Heroin addiction treatment: Get help to achieve full recovery
Addiction to drugs or alcohol can ruin not just one person’s life: it can destroy entire families, friendships, and career opportunities. However, it doesn’t mean the individual can’t recover from the addiction. Multiple great heroin addiction treatment programs enable individuals to bounce back and become normal.
This article aims to explain how to get off heroin. It focuses on explaining how narcotics addiction works and how to start heroin treatment. More importantly, we will explain why detoxification is insufficient and must be augmented with rehabilitation programs and further support for individuals fighting the same battle.
Understanding heroin addiction
Heroin addiction is a chronic and devastating illness. People addicted to this narcotic can’t stop using it, despite harmful consequences and often fatal results. Even knowing that it is a deadly drug, addicts can’t stop using it because of its effect on the body and withdrawal symptoms after dropping its usage for some time.
Heroin is an illegal opioid drug. It originates from morphine, a substance derived from the opium poppy plant used to ease pain. This narcotic is typically injected, but some people smoke or inhale it. In any of these cases, opiates produce a powerful and pleasurable rush of euphoria. The euphoric condition is why so many people seek the usage of this narcotic.
Regular substance usage leads to the brain and body developing an addiction. Unfortunately, regular usage of heroin leads to horrible results that include brain damage, the development of mental illnesses, health problems, overdose, and death if one does not deal with the issue.
Some of the first problems that heroin addicts face are social consequences (loss of friends, family, work, etc.) and financial troubles. Addicts lose their jobs, yet they still require the drug to avoid painful withdrawal symptoms and get the “high” effect. As a result, they engage in borrowing money or stealing. Thus, this leads to legal problems.
The biggest issue with heroin is that people feel tolerance to previous doses. Thus, after a while, they require more substance to experience the same satisfaction. Increased intake leads to overdose and death.
Take back control of your life and start on the road to recovery now.
How does heroin affect the human body and mental state?
Like most opioids, heroin has short-term and long-term effects on a person’s body. The first effects include a euphoric state, pain relief, and sedation. However, this narcotic may also cause unpleasant reactions, such as nausea, vomiting, confusion, and paranoia. Typically, people who use heroin have constricted pupils.
The long-term effects are the ones to fear. To name a few:
- Increased tolerance. As the body becomes accustomed to the drug, individuals must intake higher dosages to achieve the same effects.
- Addiction. The narcotic is extremely addictive. Regular use may lead to physical and psychological dependencies.
- Respiratory issues. People may experience breathing problems that go as far as pneumonia and collapsed lungs!
- Infectious diseases. Even though some individuals inhale this narcotic, it’s very rare. People use it intravenously, which may have several complications, including the spread of infections. Some of them include hepatitis B/C, HIV, and AIDS.
- Liver and kidney damage or failure. Regular and long-term usage severely damages the liver and kidneys. The person can die from this damage.
- Mental health issues. The person may face mental problems like anxiety or depression.
That’s why you or your loved ones should seek help as soon as possible if one of you is dependent on heroin or a heroin substitute. It’s imperative to seek heroin addiction treatment as soon as possible before an addict gets severe health damage.
Types of heroin addiction treatment
Luckily, there are quite a few heroin treatment programs that show good results. Typically, one treatment doesn’t give the best guarantees, whereas combining several ways helps. The most successful treatment plans for heroin addiction typically involve a combination of behavioral therapies, medication-assisted treatment, and support from family and friends.
Check out a list of the best treatment programs to combine them in a complex approach.
Pharmacological therapy
Treating misuse of this narcotic by using pharmacological medication shows some of the best effects. Typically, medical professionals utilize buprenorphine and naltrexone. Buprenorphine manages and reduces withdrawal symptoms which aid the healing process. Naltrexone blocks the opiates’ effects on the brain, preventing individuals from feeling the euphoric effects of the narcotic.
Residential treatment
It is also known as inpatient treatment. As you may have already guessed, it implies that the addict must live in a residential facility. Typically, the person is monitored and undergoes tests to ensure they no longer use narcotics. This is one of the best solutions after detox since the person doesn’t go back to the previous environment, which often causes a relapse.
Behavioral therapy
It is a type of heroin addiction treatment that helps addicts identify and change the thoughts and behavior patterns that contribute to their addiction. Understanding the root cause of the problem offers more chances of a long-term recovery.
Outpatient program
This heroin addiction treatment solution is a great way to receive support. Overall, it requires going to meetings and discussing your problems with people who also undergo the recovery process. One of the best examples of such treatments is Narcotics Anonymous.
Heroin addiction symptoms
Before figuring out whether the person you care about requires to go through a heroin rehab, it’s critical to figure out what are the symptoms of addiction. Overall, if you suspect someone is using narcotics, it’s already a reason to be concerned. Consider seeking professional guidance or organizing intervention if you’re worried.
However, there are a few common signs that indicate a person is using narcotics and has a dependency. Some of the most common symptoms include:
- Needle marks or bruises on body parts where the person can make an injection. In some cases, the person may hide these body parts with clothing, which is also a tell sign.
- Constricted or dilated pupils.
- Weight loss.
- Changes in social behavior. The most common example is when the person stops hanging out with former friends, loses interest in loved ones, or withdraws from the family. In some cases, the person may quit or lose their job. The drug addict loses interest in former hobbies and develops new harmful habits, such as hanging out with dangerous people.
- Slurred speech.
- Increased sweating.
- Uncontrolled cravings for medication, even knowing its harmful effects.
- Inability to stop using narcotics.
- Sudden changes in behavior, mood swings, aggression, or, on the contrary, apathy and depression. Once a normal and healthy person becomes the opposite of their former self.
- Financial issues. The person may start borrowing or even stealing money.
If you notice that a friend has some of these symptoms, it’s best to seek professional heroin addiction treatment. Experts in narcotics addiction may help you convince the person they have a problem. Then they can convince the addict to start treatment and apply for a recovery program.
This can be a difficult journey, but you don’t have to go it alone. Let us be your guide and provide you the environment needed to regain control of your life and begin the path to recovery.
Back to normal life with Eco Sober Houses
Eco Sober Houses is a facility that helps patients who underwent a detoxification procedure to stay clean. Thus, they no longer battle withdrawal symptoms or are so mild that they barely affect the person’s thinking. That’s when the addict must continue the path to healing. The recovery process requires support.
Eco Sober Houses can help you or the person you care about overcome the struggle. After getting heroin addiction treatment Massachusetts you can stay in the facility and continue your way to normal life. Strong brotherhood and mentor’s support will prevent relapse and motivate on achievements.
It’s critical to change the former environment to have a chance to think about how the addiction affected one’s life. While staying at a center and attending support groups, Eco Sober Houses helps addicts find a job, regain everyday skills, get an education, etc. Thus, addicts get control of their lives and manage to stay sober long-term after a heroin addiction treatment.
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