dealers and their drugs friends as well which increases their chances for getting clean and staying clean for good. An inpatient, residential program can last anywhere from 30, 60 to 90 days while detoxing in a public detox center can last anywhere from 5 to 10 days. And due to other responsibilities your man may have, such as work, school, family etc, he may be able go into short term, medical detox, followed by out patient counseling and do quite well. However, this option is entirely up to you and your man. 

Inpatient, residential treatment is not for everyone and many times, a short term detox followed by outpatient counseling can become just as effective if he really wants to quit and change his life as well. And many times, short term detox programs make use of Suboxone for those first few days of detox making it that much easier for him to quit heroin.

For more information on quitting heroin in a drug rehabilitation center, please read my article: “How to Quit Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center”.
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Kratom (botanical name Mitragyna Speciosa) consists of over 25 alkaloids (chemical compounds), one of which is called Mitragynine. Mitragynine is an opioid agonist, which means that it has an attraction towards the opioid receptors in the brain. When in withdrawal, Mitragynine binds to these receptors and is able to reduce heroin and opiate withdrawal symptoms.

Kratom is not an opioid. It is not a drug. It is a natural leaf which is sold in the US, UK, Canada, and in other countries for many different purposes, including heroin and opiate withdrawal. It is sold in the form of leaves, crushed leaves and in fine herbal powder as well. (Fine Kratom powder is preferred). Once a person consumes kratom (by mixing it with juice and drinking it, or drinking it as a tea), heroin withdrawals are reduced greatly within 20 to 30 minutes. 

​A person only needs to take kratom 4 times per day for the first 3 days and then begin to reduce their intake of Kratom for Day 4, 5 and 6. After that, that’s it. They’re done. They’ve just quit heroin with an all natural plant. And then from there it’s just a matter of time and recovery and rebuilding their health.

​Now that you know what heroin is, what it does and how to quit heroin, now it’s time to gather your resources together so that you can approach your man with solutions.
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Resource 1. Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds: Quitting heroin cold turkey is going to be one of the options you offer your man. And believe it or not, after reading this website some of your men may decide to go cold turkey or at least give it their best shot. OTC (over-the-counter) medications can be purchases at Walmart or from your local pharmacy. And if you feel that this can become an option for him then you may want to go ahead and buy the meds before hand to have everything ready and in place. Complete step-by-step instructions for quitting heroin cold turkey can be found on my article, “How to Quit Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds” along with “How to Survive the First 7 Days When Quitting Heroin”. Print out these articles or be ready to access the articles from my website upon presenting this option to your man. This becomes resource/option #1.
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Resource 2. Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs: Quitting heroin warm turkey can be another option to present to your man. And to go this route, all you have to do is start finding and contacting local family doctors in your area who will help you with your boyfriends’ or your husbands’ addiction, and many of them will. And it may be best to find him a male doctor as well. (Many times, guys relate better to men just as girls relate better to women.) Create a contact list of 1 or 2 private, family doctors who are ready and willing to help your man quit heroin with the help of lesser evil pharmaceutical drugs such as Valiums, Xanax, and Tramadol, etc. Calculate the cost for the doctors’ visit and a 1 week supply of prescription medication. (You may also be able to get prescription pains meds off the street or from friends as well). Print out my article “How to Quit Heroin with Pharmaceutical Drugs” or be ready to access the article from my website upon presenting this option to your man. If quitting heroin warm turkey is feasible and affordable, then this becomes resource/option #2.
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Resource 3. Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone: To offer a short term Methadone program as an option to quit heroin then you can go ahead and start finding and calling local, private family doctors in your local phone book to find one that will help your man with their heroin addiction with the help of methadone. Or, if you’re going to offer a short term Suboxone (Buprenorphine) program as an option to quit heroin then you can visit the Suboxone website at www.Suboxone.com and use the “find a doctor” tool on the right side of the main page on the website. Type in your zip code, hit enter and you’ll get back a list of private doctors who provide Suboxone (Buprenorphine) treatment. (You can also get Suboxone off the street as well. And Buprenorphine is available in most countries). Calculate the cost of the doctors’ visit and the Suboxone medication for 2 to 4 weeks. Print out my articles “How to Quit Heroin with Meds” and “Quitting Heroin with Suboxone”, or be ready to access the articles from my website upon presenting this option to your man. And if it’s affordable, then get the contact details and procedures for 1 or 2 doctors and include this with resource/option #3. 

U.S: Call 1-800-662-4357, SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse Agency Admin office and ask them to recommend a (state funded) free to low-cost Methadone or Suboxone clinic near you. SAMHSA, the Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration, is the national help and referral agency for drug and alcohol addiction in the United States and is ready to help you in any way they can.

U.S. SAMHSA is a free and confidential service which has an extensive list of the best, free and low cost detox and rehabilitation centers, counseling programs, youth programs and more for those living within the U.S. They'll help you find the help you need within minutes. And with SAMHSA, one call does it all. Call them, get the contact details for Methadone and Suboxone clinics in your area and then call the clinics as well for costs and procedures involved. (Your man may qualify for free (state funded) assistance as well.) These contact details and resources can be added to resource/option #3.

Canada: If you’re living in Canada, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your province in Canada. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost Methadone or Suboxone clinic or program in your province.

United Kingdom: If you’re living in the United Kingdom, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your region or nation in the UK. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost Methadone clinic or a methadone clinic that offers Subutex (Buprenorphine) in your area. (Subutex is more readily available in the UK than Suboxone).

Ireland: If you’re living in Ireland, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your county or province in Ireland. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost Methadone clinic or a methadone clinic that offers Subutex (Buprenorphine) in your area.

India: If you’re living in India, click here for a list of drug treatment de-addiction services for your city in India. Although methadone may not be readily available in your city, Buprenorphine is, and is sold under the brand name “Qudict”. Therefore, you can find, contact and visit a local and private family doctor who can provide you with a prescription for “Qudict”. There are many free, de-addiction treatment centers in India and some treatment centres may offer “Qudict” for opiate treatment as well.

