Over the years, there have been several changes in the way heroin addiction treatment in Michigan is conducted. Until a few years ago, the only mode of treatment for heroin addiction in Michigan was by using methadone. Methadone, an opioid itself, was used extensively and almost exclusively for the treatment of this type of addiction. However, there were problems associated with this kind of recovery method.

One of the main difficulties was the addictive nature of methadone. Being an opioid itself, methadone is also habit forming. There was a risk that the person would come out of the heroin dependency but get hooked to methadone. This created the need for the treatment to be provided in an inpatient program with careful medical attention.

However, there have been several changes in the heroin rehab program in Michigan of late. Buprenorphine has become quite a popular therapy for heroin recovery. With the introduction of medications such as Subutex and Suboxone, both containing buprenorphine, the treatment has become much simpler. Buprenorphine is also an opioid and it helps the person to come out of the heroin addiction by reducing the craving of the substance.

This has made it possible for the heroin treatment to be carried out in an outpatient format. Patients no longer need to be housed in rehab centers; they can continue living in their own homes and still undergo a heroin treatment process.

This mode of treatment has really brought about some constructive changes in drug addiction treatment in Michigan, especially heroin treatment. It has helped bring more people out of their addiction problems.