24/7 Heroin Addiction Hotline – Heroin Abuse Helpline

Need heroin help? Learn how to GET HELP NOW. And know what to expect when you call a heroin addiction helpline…more tools on preparing for the call here.

7
minute read

Dealing with a heroin problem can feel overwhelming. Heroin Helplines know this. Trained staff can:

  • Listen.
  • Answer your questions.
  • Guide you in your decision to get clean.
  • Help you – or a loved one – choose addiction treatment.

Hotlines can help you make real, lasting changes in your life. Keep reading here to know what happens when you call a heroin hotline. Then, we invite your personal questions in the comments section at the end.

When Should I Call a Heroin Addiction Help Hotline?

If you are asking yourself if you might have a problem with heroin, or if others keep pointing it out to you, chances are you most probably need help. But, there are some clear tell-tale signs and symptoms of heroin addiction. These signs are indicators that you need professional help. Some general heroin addiction signs include:

  • Being unable to control or stop using heroin.
  • Engaging in illegal activities to obtain heroin.
  • Hiding your heroin use from loved ones.
  • Having trouble maintaining healthy relationships.
  • Neglecting responsibilities at work, home, or school.
  • Withdrawal symptoms occur when you lower doses or miss a dose…
    (usually cold sweats, constipation, fever, nausea, body pains and cramps, vomiting)

What Will We Talk About When I Call the Heroin Hotline?

So, what happens when you actually pick up the phone and call a hotline? Making the call to a heroin hotline can save your life…and doesn’t need to be frightening. In fact, the moment you decide to pick up the phone you are making the first step towards recovery.

Below, we we outline what an actual ‘Hotline Call’ looks like. In this way, you can be better prepared and know what you can expect.

  1. How much does calling a heroin hotline cost?

    Most trusted hotlines are toll-free and won’t cost anything. After all, they are operated to make seeking heroin addiction help available to anyone. And, you can call as many times as you need to make an informed final decision.
  1. Is the conversation being recorded?

The conversations you have with the hotline professionals are completely confidential. If the call needs to be recorded, the hotline can do so legally as long as they disclose it at the beginning of the conversation.

  1. Who am I speaking with?

Hotline staff are specialists trained to respond to people in need of help. They are also trained to work with families and loved ones. They will greet you, listen to you, ask questions, and support you in finding the resources you need. A hotline staff operator will never judge you or make you feel bad for using heroin. They know that addiction is a medical condition and will treat you with respect and kindness.

  1. What does the conversation look like?

You will probably cover a variety of topics such as signs of heroin addiction, treatment options (inpatient facilities, outpatient clinics, intensive outpatient clinics…), choosing a treatment center, and your current financial situation. A hotline will also want to know where you live so that they can refer to you appropriate treatment either nearby or far away, according to your particular situation.

5. What kinds of questions can I ask?

If you are calling a treatment center’s helpline directly, you can ask any questions you have about the length, cost, health insurance coverage, types of therapies offered. If you’re planning the phone call in advance, and you make a list of questions that you have and get them answered one-by-one.

Emergency Heroin Helpline: Call 911!

If you or a friend is showing signs of heroin overdose, CALL 911 FOR HELP!

It is important to report the symptoms:

  • The person’s breathing has slowed or stopped
  • Unconscious, non-responsive, or turning blue
  • S/He or she is unresponsive

This makes the call a priority. Then, provide your exact location. Tell the 911 dispatcher exactly where you and the overdosing person are (Ex. 3rd floor, in the bathroom, or back yard). Keep loud noise in background low. If it sounds chaotic, 911 will also call police to the scene to protect the paramedics. When the paramedics arrive, tell them what you know about drug use: dose, administration, or mixing substances. Opiate and opioid overdoses can be reversed with the timely administration of a medication called naloxone. Plus, many states have implement immunity laws that make calling 911 for overdose legally safe for you or a loved one.

Top 5 Heroin Addiction Hotline and Abuse Helplines

When you are ready to quit heroin for good:

HEROIN HOTLINE #1: Call a toll-free Heroin Helpline listed on our website to get in touch with trusted and confidential helpline professionals available 24/7. You will speak to a sympathetic, well-trained individual who can help you find a reliable recovery program that will meet your treatment needs.

HEROIN HOTLINE #2: Call SAMHSA’s Treatment Referral Routing Service on 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or 1-800-487-4889 (TDD). This is a governmental, free, confidential, 24/7, treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

HEROIN HOTLINE #3: Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-TALK if you or someone you know is experiencing a suicidal crisis. This service will help you contact the nearest available suicide prevention and mental health service provider.