Australia: If you’re living in Australia, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your state or territory in Australia. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost Methadone clinic or a methadone clinic that offers Suboxone or Subutex (Buprenorphine) in your area. Both Suboxone and Subutex are available in Australia.

New Zealand: If you’re living in New Zealand, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your town, city or district in New Zealand. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost Methadone clinic or a methadone clinic that offers Suboxone or Subutex (Buprenorphine) in your area. Both Suboxone and Subutex are available in New Zealand.

Most countries offer free (state, government funded) to low cost Methadone or Suboxone treatment for its’ residents. And your man may qualify for free, (government funded) assistance as well. Call the clinics or treatment centers, get complete details, costs and procedures for 1 or 2 clinics and include this information with resource/option #3.
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Resource 4. Quitting heroin in a drug rehabilitation center: To offer inpatient, drug rehabilitation as an option for your man, you can request a recommendation from your national substance abuse referral service for a free to low cost, drug rehabilitation program.

​​United States: Call 1.855.970.2547 to speak to a treatment consultant for free. Get help finding the best treatment options available for yourself or a loved one. Rehab centers, detox centers, inpatient, outpatient programs, therapy and more. A 5 minute phone call is all it takes to get the help you need. Get help today. Call: 1.855.970.2547

United States: Call 1-800-662-4357, SAMHSA. If you’re here in the U.S. then you can call SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse Agency Admin office at 1-800-662-4357 and ask them to recommend a free to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in your state. However, if at all possible, try to get your man into a treatment center far away from your home town. The farther he is then the less likely he is to give up and leave the facilities. Call SAMHSA, get the contact details for the drug rehabilitation programs in your state and then call the treatment centers and ask for costs, details and procedures. (Your man may qualify for free (state or government funded) assistance as well.) If you have insurance, then check with your insurance provider for recommended inpatient treatment centers and possible out of state treatment centers as well. Print out my article “How to Quit Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center” or be ready to access the article from my website upon presenting this option to your man. Include the contact details for the rehab programs with resource/option #4.
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United Kingdom: If you’re living in the United Kingdom, here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your region or nation in the UK. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in your region or outside your region as well.

Ireland: If you’re living in Ireland, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your county or province in Ireland. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in your county or province or outside your province as well.

India: If you’re living in India, click here for a list of drug treatment de-addiction services for your city in India. There are many free and low cost, inpatient, de-addiction treatment centres in India.

Australia: If you’re living in Australia, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your state or territory in Australia. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in your state or territory or outside territory as well.

New Zealand: If you’re living in New Zealand, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your town, city or district in New Zealand. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation program in your district or out of district as well.

Most countries offer free (state, government funded) to low cost, inpatient, drug rehabilitation programs for its’ residents. And your boyfriend or husband may qualify for free, (government funded) assistance as well. If you have insurance, then check with your insurance provider for recommended inpatient treatment centers and possible out of area treatment centers as well. Call the treatment centers, get complete details, costs and procedures for 1 or 2 drug rehabilitation programs and include this information for resource/option #4.
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Resource 4.2. Quitting heroin in a detox center followed by outpatient program, counseling, meetings, etc: To offer short term detox in a medical detox center followed by outpatient counseling as an option for your man, you can request a recommendation from your national substance abuse referral service for a detox center and counseling program in your area. Most detox programs are any where from 5 to 10 days long and use short term Suboxone for treatment as well. Therefore, it is an almost painless detox.

You can call 1-800-662-4357, SAMHSA. If you’re here in the U.S. then you can call SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse Agency Admin office at 1-800-662-4357 and ask them to recommend a free (state funded) to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your city or state. 

Canada: If you’re living in Canada, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your province in Canada. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your province.

United Kingdom: If you’re living in the United Kingdom, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your region or nation in the UK. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your region.

Ireland: If you’re living in Ireland, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your county or province in Ireland. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your county or province.

India: If you’re living in India, click here for a list of drug treatment detox services for your city in India. There are many free and low cost detox centres in India which provide counseling as well.

Australia: If you’re living in Australia, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your state or territory in Australia. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your state or territory.

New Zealand: If you’re living in New Zealand, click here for a list of drug treatment referral services for your town, city or district in New Zealand. Call them and ask them for a recommendation for a free to low cost, detox center and counseling program in your area.

Most countries offer free (state, government funded) to low cost medical detox and counseling programs for its’ residents. And your man may qualify for free, (government funded) assistance as well. If you have insurance, then check with your insurance provider for recommended detox centers in your area. Then call the detox centers, get complete details, costs and procedures for 1 or 2 detox and counseling programs and include this information for resource/option #4.2.

(NOTE: If at all possible then it would be best to include counseling with all of the options above. Your boyfriend or husband may need counseling and someone to talk to about the problems they may be having in their own lives as well. And a good drug counselor may be able to help your man deal with their problems in a positive and constructive manner. You can find a free to low cost drug counselor by contacting your local or national substance abuse agency just as mentioned above.)
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​And the only option that the interventionist is going to give your man is inpatient, long-term treatment or leave the home. There are no other options when it comes to interventions. But if you can afford it financially, then you can always call a professional drug interventionist to help you get your man into treatment right away.​​

United States: Call 1-800-662-4357, SAMHSA, the U.S. Substance Abuse Agency Admin office  and ask them to recommend a professional family drug interventionist for your loved one right away.. 

