Heroin detox is safest when completed in a supervised clinic, allowing professionals to monitor and manage any issues arising, for the most comfortable experience possible.

Clinical lead at Abbeycare's clinic near Glasgow, Dr Stephen Conroy, specialises in opiate withdrawal management, and can oversee custom detox regimens, specific to the individual.

This means a custom detox programme to maximise comfort and safety, in a supervised setting.

Once detox is complete, it's important to understand the underlying patterns in life which gave rise to the problem initially, and provide social supports, for the future.

Achieving therapeutic breakthroughs using CBT, counselling, group or individual therapy, can bolster relapse prevention planning, to help achieve long term recovery in the community.