Because heroin is not a disease but a chemical attack on the brain and the way we think and feel about ourselves and our life, those who are deep into addiction may need immediate mental health care, including the availability of proper medications. This, of course, will be administered by a mental health care specialist when the patient is referred to our Mental Health Unit by a drug abuse counselor. Mental health care has become a key component in today's most successful rehabilitation and recovery programs. Often, mental illness may be the issue that is the primary obstacle barring a patient's recovery from drug addiction.