Canada: Call 1-800-419-7941, Addiction Enders. If you’re living in Canada then you can contact Addiction Enders to speak to a consultant who will assess your needs and determine the type of intervention that may be required. Tel: 1-800-419-7941

United Kingdom: Call 0 800 024 1496, Rehab Helper. If you’re living in the United Kingdom then you can contact Rehab Helper (Recovery Healthcare) and speak to a trained addiction telephone counselor who will assist you in getting an interventionist to help you with your man. Tel: 0 800 024 1496

Ireland: Call 0 800 024 1496, Rehab Helper. If you’re living in Ireland then you can contact Rehab Helper (Recovery Healthcare) as well and speak to a trained addiction telephone counselor who will assist you in getting an interventionist in your area to help you with your man. Tel: 0 800 024 1496

India: Check drug de-addiction treatment services in India. If you’re living in India then click here to see a list of drug de-addiction treatment services in India. Contact them to find out if a drug addiction specialist can come to your home and convince your man to go into treatment.

Australia: Call 1300 368 186, Family Drug Support helpline of Australia. If you’re living in Australia then you can call the Family Drug Support helpline of Australia and ask them to help you find a drug interventionist to help you get your man into treatment. Tel: 1300 368 186

New Zealand: Call 0800 787 797, Alcohol Drug Helpline of New Zealand. If you’re living in New Zealand then you can call the Alcohol Drug Helpline of New Zealand and ask them to help you find a drug interventionist in your area to help you get your man into treatment right away. Tel: 0800 787 797
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3. If your man does manage to get clean and stay clean as well, then you’re still going to have to perform random drug testing from time to time just to make sure he’s still clean. And the only way to know for sure if he’s clean or not is with random, supervised, home drug testing.

4. If your man doesn’t live with you and claims sobriety then when and if he does come to visit you, you can ask him to take the drug test right there and then to prove his sobriety to you. And if he’s truly clean then he’ll be more than happy to do so.

The only way to know for sure if your man is using heroin or not is to perform a surprise and supervised drug test with a home drug test kit for opiates. But it must be a surprise. You can’t tell him that you’re going to drug test him or when you’re going to test him as well; otherwise he may do his best to cheat or contaminate the results.

Have him take the test right in front of you. You’ll be able to get the results back within 5 to 7 minutes.

To obtain a home drug test kit for opiates, you can visit your local pharmacy and pick a home drug test kit which includes a test for “opiates” (heroin) on the test results which is normally on a 7 panel drug test kit. Ask the pharmacist to confirm that the drug test kit includes a test for opiates before actually buying it. And then hide the drug test kit in your home so that it can’t be found, stolen or tampered with.
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Resource 1, for Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds: Print out my article “How to Quit Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds” along with “How to Survive the First 7 Days While Quitting Heroin” or be ready to provide access to those articles on my website when presenting this option to your man.

Resource 2, for Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs: You should have a list ready of 1 or 2 local, family doctors who will be able to prescribe your man Valiums, Xanax, and/or Tramadol or whatever type of anxiety and pain medications are available in your country. You can also print out my article “How to Quit Heroin with Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs” or be ready to provide access to the article on my website when presenting this option to your man.

Resource 3, for Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone: You should have a list of 1 or 2 private family doctors who are ready to provide your man with a short term prescription for Methadone or Suboxone. And you should also have a list of 1 or 2 methadone clinics which offer Methadone and/or Suboxone (or subutex) as well. You can also print out my articles “How to Quit Heroin with Meds” along with “Quitting Heroin with Suboxone”, or be ready to provide access to those articles on my website when presenting this option to him.

Resource 4, for Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center: You should have a list of 1 or 2 inpatient, drug rehabilitation centers that are ready to take your man in at any time. You can also print out my article "How to Quit Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center". (NOTE: If you’re able to obtain and print pictures of the facilities (from their website for example) then include those pictures in your presentation in order to provide a visual of the treatment center which can help ease resistance and anxiety as well.)

Resource 4.2, for Quitting Heroin in a Detox Center: You should have a list of 1 or 2 detox centers along with counseling programs that are ready to take him in right away to begin the detox. (NOTE: If you’re able to obtain pictures of the facilities (from their website) then include those pictures in your presentation as well. Presentation is everything.)

Resource 5, (optional) Drug Interventionist: If it’s feasible and affordable then you may also want to have the contact information for a drug interventionist in case you have no option left but to perform an intervention with the help of a trained and professional interventionist.

Resource 6, is a home drug testing kit for opiates: You should also have a home drug testing kit in your home which tests for opiate drugs such as heroin.

Preparation: Now that you have all your resources in place, it’s time to make some preparations before making your next major move – approaching your man.
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I’m not calling your man a thief, but when it comes to supporting a heroin habit, anything is possible. And for now, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
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If you find any paraphernalia you might want to then break it, destroy it and throw it away, far away from your home. Don’t bother confronting him about it, (at least not yet), because there’s a good chance that he’s going to deny it and say that it doesn’t belong to him - it belongs to a friend, and that’s what they all say. But of course, that’s a lie. It belongs to him. And if you keep it and show it to him then he may demand that you give it all back to him. That’s why it may be best to destroy it and throw it away, and then tell him about it later when the time is right and only if necessary as well. (NOTE: If you end up throwing away any of his heroin then he may end up getting very mad. So please be careful and proceed with caution.)
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If he’s not living with you then cut off all financial support immediately, which includes sending him money; paying his bills; buying his gas; buying his food and paying his rent as well. In other words, stop sending him money for anything and everything.

No matter where your man lives, the best thing to do is to cut off all financial support and stand firm. No matter what he tells you, just say no! Don’t let him use you. And don’t let him manipulate you any more. Be strong, be firm and just say no! You will no longer enable him in any way, shape or form.
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How he quits heroin depends on where he stands in the matter. If your boyfriend or husband came clean to you and reached out for help on his own, then great! Wonderful! Be thankful. You’re more than half way there. And you’re in a much better position than most women are. As long as he wants to quit and is ready and willing to do so then you can present him with options for quitting. i.e. cold turkey, warm turkey, suboxone, etc.