HEROIN HOTLINE #4: You can reach the Narcotics Anonymous World Service Line at (818) 773-9999. When you call, you’ll be connected with a volunteer who will listen to you and then share their personal experience, strength, and hope with you. N.A. is based on the 12 Step program and offers both a recovery process and a peer support network.  You can also ask for information about local N.A. meetings when you call this number.

HEROIN HOTLINE #5: Call the National Heroin Hotline on 1-800-9-HEROIN. This is a toll-free, confidential 24-hour heroin hotline for people struggling with heroin and their family members.

REMEMBER THIS: Helplines can a safe place for getting the needed resources, planning, and finding out answers. So, be sure to ask the person on the other end of the phone what particular steps you need to take. Staff are trained to walk you through the details.

What Happens After a Heroin Hotline Call?

Heroin helplines are invested in getting you the help you need. Inpatient rehab centers can be the best places to start getting clean. So, after you hang up the phone and you’ve made the decision to enter addiction treatment, things will start happening. Sometimes, a treatment center staff member will drive or fly out to help accompany you directly to the treatment center. Other times, you’ll go by yourself (or with a loved one) to check-in on your own.

Then, when you arrive at the rehab you can expect to go through intake and check in. Each heroin treatment facility has its own intake process. What can you expect? For the first 1-2 hours, you can expect to go through initial assessment and evaluation. During the evaluation, addiction doctors and trained medical staff will get to know more about you, your addiction, as well as your physical and mental health. This way, they can tailor-make the program to fit your rehabilitation needs.

For cases of heroin addiction, inpatient treatment centers are often highly recommended. Medical and behavioral treatments form the basis of inpatient heroin addiction treatment. Additionally, rehab programs often offer activities to replace the preoccupation for heroin use with new and positive habits. Individual and/or group counseling sessions are also basic treatment activities you can expect. So, you can expect rehab to look a little like overnight camp for adults…with psychological and educational sessions layered in between required group events throughout the day.

Let’s verify your coverage for treatment at an American Addiction Centers location. Your information is kept 100% confidential.

 

Who Should Call a Heroin Addiction Help Hotline?

Are you a family member, a loved one, or a concerned friend of someone with a heroin problem? You can call a helpline for them. Professionals can help outline the signs of addiction, offer treatment options, and help concerned family members and loved ones of addicts.

But, you should be ready with some information about the addicted individual before you call. Here’s what you should try to learn before calling a hotline for someone else:

  • What’s the drug-of choice?
  • What other substances does your loved one use?
  • How long and how often they have been using heroin?
  • What type of health insurance do they have?
  • Does their health insurance cover treatment at HMO or PPO insurance rehab centers?
  • How much can they afford to pay for treatment and how much you can help them out financially?
  • Does the addicted individual suffer from any mental, behavioral, or co-occuring disorders?
    (Ex. Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar Disorder, Panic Disorder, suicidal thoughts)

The best thing about calling a heroin hotline is learning that you are not alone in your struggles. Also, you may realize you have more options than you thought. So, whether you need guidance or advice about staging an intervention or finding the right treatment – the good hotline people are here to help.

Heroin Addiction Assessment Quiz

If you continue to wonder if you have a REAL problem…here’s another quick quiz you can take. This addiction assessment tool is called the CAGE questionnaire. It is often used in primary care or other general settings as a quick screening tool for potential drug problems. You can answer the following questions honestly to perform a quick self-evaluation. Each “Yes” response scores one point.

Have you ever thought you should Cut down your heroin use?

Have you ever felt Annoyed when people have commented on your use?

Have you ever felt Guilty or badly about your use?

Have you ever used heroin to Ease withdrawal symptoms, or to avoid feeling low after using?

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SCORING GUIDELINES:
If you scored 1, there is an 75% chance you're addicted to heroin.
If you scored 2, there is an 85% chance you're addicted to heroin.
If you scored 3, there is a 99% chance you're addicted to heroin.
If you scored 4, there is a 100% chance you're addicted to heroin.
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Get Help for Heroin Abuse Now By Calling a Heroin Addiction Help Hotline

Sometimes, all it takes is one phone call to change your life.

So, pick up the phone and call hotline specialists to help you understand your condition, find appropriate treatment options and answers.

For any additional questions you can call the number listed on the top of our page or comment in the designated section below.

Reference Sources: National Conference of State Legislators: Drug overdose Immunity and Good Samaritan Laws
Harm Reduction Coalition: Call for Help!
About the author
Lee Weber is a published author, medical writer, and woman in long-term recovery from addiction. Her latest book, The Definitive Guide to Addiction Interventions is set to reach university bookstores in early 2019.
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