Break Free From The Cycle Of Heroin Addiction At Silver Maple Recovery
Youve come a long way from the very first time you got high on heroin. That bright euphoria is now overshadowed by the dark path heroin has taken you down. Mental health issues have begun to occur that are influencing your use. It may seem like there are no treatment options to stop using. But with the right heroin addiction treatment program, theres hope for you to break the cycle of addiction and regain a life without the constant cravings for heroin.
At Silver Maple Recovery, we use evidence-based therapy methods to help you regain control of your life. Backed by our staff with an average of 24 years of local addiction experience, were ready to help you achieve lasting recovery. Silver Maple Recovery offers detox services in-house, so you can transition seamlessly from detox to inpatient treatment.
No matter the obstacles you face with heroin addiction, change is possible. Contact us today to learn more about our heroin addiction treatment program.
Treatment For Heroin Addiction
While heroin addiction is critical, it is treatable. If someone is overdosing on heroin, an injection of naloxone can be administered to reduce the effects. Naloxone can save peoples lives. However, people need to seek treatment when they are addicted to heroin.
The treatment of heroin addiction may require people to complete heroin detox through a medically supervised detoxification where medical professionals will monitor them and work to reduce some of the withdrawal symptoms.
After someone has detoxed from heroin, they will undergo focused treatment heroin addiction treatment.
With treatment, individuals can conquer their addictions to heroin.
Being surrounded by a supportive and trusted staff can make all the difference in recovery.
Contact SpringBoard Recovery today to receive help if you or a loved one is addicted to heroin.
A variety of effective treatments are available for heroin use disorder, including both behavioral and pharmacological . Both approaches help to restore a degree of normalcy to brain function and behavior, resulting in increased employment rates and lower risk of HIV and other diseases and criminal behavior.
Although behavioral and pharmacologic treatments can be extremely useful when utilized alone, research shows that for many people, integrating both types of treatments is the most effective approach.
Planning involves coming up with a treatment plan that is tailored to your needs and desires.
Heroin Is Easy To Access
There is an image of heroin users as homeless, or people who were already suffering from drug addiction that just naturally progressed to harder drugs. However, many heroin addicts start off by becoming addicted to prescription opioids.
Popular opioids available on prescription in the UK include:
- Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Tramadol
Although these drugs are heavily regulated and do not provide the same intensity as a hit of heroin, they are essentially the same thing. As tolerance to a prescription drug builds, the user may start to take more and more, until they are unable to get a prescription for it anymore.
On the street, prescription opioids are incredibly hard to source, and even when they can be found they cost a lot. For example, a single 50mg Tramadol pill costs £10 on the streets, whilst a bag of heroin can be as little as £5.
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How Does The Brain Function
In order to understand how addiction occurs, you should take a look at how the brain affects your life. The brain is essentially your main control tower, with signals going to and from other parts of the body. Ultimately, you are alive because of your brain!
Recent research has given more insight into just how the brain functions. Feelings tend to influence the choices that you make, but do you know why you feel the way that you do? Its because of your brainit makes chemicals that essentially control the way you feel. Pain and pleasure are two of the major types of feelings, and a healthy brain has the ability to ensure that these two feelings remain properly in balance so that you can be happy and survive.
In the brain, there is an area known as the nucleus accumbens that is considered the central control for creating and sending certain chemicals, specifically serotonin and dopamine. These chemicals are known as the feel-satisfied and feel-good chemicals. Without an adequate supply of these two chemicals, you would be unable to feel pain and pleasure. Seratonin helps you feel happy and calms you down, while dopamine helps to dull pain.
Mixing Heroin With Other Drugs Increases The Addiction To Heroin
More often than not, heroin is not a drug that is used alone. In fact, it is used in a combination of drugs for an addict to get high. In some cases, heroin is mixed with other substances when it is originally made. Heroin dealers will do this in order to make their heroin supply last longer and to make more cash. Of course, some people will mix heroin with other drugs simply for an enhanced experience.
As the body begins to build a tolerance to the drug, the user needs more heroin to get the same high that they are seeking. In order to get that high, they may turn to other drugs. You see, heroin will depress the bodys central nervous system, so heroin users may seek out other drugs that will have the same effect on their bodies. Many will turn to depressants like OxyContin or Fentanyl, which are also painkillers, and will help them relax. Once these two drugs are combined, the user may experience shallow breathing and a slower heart rate. This puts the user at risk of a coma and potentially even death.
If you or someone you know have been mixing heroin with another drug, it is important that you become familiar with the risks of doing so. Not only does it increase the probability of becoming addicted to heroin, but it can result in a number of serious health issues as well as death.
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Heroin And Other Drugs
People who abuse Painkillers have a higher risk of experimenting with and becoming addicted to Heroin. Painkillers like OxyContin are classified as Opioids because they are Synthetic, Opiate-like substances activating the same receptors in the brain as Heroin.