However, if the problem with your man and heroin has been going on for some time and he just can’t seem to quit, nor even wants to, then some sort of inpatient treatment may be the best option for him. And this is usually the case with most heroin addicts who just can’t seem to quit, or simply don’t want to. But even in situations such as this, you can still offer him options as well as most addicts are simply not willing to enter inpatient treatment by force. And in this manner, he can be given chances so that he is without excuse. And if he fails with one option, then it’s on to the next. In other words, if he can’t quit heroin cold turkey, for whatever the reason may be, then it’s on to warm turkey.

If he can’t quit heroin in that manner, then it’s on to Methadone or Suboxone. And if he fails to quit and stay clean in that manner, then it’s on to short term detox accompanied by counseling, meetings etc... And if he still cant stay clean in that manner, then it’s on to inpatient, residential treatment. But of course that’s a matter which needs to be handled between you and your man. But if he lives in your home then you have the final say in the matter - not him. And if inpatient, residential treatment is the only way, then inpatient, residential treatment it is!
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Furthermore, to get the best response, you’re going to have to plan on a time where the both of you can talk in a private setting without any interruptions whatsoever. You will also have to try your best to catch him at the perfect time, when he’s neither sick from heroin withdrawals, nor too high from the heroin itself.

​For example; first thing in the morning may not be the best time to talk to him if he hasn’t had his fix as of yet. He’ll be sick from the withdrawals and the only thing on his mind at that moment will be to get that first fix of the day just to feel normal.

Likewise, it may not do you any good to sit and talk to him when he’s high and sedated on heroin. He might start nodding and fall asleep on you while you’re speaking to him. You'll have to watch for the signs and get him at the right moment, possibly 1 to 2 hours after his first morning, afternoon, or last fix of the day.

Making an appointment with him may or may not work. He might get scared and not show up at all or continue to do everything he can to avoid you. For the most part, if you’re both living together then you should already be aware of his normal behavioral patterns and daily routines. Again, how you proceed from here depends on whether or not he already came clean to you and reached out for help. And if he did come clean and asked you for help then it would be best to move forward as quickly as you can, while doing and saying everything in a kind and loving manner. Everything, must be done in a kind and loving manner.

Show him his options for quitting, along with your resource list as well. Then explain and go through each option one by one.

Plan A (Resource 1): Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds: Show him the printed articles on "How to Quit Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds" along with "How to Survive the First 7 Days When Quitting Heroin",  along with my website as well. Explain it to him in a step-by-step manner and then proceed to the next one.

Plan B (Resource 2): Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs: Show him your list of 1 or 2 local, family doctors who are ready to prescribe him Valiums, Xanax, and/or Tramadol or whatever type of anxiety and pain medication you can get. You can also show him my article “How to Quit Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs” which includes the section on “Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey”. Let him know that this is just a short term method that is a lot more comfortable than quitting heroin cold turkey.

Plan C (Resource 3): Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone: Show him your list of 1 or 2 private family doctors who are ready and willing to provide him with a short term prescription for Methadone or Suboxone. And show him your list of 1 or 2 methadone clinics which offer Methadone and/or Suboxone (or Subutex) as well. You can also show him my article “How to Quit Heroin with Meds” which includes the section on “Quitting Heroin with Methadone” and my other article “Quitting Heroin with Suboxone”. Explain it to him in a step-by-step manner and then proceed to the next one. 

Plan D (Resource 4): Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center: Show him your list of 1 or 2 drug rehabilitation centers that are ready to take him in as soon as possible. You can also show him my article “How to Quit Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center”. And if you were able to obtain pictures of the facilities then show him the pictures as well.

Plan D Detox (Resource 4.2) Quitting Heroin in a Detox Center: Show him your list of 1 or 2 detox centers along with counseling programs that are ready to take him in right away to begin the detox. Let him know that this will take 5 to 10 days and may be done with a short term Suboxone program so it will be almost painless as well.

Then simply ask him, (in a kind and loving manner) “so what’s it going to be?”

Sometimes, it can become just like sales. Let him get through all his excuses and then deal with those excuses, one by one, fast. But don’t buy into or give into any of his excuses. Your main objective is to get him to take action right away. And again, if he came clean on his own and made it clear that he wants to quit and asked you for help then you shouldn’t get too much resistance, (if he really meant what he said). However, it’s also important to understand that at this point, part of him may be in panic mode. Part of him may want to quit, but part of him may want to use just one more time, or even forget the whole idea of quitting.

Don’t fall for it. Do everything you can to keep the process moving along to the next step as quickly as possible, (before he changes his mind and leaves). And if he really wants to quit then he’ll do it, or at least begin to try. However, if you have to confront your man for the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd time, then that can become a little more complicated and will require a little more patience as well. You’ll still have to try to do everything in a kind and loving manner, but you’ll also have to be firm as well. 
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Same as above: Before approaching him, try to find some alone time where you can begin to think about how you’re going to approach him and what you’re going to say, (in a non-aggressive and a non-confrontational manner). Remove all anger and resentment and think about the good times you’ve had with him. Think about what he was, or could be like without drugs in the picture. Think about positive thoughts and feelings and then proceed accordingly.

Be on the lookout for the right time to talk to him. Don’t approach him when he’s sick, nor when he’s high; get him when he’s ok to talk. And when the time is right, then move in for the save. Then, in a kind and loving manner, you can say something along the lines of, “I know what you’re going through. I've been doing some research on the subject of heroin, heroin addiction, and how difficult it is for someone to quit heroin. It seems almost impossible."

"I have also been reading and learning about what you go through while going through withdrawals, the vomiting, the cold chills, the diarrhea, the back pains, the leg pains, the bone pains, the anxiety attacks, everything, and it's horrible. I'm starting to understand how you feel and what you go through and I'm very, very sorry that you have to go through all of that.”

Then you make it real clear to him; “But you don’t have to go through this any more. And I’ll do whatever I can to help you quit this drug, once and for all”.

Your next move depends on what he does next from there.

If he remains calm and stays put to listen then great! Wonderful! It’s a miracle! Keep on talking and then as quickly as possible show him his options for quitting and let him know that “we” can do this right now. (Make it a “we” thing so that he knows he’s not alone.)

