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“Freedom from Heroin Addiction: A Guide to Abuse Effects and Treatment”

As of 2015, an estimated 17 million people have been reported for using opiates such as heroin. Combined with opioids, the number of deaths related to drug abuse reached 122,000 that year. In fact, about 1.6 percent of the US population have used heroin at some point during their lifetime.

Most overdose-related deaths are due to opioid abuse.

And so on this article we are going to discuss heroin and everything you need to know about abuse, its effects, and how treatment works.

Overview

Heroin is an opiate that is also known as diamorphine, among other names. It is occasionally used in the medical industry to relieve pain ranging from moderate to severe. It can also be used in opioid replacement therapy.

However, this drug is more popular amongst illicit users because of its euphoric effects. In recreational settings, it is typically injected into a vein. It can also be snorted, inhaled, or smoked. The effects are rapid, taking hold of the user within minutes and keeping them high for a couple of hours.

Because of this pleasant experience, tolerance can develop quickly. Once it sets in, tolerance forces a person to take more and more of the drug just to get the same effects.

It is believed that heroin produces a more intense high compared to other opioids—which would explain why abuse of this substance is such a widespread problem.

History

It didn’t start out as an illegal drug, of course. It was first made by C. R. Alder Wright in 1874 as a morphine substitute that is derived from the opium poppy plant.

In 1895, it was marketed by the German drug company Bayer as an over-the-counter drug. The name Heroin was taken from the Greek word “heros,” because of the way it makes the user feel more “heroic”. It wasn’t until later that heroin would be discovered to have addictive side effects of its own.

Nowadays, heroin is controlled through the Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs, under Schedules I and IV. This means it is illegal to make, possess, or distribute heroin without a license.

Signs of Abuse

Using heroin can cause a lot of adverse health effects. There are a few signs and symptoms you can look out for if you fear that someone you love is abusing the drug. For example, the user will look relaxed and euphoric for seemingly no reason. They may even experience respiratory depression, meaning they’re having difficulty breathing.

Intravenous use of the drug can put them at a high risk of contracting blood-borne diseases and infections. Other symptoms associated with heroin abuse include constipation, pneumonia, abscesses, and infected heart valves.

Abuse Effects and Withdrawal

Heroin does not cause many long-term complications, just like most opioids. However, blood-borne illnesses such as HIV and hepatitis are still possible when sharing needles—a common sight in recreational settings.

This habit-forming drug can also cause dependence and addiction. The former refers to the body’s inability to function normally without the drug’s presence, while the latter involves the compulsive need to take the drug even when the user is already suffering from its adverse effects.

Withdrawal syndrome can manifest within 6 to 24 hours of the last intake. Common symptoms of withdrawal are: sweating, anxiety, depression, insomnia, chills, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever.

Addiction Treatment

Heroin addiction can be treated with the help of medications and behavioral therapy. Medically assisted detox is also a commonly used method. Look for an addiction treatment facility near you and help your loved one get over their heroin dependence.

The patient will undergo a safe detox, wherein they are gradually taken off the drug—their intake is lowered and withdrawal symptoms are managed. Self-regulation is extremely difficult, if not impossible. The risk of relapse is high, so it is best if the patient goes through behavioral therapy after the detox. Through this process, they are able to learn how to cope with their cravings, and adapt to an addiction-free lifestyle.

The best treatment plan will be created for the patient after an initial assessment. What’s important now is that they get started on their path to recovery. Give them your support and find a detox facility near you today!

Addiction Free Solutions

Dont be problem focused. Be solution focused! At Addiction Free Solutions, we know that the solution lies within you. You have to commit to living a sober life. We help connect you with a center that can help assist you from detox and rehab to therapy. We want you to get the help that you need so you can go on and inspire others. Looking for in-patient, out-patient or sober living afterwards? We help you with that as well!

  • “I loved my rehab treatment. I wanted to do in-patient but I could not miss work, so out-patient worked wonders for me. Best of all I did not lose my job! I’m so grateful to be living this life that I dreamed about for so long.”

  • “Addiction Free Solutions helped find a center that I loved. My therapy sessions were amazing, and I was able to dig deep and figure out why I kept relapsing. I’m confident that I am capable of sustaining my sobriety now!”

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