Painkillers have similar effects to Heroin, but these pills can be expensive and hard to acquire. Many people who become addicted to Painkillers turn to Heroin because it is cheaper and more accessible.
The way Painkillers are abused can lead to future Heroin abuse as well. Some people crush up Painkillers to snort or inject, which introduces users to methods of administration commonly used in Heroin abuse.
Close to 50% of young people who use Heroin reported abusing Painkillers before moving on to Heroin. Some speculate that Heroin may be easier to obtain than Painkillers.
Featured Centers Offering Treatment For Heroin Addiction
Close to half a million people received treatment for their Heroin addiction in 2012.
percent of youths
20% of youths aged 12 to 17 reported that they saw either moderate, slight, or virtually no risk in using Heroin.
Effects Of Mixing Substances
Per the CDC, the majority of people that use heroin reported using at least three other substances. Additionally, people that are addicted to alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, or opioid pain relieving medications are at increased risk of addiction. This means people addicted to pain medications are 40 times more likely to use heroin.
Heroin users will often mix the drug with other substance to heighten its pleasurable effects or to diminish the unwanted effects. For example, benzodiazepines may be used to limit the discomfort from the heroin high ending.
This and similar practices can add to the danger as combining substances can lead to increaseddepressant effects including:
- Slowed heart rate.
- Death.
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Can You Get Addicted
Yes, heroin is highly addictive. Over time, the effects of heroin on the brain can cause cravings and a strong drive to keep on using.
As heroin is used on a regular basis, the body builds up a tolerance, so that users have to start taking more and more.
Doctors have developed a number of effective ways to treat addiction to street heroin. These include using certain safer drugs to replace the street heroin, such as methadone and buprenorphine.
Other drugs that block the effects of heroin are available once you become drug-free. All these drug treatments are intended to supplement the counselling and social support thats normally needed to help in becoming drug-free and to recover from addiction.
Detoxing From Heroin Addiction
If you have ever tried to stop using heroin on your own, you know how difficult and dangerous the detox process can be. A sudden cessation of heroin use can set the stage for several withdrawal symptoms, ranging from the merely uncomfortable to the downright dangerous. Here are some of the classic withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin detox:
- Runny nose
- Mood changes
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Common First Signs Of Heroin Addiction
If you suspect a friend or loved one has developed a problem, pay close attention to the warning signs of heroin addiction:
- Significant personality changes. Opioids can dramatically change cognitive processing and alter a persons demeanor and responses to social interactions. Pay close attention to sudden changes in a loved ones behavior if you suspect heroin abuse.
- Neglecting personal responsibilities. People who suffer from any kind of drug dependency often neglect basic obligations. For example, if they fail to make it to work on time, neglect to pick up kids after school, or seem more forgetful of basic tasks, they may be struggling with dependency.
- Diminished personal health. Opioid addiction can diminish internal organ functions, immune system responses, and the bodys ability to retain muscle mass.
- Heroin intoxication symptoms. These typically include flushed and itchy skin, runny nose, watery eyes, small pupils, an overly relaxed disposition, and an inability to focus.
- Injection scars or track marks left behind from heroin injection. Users may attempt to hide their injection sites if a loved one consistently wears long sleeves on summer days, it may indicate they are trying to hide evidence of use.
These are just a few of the common outward symptoms you may observe, but also pay close attention to secretive behavior. If you notice some of these symptoms, its probably wise to familiarize yourself with the common heroin street names.
Why Is Heroin So Addictive And How To Get Help For Heroin Addiction
Over the last 15 years, the United States has seen a shocking increase in the number of heroin-related deaths. 1Heroin, and other opioids, continue to be the leading cause of drug overdose in the United States. This public health crisis has left many people wondering why heroin is so addictive, and how they can get help for their heroin addiction.
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Physical Effects Of Heroin
The pleasant side effects produced by short-term heroin use are a huge contributor as to why the drug is so addictive. People will often continue to abuse heroin in the pursuit of feeling that first high again. The pain-relieving abilities produced by activation of the opioid receptors along with the feel-good effects of increased dopamine levels make it a very alluring drug for many people.
The methods of heroin abuse also facilitate a rapid reaction in the body. Smoking, snorting, or injecting heroin all deliver the drug directly to the brain as quickly as possible. That means those pleasant side effects are almost immediate. This instant gratification that is associated with heroin abuse is an added reason as to why the addiction rate is so high among heroin users.
Heroin Changes Brain Chemistry
When a person uses heroin, the drug enters the blood stream and goes straight to the brain. Heroin affects the parts of the brain in charge of pleasure, depression, anxiety and sedation. Thats why people who use heroin feel happy and relaxed. They also stop feeling depressed or anxious.