Show him your presentation, your resource list for:
Plan A (Resource 1): Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds.
Plan B (Resource 2): Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs.
Plan C (Resource 3): Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone.
Plan D (Resource 4): Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center.
Plan D Detox (Resource 4.2) Quitting Heroin in a Detox Center.

Give him all the details, procedures etc. Put your whole heart into it. Explain everything to him as quickly and as thoroughly as possible in a step-by-step manner and then see what he does from there. And if he agrees and chooses one of these methods right there and then, then get on it right away. This would be the best case scenario.

However, if after you approach him, he begins to get upset, and starts denying everything or claiming sobriety then you can take out your home drug test kit and have him take the test right there and then. But if you already know he’s using, then there’s no need to argue with him, nor test him no matter what he says. And if he keeps on denying it then you can simply tell him, “look, it doesn’t matter what you say. I know you’re using and I want to help you quit.”

“Please, pick one of these choices”:
Plan A (Resource 1): Quitting Heroin Cold Turkey with OTC Meds.
Plan B (Resource 2): Quitting Heroin Warm Turkey with Pharmaceutical Drugs.
Plan C (Resource 3): Quitting Heroin with Methadone or Suboxone.
Plan D (Resource 4): Quitting Heroin in a Drug Rehabilitation Center.
Plan D Detox (Resource 4.2) Quitting Heroin in a Detox Center.

Let him know that you don’t want to see him ruin his life. Let him know, that you no longer want drugs to be a part of your lives. Let him know that you want a better life for the both of you, without drugs in the picture. Let him know how you feel. And then ask them, (in a kind and loving manner) to please accept your offer for help. And then be quiet and let him make his choice, if he’s going to make a choice at all.

(Most professionals and interventionist will offer only 2 choices: inpatient, long term, residential treatment or total cut off from the family. And many times, this may be the only hope for some addicts. However, forced inpatient treatment doesn’t always work for everyone. And some times, the addict is more likely to cooperate and choose an option when given the freedom to do so. And at least this way, you’ll be giving them a chance to get straightened out by choice, and not by force, (at least not yet). Furthermore, they are now without excuse.)

If he submits himself and chooses a plan, then great. Wonderful! Get it on it right away. Start cold turkey. Start warm turkey. Call the doctor. Make an appointment. Take him to the clinic. Take him to rehab. Take him to detox. Whatever plan he chose, (and whatever plan is feasible), get on it right away. And then keep moving forward.

It’s very possible, that if you did everything in a kind and loving manner and presented his options for quitting as clearly as possible (presentation is everything), then he just might take you up on your offer for help. He may already be sick of his life and may see this as a way out of his addiction. And that would be great! However... if he refuses to listen to reason, or walks away, or simply walks out the door, then let them go. Let him go. (He may need time to process the information and think about everything.) And if he lives with you then he has to come back.

But the nicer you are to him, then the more cooperative he may become. The kinder you are to him, then the more he might begin to consider listening and even quitting, even if it's just for you. And there's nothing wrong with that. Not many men are willing to change for themselves, but some men will change for their loved ones, especially when the relationship or the family is at stake. The more love you show him then the more submissive and cooperative he may become.
 
Most women don't realize this, but a woman has the power to melt a man into submission with her soft, kind and gentle voice backed by genuine 'love', compassion and affection. But it has to be genuine. It has to be real. No yelling, no screaming, no cursing, no swearing. Be kind, loving and submissive, always. Because with or without drugs in the picture, that’s just the way it’s supposed to be. 

However, if you’ve done everything you can, and have done so as kindly and as lovingly as possible, and he still shows no sign of change, then it’s time to ask yourself the questions of, what are you willing to do to push him in the right direction? What are you willing to do to get him make a choice?

Are you willing to do whatever it takes to help him move further and further to getting clean and staying clean for good? If you’re willing to do whatever it takes, then you have a choice as well.

If he doesn’t get help fast, then you can either stand down for the moment and then try again later, or make it happen now.

If the problem has just come to your attention now, then you can give him a chance to make up his mind to get clean or not.

How many chances you give him is totally up to you. But you can also offer him chances based upon on the “strike 3” rule as well.

You can talk to him the first time. Give him the complete presentation. If nothing changes within the next day or two then you can talk to him again for the second time. And if nothing changes within the next day or two then you can talk to him again for the third time, but this time, you may have to give him an ultimatum.

“Quit heroin, or leave the home, or I will leave myself. But I’m not going to have anything to do with you while you continue to use heroin.”

“I’m not going to stick around and watch you destroy your life and ruin mine in the process as well. So you need to make a choice”.

“Heroin or me”

“Heroin or the family”

And then see what he does from there.

You can’t force him to quit heroin but you can force him to make a choice: Quit heroin or leave the home. Quit heroin, or you leave the home. And unfortunately for some of you, this is what it might come down to; otherwise, nothing will change.

Many girlfriends and wives will not be willing to send them on their way. But you also have to understand, that when it comes to heroin, most addicts will only seek help when someone or something pushes them out of their “addiction comfort zone” and forces them into a decision. And as long as you do everything in a kind and loving manner, then that’s what you may have to do in order to shake them and wake them up - is to leave him or send him on his way. However, if you’re so angry with him that you just want to kick him out for good then don’t do it, otherwise, you’ll be doing it out of anger and not out of love. And if you do it out of anger then it may not help at all. You would be better off to cool down and calm down first, before approaching him again.

But if you don’t want to do it and would rather not have to deal with it, then that may be the best time to leave or to send him on his way, (but after all else has failed and if you’re willing to do so). And if you do so when you’re not angry then you can do so out of love and in hopes that he will wake up and change his mind and accept your offer for help. Once he sees how miserable it is to be without you and/or the family, then hopefully he’ll come to his senses and reach out for help. But he may have to lose it all, (or think that he lost it all), before he can begin to change. Because unfortunately, some men don’t change until they lose it all.

