Heroin addiction mustn’t be taken lightly. If you know someone who is addicted and needs treatment, don’t hesitate to call the addiction hotline. Immediate medical intervention can save a life. Here’s why this type of addiction can turn out to be fatal.
What is heroin addiction?
Heroin addiction is chronic. It relapses and makes addicts resort to the drug even when aware of its side effects. The drug is an opioid analgesic made from the opium poppy plant. It gets converted into morphine in our bodies once consumed. You will find heroin sold on the streets under names like smack, black tar, or tar.
When an individual starts using it for the first time, he will experience a sudden surge of pleasure and contentment. It triggers an urge to use it repeatedly to feel happy. Soon enough, he becomes tolerant of the drug and gets addicted.
How does heroin enter the body?
Addicts inject heroin into the body through intravenous injections. Alternatively, it can be smoked or inhaled in powdered form. Regardless of how it enters the body, it quickly breaks through the blood-brain barrier. When a person gets addicted to heroin, start searching for a “drug rehab near me” to make sure he gets proper treatment.
What are the causes of heroin addiction?
There’s no single cause for heroin addiction. A host of factors may be responsible for it. Here’s a list of the common causes of heroin addiction:
- Your genes won’t make you a heroin addict, but once you start using the drug, your genes can trigger addiction. For instance, a person who has a family member with an addiction disorder is at high risk for developing an addiction.
- When you start using heroin repeatedly, brain chemistry gets altered. Nerve cells undergo physical changes. These use neurons for communication. When a person becomes a heroin addict, it disrupts the brain communication. The person feels the urge to use this drug more to compensate for the lack of neurotransmitters.
- Individuals who have undiagnosed and untreated mental conditions may use heroin and other drugs as medications to ease symptoms.
- Environmental factors, like peer group behavior, family beliefs, and friends using drugs for recreation, can be responsible for a person’s addiction. It is most common in homes where family members encourage using drugs to cope with negativity.
What are the signs of heroin addiction?
Signs of addiction are not the same for everyone. It depends on how long a person has been abusing the drug, his genetic makeup, and the level of dependency on heroin. The following are some of the more common symptoms:
- Depression and mood swings
- Anxiety
- Euphoria
- Agitation
- Irritability
- Lying about using the drug
- Staying away from loved ones
- Loss of weight
- Delusions and disorientation
- Paranoia and hallucinations
- Not taking care of personal hygiene
- Hyperactivity followed by acute exhaustion
- Lack of focus at work or school
- Apathy
- Increased sleeping
- Shortness of breath
- Slurred speech and dry mouth
What can be the side effects of heroin addiction?
The effects of drug addiction will vary from one addict to another. If you reside in Washington, you must take the addict to a Washington drug rehab to provide treatment. They will determine the treatment plan depending on how long the addict has abused the drug, his individual makeup, and whether he has used other drugs too. When the period of abuse has been longer, the symptoms are likely to be more severe.
Here’s a list of the effects of heroin addiction:
- Skin diseases or abscesses
- Liver problems
- Chronic pneumonia
- Lack of focus
- Blood clots, strokes, heart attack, pulmonary embolism
- Scarred veins
- Septicemia
- Kidney problems
- Respiratory problems
- Seizures
- Overdose and death
When you admit the addict to a drug rehab in Washington State, they will start with a medical detox. Withdrawal symptoms as a result of such detox can be quite severe. These set in within a few hours after stopping the use of the drug. A person experiencing withdrawal from heroin can suffer serious medical complications when he has had prolonged abuse history.
A good rehab will work out a treatment plan guaranteed to work in the patient’s best interest. Treatment for heroin addiction involves both medications and behavioral therapy.
Pharmacological treatment: Doctors prescribe medicines to wean the body off the drug and to check cravings. Methadone and buprenorphine are like heroin and attach to the brain cells or opioid receptors. These last longer and are much safer than heroin. Naltrexone blocks receptors preventing drugs like heroin from having any effect. When a person experiences detox, it can be uncomfortable and painful. It explains why doctors recommend medicines to ease cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Detox is necessary to ensure that the next steps of treatment are successful. Medical supervision is vital for a successful detox.
Behavioral treatment: This may be inside a rehab or outpatient clinic. It includes group therapy, individual therapy, and contingency management. It helps the addict identify the “triggers,” develop coping skills to tackle cravings, and prevent relapse. Contingency management is about rewarding the addict with incentives to make sure he stays away from drugs.
FAQs:
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Is there any one treatment for heroin addiction?
Treatment plans for addicts will vary depending on the individual, the period of abuse, and the presence of coexisting medical conditions. Using multiple types of treatment gives better outcomes than sticking to just one.
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What are some disorders related to heroin abuse?
Heroin addiction can be related to many mental health conditions, such as anxiety disorders, depression, Bipolar Disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, PTSD, personality disorders, alcoholism, and other substance addictions.
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Can you overdose on heroin?
Yes, it is possible to overdose on heroin. In such a situation, the patient must get emergency medical treatment.
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How to treat heroin overdose?
Naloxone is a medicine given to block the effects of an overdose. It works if given quickly. Paramedics will administer this through a nasal spray or auto-pen, following which he must go to the ER.
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What can you do if you think a family member is using heroin?
You can be sure the person will deny using the drug. However, you shouldn’t wait for things to improve on their own. Remember, he can recover if treated at the right time.
