Behavioral Therapy for Heroin Addiction

The many effective behavioral treatments available for opioid use disorder can be delivered in outpatient and residential settings.

It is important task to match the best treatment approach to meet the particular needs of the patient. Approaches such as contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy have been shown to effectively treat heroin use disorder, especially when applied in concert with medications.

• Contingency management uses a voucher-based system in which patients earn “points” based on negative drug tests, which they can exchange for items that encourage healthy living.
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to help modify the patient’s expectations and behaviors related to drug use and to increase skills in coping with various life stressors.