Heroin addicts with access to money, a place to live, and housed by a partner who continues to put up with their drug addiction will rarely seek help. To them, they “don't have a problem” and see no need for change. But once the pressure’s on then they have to make a choice: Heroin or you. Keep using heroin or stop the madness and change. And only you can help make that happen. Only you can help him to make a decision to change. The ultimate decision is up to him, but you can push him into making that decision; otherwise, nothing will change, and most likely, he will continue to use.

However, also note that if your man has been cooperative for the most part and has remained calm and respectable then you may want to consider giving him sometime before making a final decision as well. And in the mean time, don’t enable him in any way, shape or form. Professionals will tell you otherwise, but sometimes, we may have to give them a chance and some time to process the information as well. Otherwise, too much pressure all at once can cause him to back out at the very end or enter treatment and leave within a few days. But again, how you handle the matter is entirely up to you and can depend on your partners’ behavior as well.

I believe in giving people chances so that they are without excuse, and to be as fair as possible as well. But if the situation is real bad, then their time is up. But every situation is different, and you’ll have to decide what would be best for yours. But either way, this is a life changing moment, and things are going to change - in one form or another.

It’s also important to realize that most heroin addicts may relapse several times no matter how hard they try. But it doesn’t mean that you have to keep accepting it as well.

You can give them 3 chances for example, or again, what is known as the strike 3 rule: strike 1, strike 2, strike 3 you’re out. 3 failed attempts or 3 failed drug tests and you leave, or you send them on their way, and hopefully into inpatient treatment.

You can allow him back into the home if you wish to do so, as long he begins and continues with his treatment and remains clean from heroin. And during this time, you can drug test him as often as you can to make sure he’s still clean; because a home drug test kit for opiates is the only way to know for sure. And I do realize that in many cases, there may come a time in which you have given your boyfriend or husband so many chances and opportunities to change and yet to no avail, and that sooner or later you may have to put your foot down and leave, or send them on their way. (Otherwise, nothing will change).

If he simply doesn’t want to quit then his only hope may be “detachment”, where you tell your man; “I love you, and I really hope you’ll quit using heroin. I’m willing to do whatever I can to help you quit this drug, stay clean, and turn your life around. But you need to decide once and for all, which relationship is more important to you. Is it your relationship with heroin or your relationship with me? Is it your relationship with heroin or is it your relationship with your family? Because you can’t have both. It’s either heroin or us.”

And if it does come down to that point where he continues to use heroin over you then wait till he leaves to go get high and then while he’s gone, start packing all his stuff. Print out every page on this website (except for this one) and pack it with his belongings and set it outside. (Just make sure no one steels his stuff) Then you can tell him face to face or leave him a note telling him that until he’s been clean for 40 days and 40 nights then you'll have nothing to do with him.

Or, if it is you who is going to leave him then pack up your stuff and leave to your mothers, relatives, or a friends home. Leave him a note telling him that you want a better life without drugs in the picture and until he's ready to give you that life then there has to be a separation, (and hopefully, only temporarily).

“Detachment” may seem harsh, and it is, but it just might be his only hope, and you just might very well save his life in the process.”

It's either that or learn how to live with a heroin addict and watch him ruin his life and yours as well.  And if you have children in the home, then you have to decide if it's safe to have a heroin addict along with the lifestyle and drug paraphernalia around your children. He will associate himself with drug dealers and drug users during the day and then come home to you and your children at night. And none of this is good for you or your children.

“Detachment” may be his only hope left. And after he sees how miserable his life is without you then maybe, just maybe, he may wake up sooner than later.

But until then, you'll have to do everything in your power to avoid getting to that point. You'll have to help him in every way that you can before you decide to leave him or send him on his way, if that's what you're going to do. And in the mean time, you'll have to do your best to show him nothing but love, kindness and compassion so that he can't use you or anything else as an excuse to relapse over and over again. And you just might change his heart as well.

Try to bring yourself to feel sorry for him, knowing that if he doesn’t change soon then most likely, he’s going to live a life of misery and despair. Do whatever it takes to influence him in a positive manner in order to inspire and motivate him to take action, stay clean and turn his life around.

Heroin destroys lives and tears families apart. And if you want to save your man from that evil drug called heroin then you're going to have to do whatever it takes to help him get clean and stay clean for good. You can’t just say, stay home and be clean. It doesn't work that way; not with heroin. He's going to need all the help that he can get from you, family members and drug-free friends who want to help save his life.

Furthermore, it’s not just the drugs, it’s the drug dealers as well; i.e. the dope-man, the dealer, his friends, etc. Erase his dealers' and drug using friends’ phone number(s) from his cell phone. You may even have to get his phone number changed as well. Do whatever it takes to help put a stop to the madness and make it as difficult as possible for him to buy and use heroin. And in doing so, you just might save his life.

Sometimes, the addict may deny that there’s a problem and remain in denial as well. And it can become very difficult to help a person who’s in constant denial. And if they’re in denial and continue to remain in denial then there’s not much that you can do. You can’t force him to come clean and confess; not many people will. Denial is a defense mechanism which often involves lying and refusing to talk to anyone about the problem. Furthermore, some addicts will not allow anything to get in the way between them and their heroin. They may even go into a rage when confronted with the problem.

Suffice it to say that denial can become frustrating to deal with as it is usually more than obvious that the addict is living a lie and refuses to seek or accept help. They may even try to blame their drug use on you, others, or members of their family as part of the denial process. He may try to make you look like the bad guy while making themselves look like the victim. He may say negative things about you and others in order to feel better about themselves. But in order for the addict to get any kind of help at all, he will have to come out of denial and come clean about his addiction, or at least admit that there is a problem. 