The memory and motivation systems in the brain remember that heroin caused happiness, and they associate heroin with positive experiences. Memories of the positive experiences grow stronger each time a person uses heroin, and the brain becomes increasingly motivated to use the drug.
With prolonged use, heroin starts to disrupt parts of the brain in charge of self-control and judgment. Heroin addiction occurs because the brain is tricked into thinking the drug causes positive experiences. The brain issues cravings for the drug, and the parts of the brain in charge of self-control arent strong enough to overcome the cravings.
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The New Face Of Heroin
the emphasis has shifted to creating a more powerful product to more thoroughly ensnare repeat business from addicted individuals.
The dangers of heroin use are not new, but over the last few years, there has been a shift. Different people are using heroin, and the drug itself is changing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , the number of people addicted to heroin doubled from 2002 to 2013. Most notably, use has increased significantly throughout many demographics, including women and those with higher incomes 3.
The increasing prevalence of heroin use has been accompanied by alarmingly high rates of severe or fatal overdose in recent years. In fact, the number of overdoses skyrocketed between 2010 and 2015 4. The comparison is shockingfewer than 4,000 people died from a heroin overdose in 2010, but by 2015, the drug was responsible for killing nearly 13,000 people in the U.S. alone 1,4.
While the surge in heroin use across most demographics explains some of the increased number of overdose deaths, it doesnt account for them all. In reality, the change in heroin itself is a key reason for the alarming rise in deaths attributed to this substance.
How Heroin Affects The Brain
The drug, heroin, quickly binds to opioid receptors in the brain when taken. These receptors communicate with the body in terms of feelings of pain and pleasure they also control heart rate, sleep, and breathing.
Someone with heroin addiction will feel a rush of euphoria when the drug enters the brain. Heroin blocks your body from receiving pain messages from the brain. It also, however, slows down your heart and breathing rates. If you were to take too much heroin and overdose, you could die if you stop breathing.
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Heroin Addiction Recovery At The Villa Treatment Center
At The Villa, we assist those suffering from heroin dependence by offering addiction diagnosis to recognize the condition, detox, counseling, dual diagnosis and many other alternative evidence-based therapies. We craft custom heroin rehabilitation and recovery programs that address all sides of addiction and work from the bottom up with you.
Heroin addiction is called an addiction because the majority of clients that come to us have allowed their substance abuse to overcome their need for the necessities of living, and have placed the necessary things off to the side while the drug remains at the center. To get your life under control and replace that burning desire for heroin use, our inpatient programs at The Villa Treatment Center are designed to retrain your brain so that you can focus on getting well and sober.
Development of Heroin
Processing and Use of Heroin
Poppy plants all around the world are the parent ingredient that is used to make opiates such as morphine, heroin, oxycodone, and methadone. Opiates are acquired from the seeds of the poppy plant, and a pure form is created, that is often combined with a slew of other ingredients unknown to the general population upon use. Its important to understand where heroin comes from and how its made so that people can understand the dangers associated with use.
What Is Samhsa’s National Helpline
SAMHSAs National Helpline, , or TTY: is a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. Callers can also order free publications and other information.
Also visit the online treatment locator.
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Mental Health Disorders We Treat:
Alcohol
If there are any substances you don’t see on the list above, please contact us to provide more information and to see if we treat that substance. We’re here to help addicts overcome these issues. There is hope. Call The Villa Treatment Center today and let us help you find your path to recovery.
How Does Opioid Addiction Start
by serene | Last updated Dec 17, 2021 | Published on Dec 30, 2021 | Opioids
Opioids are a class of drugs that produce morphine-like effects. They are effective at treating moderate to severe pain. When used correctly, opioids can be beneficial. However, opioids are considered highly addictive, and misusing opioids increases the risk of…
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What Are The Different Ways To Take Heroin
There are many different ways to take heroin.
Each method results in a different experience for the user and comes with different risks.
Intravenous
Intravenous means within a vein. Intravenous administration of a substance is when you inject the substance directly into your bloodstream. It is the most common way to take heroin because it results in the quickest and most intense high. You typically feel the effects after around 10 seconds.
Injecting substances has additional risks. Users often share needles between them which can spread certain diseases such as HIV or Hepatitis C. You can also damage your body by misusing a needle.
Inhalation
After you inhale heroin, it usually takes around 5 minutes for you to experience the effects. This is longer than injecting or smoking it.
People often inhale heroin, believing that it is less likely to lead to addiction than other methods because the high is slower. In reality, most people who begin by inhaling it go on to crave the intense high of other methods.
Oral
When you take heroin orally, your liver digests it before it enters your bloodstream. The liver turns heroin back into morphine. Taking heroin orally results in the same effects as taking morphine by the same method.
Intranasal
Intranasal refers to taking the substance through your nose by snorting or sniffing it. The heroin avoids passing through your liver, so it reaches the brain in the same form.
Rectal