NOTE: It is possible that when approaching and talking to your partner in a kind and loving manner and asking him to please be honest with you, (as kindly and as lovingly as possible), that he may actually humble himself and come clean and tell you the truth. And this approach is definitely worth a try. It may work.

However, if they continue to remain in denial then there must be consequences, otherwise, nothing will change. And you will need to be prepared to enforce those consequences out of love for the addict and out of self-preservation as well. 

You can always ask them to take a home drug test right in front of you to prove to you that they are clean indeed. And if they are clean then they will be more than happy to do so. But if they’re not clean, then they may become defensive and make up excuses to avoid taking the drug test. (NOTE: The drug test should be a “surprise drug test” and a supervised drug test as well. Meaning you can't mention anything about them taking the drug test until they are there in front of you to make sure they do not come prepared to alter test results. You can purchase a home drug test kit for opiates at Walmart or at your local pharmacy).

If the addict refuses to quit or remains in denial then there’s only one thing left to do: Give them a choice. Either allow you to help them or leave on their own. But if there are no consequences, then nothing will change.
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​And in the mean time if he does accept your offer for help then you can become his angel. If he chose to quit heroin cold turkey, then you can help him by preparing his hot baths, taking long fast walks with him and comforting him when he's feeling bad. You can read my article “How to Survive the First 7 Days When Quitting Heroin” and do it with him, right by his side.

You'll have to become his nurse one moment, helping him get back and forth to the bathroom, giving him his medicines, herbal supplements, water, Gatorade, pills etc. You'll have to switch roles again to become his exercise trainer where you'll help him to get dressed, put his sneakers on, and take him out for a long fast walk. Always be encouraging him, telling him that “you can do this”. Once he starts walking then he may begin to feel much, much better.

If he chose to quit heroin warm turkey with lesser evil pharmaceutical drugs, then help him to do so. If he chose to quit heroin with Methadone or Suboxone then help him to do so by following the instructions on this website. If he chose to quit heroin in rehab then bring him to rehab. If he chose to do it in detox then bring him to detox.

Once your partner has chosen his preferred method for quitting then help him to get started right away. Try to keep the momentum going. If all goes well, and if you were able to maintain a calm and loving attitude, then as scared as he may be, he may be willing to go ahead as planned seeing this as an opportunity to end this drug addiction once and for all.

The main thing is to continue to remain positive at all times in order to help keep him in a positive state of mind. Then continue to be his angel while showing him nothing but love, kindness and compassion. Always remember to speak to him in your most softest and most kindest voice possible. Never argue. Never yell. You're there to help him and be involved as much as you can. 

All you have to do is be there for him. Help him quit heroin, stay clean and turn his life around. And in doing so, you just might save his life.

What if your man lives away from you?

If your boyfriend or husband is living elsewhere, away from home, then for the most part, proceed as instructed in part 1 and part 2 of this article:

1. Gather your resources.
2. Cut off all financial support.
3. Contact your man.
4. Explain to him his options for quitting (via email, text and by phone).
5. Give him all the contact phone numbers (via email, text and by phone).
6. Give him my website address www.HowtoQuitHeroin.com (via email, text, and by phone).
7. Walk him through everything.
8. Encourage him to take action right away and then hope for the best.

If he truly wants to quit then work with him and walk him through it. If he truly has a heart felt desire to quit heroin, stay clean, and turn his life around then help him to do so.

But if not, if he doesn't want to quit, then start pulling back. If he keeps calling you, asking for money one day, and then telling you the next day that he wants to quit, then asking for more money, and then the day after that calling to chit chat as if all was well then obviously he's not serious about quitting, at least not right now. And if that be the case then the best thing to do for you and for him would be to start pulling back. Don't chase him, don't call him, don't text him, and don't email him anymore. You’ve already sent him all the information he needs via email, text and over the phone. Now it’s up to him to put forth an effort to change. And with all of these options and resources, there is no excuse.

And for some of you, it may come to the point to where it may be best to tell your man, “please don’t call me unless you’re calling me because you want help to quit or you need a ride to rehab. But until then, don’t call me any more”. But in the mean time, don’t let him get his way. Don't let him have the best of both worlds – you and his drugs. It's one or the other, but don’t let him have both; otherwise, there’s a good chance that nothing will change. He needs to know and feel that all is not well and that you are very hurt over the matter. And if he wants to make things right then he needs to choose you over heroin. He needs to put forth a genuine effort to seek help and quit this drug once and for all.

Worse case scenario: If you simply can't get through to him at all then send him a text message with my website address: www.HowtoQuitHeroin.com  That's it. Nothing more, nothing less. And then hopefully, he will visit my website out of curiosity. From there, the rest is up to him. And anything can happen. So let's hope for the best.
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With your help and support, you can begin to lead him on 'the right path'. And in the fullest sense, the both of you will be starting your lives all over again from scratch.

In order to increase his chances of staying clean for good, you may want to start by identifying and then addressing the root(s) and cause(s) of the problem. i.e. bad friends, bad music, bad TV, boredom, bad environment etc… Start thinking of all the reasons which may have contributed to the drug problems in the first place in order to remove the cause(s). And this is something that you can talk with him about as well.

Write down the causes or contributors and then begin to create a step-by-step plan to deal with or remove these causes right away. For example:

Bad friends, old friends or the homeboys who use drugs and/or are a bad influence in his life will have to be removed from his life and replaced with drug-free, family members and friends. He’ll have to be surrounded by caring and loving people who truly have a genuine concern for his welfare and recovery.

Bad music may have to be removed from the picture as well. If your man is listening to the wrong type of music then it’s going to become very difficult for him to change as music has a powerful effect upon a persons’ behavior, attitudes, feelings, emotions, temper, actions, thoughts and more. Music changes people, and has a much more powerful effect upon a person than what you might think. And if you change the music then you can help change the person. Most of today's most popular music such as rap, hip hop and rock, promotes sex, drugs and violence and was created and purposely designed to be used as a tool for character formation, and unfortunately, of the worst kind. And if we continue to listen to such music, then in time, we become just like them.​

“Thus, what you listen to literally forms what you become”, LDA.

But it’s not just the music; it’s the TV as well. Movies, videos and TV shows which glorify sex, drugs and violence also become a major contributing factor to our personal devolvement. And in time, we become what we watch just as well. If we want to change, then we need to become more careful of what we listen to, what we watch and what we take into ourselves on a daily bases. 

Please note: I'm not saying that all rap music or all rock music or all pop music is bad. In fact there's a lot of real good music out there. But good, clean, uplifting music is hard to find these days. And music is a major key and can become one of the greatest sources for positive energy to help your man get through the withdrawals and possibly even change his life as well. Yes, the right kind of music can actually change your life!

Regarding boredom, you'll have to plan on doing everything you can to eliminate the boredom which your man may go through during and after recovery. Boredom is a dangerous place to be. And it’s in those moments of boredom where he will begin to think about heroin. And if he continues to think about it long enough then just like that, it may cause him to get up, go out and use. 

Although eventually, he may become busy with work and/or school; in the mean time, you may want to start planning fun and productive activities to do with him on a continual bases. And if at all possible, try to start involving drug-free, family members and friends to help keep him busy throughout the week.

For example; joining a gym with your man and/or doing some form of exercise, such as walking, jogging, running or biking, and taking long walks in the park will help him. Walking through beautiful and natural scenic views can also help greatly as well. You can both go hiking, site seeing; rock wall climbing; walking in the mall; going to parks just to hang out and talk; visiting the zoo; bowling; go kart racing; horse back riding; skating; watching inspirational movies at home and any other kind of fun activities and events that you can think of.

Plan wisely and then try to do as many fun activities as you can with him in order to keep his mind busy, off of heroin and on the moment at hand. Try to keep it fun and active in order to keep him in a positive state of mind at all times. And again, if at all possible, try to involve as many people as you can in his recovery who you know for sure are drug-free, decent people, who can become positive friends and role models for your man.

Bad environment: Depending on how bad the situation is, and/or how close your home is to the drug spots and drug dealers, it can become very difficult for him to stay clean in such surroundings and familiar environments. And if any difficulties should arise, then you may want to consider “relocation” as well.

Sometimes, if the addict is weak and remains in his current environment, it can become very difficult to stay clean and resist the urge to use. And this is also why many addicts tend to relapse within days after returning back home from inpatient, drug rehabilitation programs. And although relocating may seem extreme to the non-user, it may become necessary for some addicts to do so if they continue to have difficulties staying clean within in their current environment. Hopefully, it won’t get to that point. But if it does, then relocation may need to be considered. And a fresh, new start in a clean and new environment may be just what your man needs to start a new and better life.

To help avoid relapse, it would be best to write down your master recovery plan on paper and then stick to it as best as you can. And if you think that some or none of the above is necessary, then think again. If you think that it’s just a matter of helping him get clean for a few weeks and then all will be well, then think again. This stuff takes times, hard work and patience. Furthermore, he has to really want this and do his part as well.

Experts believe that true recovery begins after the user has abstained from heroin for 1 year. And your man will be most vulnerable during the first 3 to 6 months but will still need guidance and care for the rest of the year. And during this time, it would be best to perform random drug testing at home.

Staying clean with Vivitrol: If your man is not able to stay clean from heroin no matter how hard he tries, then you may want to consider Vivitrol (Naltrexone), which is a once-a-month shot that blocks the effects of heroin and all opiate drugs for 30 days. Vivitrol (Naltrexone) has helped many people stay clean and it can help him stay clean too! For more information on Vivitrol, please read my article, “Staying Clean With Vivitrol"
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And although performing random drug tests at home can become costly for some, it would still be best to do so whenever possible. It’s better to know the truth, than to not know at all. (NOTE: A hair follicle drug test kit can find traces of opiate drugs such as heroin for 40 days or more).

Heroin, is not an easy drug to quit; let alone recover from. This is a process which takes time. It takes time to undo the damage and start life all over again. It takes time for the brain and the body to heal. And it takes time for the addict to retrain themselves to get used to living without heroin in their lives. But if he hangs in there and keeps moving forward then it will all become worth while in the end. And if you want to save your man from a life of misery then get ready for a long hard battle, and be prepared to win. For more information on how your man can stay clean for good, please see my article, “How to Quit Heroin and Stay Clean for Good”.

Heroin addiction is the absolute worst drug addiction in the world, destroying the will of man, and thus making it difficult to beat this drug. But the truth is, there are people who quit heroin and turn their lives around. And your man can become one of those who do so as well. And you can help make that dream possible by doing everything you can to help him.

Whatever you do, don't give up hope, and don't give up on him now. Anything can happen, and anything can change. So don't lose hope yet.

And from here on out, your most famous words to your man will be, “You can do this... You can do this. If you really want this, then you can do this”. You can begin to brainwash him with these words in a kind and loving manner to the point to where he may actually start to believe that he really CAN do this. He CAN whip this thing and turn his life around, once and for all!

Words move people. Words backed by love and positive emotions, can help move, inspire and motivate people to change. Therefore, choose your words wisely and do so with love.

Remember: This is a fight - a fight for the lives of our loved ones. So plan wisely and then execute your plan with full force, (in a kind and loving manner). Nothing is guaranteed. And I can’t tell you for sure whether your man is going to make it or not. No one can. But we can’t just stand by and do nothing. We must do everything we can to help them and then hope for the best. We must do everything we can to help our loved ones quit heroin, stay clean and turn their lives around, once and for all! And we must be willing to do whatever it takes to do so. You have more influence over the matter than what you might think. And you can make a difference in his life, starting now. Good luck. And may the good force be with you. 

Sincerely,
Jorge (George) Fernandez 
Over 20 Years Clean from Heroin 
About Jorge (George) Fernandez
Contact Jorge (George) Fernandez
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