Heroin is one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs in existence. Thousands of individuals in the United States alone have died of heroin overdoses in the last decade. Many of those who struggle with heroin addiction never seek out help. They might think that heroin addiction treatment is too expensive, too time-consuming, or that they will never recover.
However, heroin rehabs and detox centers can be the first step on the road to lasting recovery. It’s possible to break free from heroin addiction. Drug addiction treatment programs and a heroin detox center can give you the coping skills and behavior adjustment options to get you back on the road to recovery.
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What Is Heroin?
Heroin is a highly addictive substance created from morphine and several types of poppy plants. The drug can be smoked, snorted, or injected. Novice users may prefer to smoke or snort the substance in order to avoid the injection process. The drug is illegal in the United States.
Why Heroin Is Dangerous
While there are many reasons that this drug is problematic, heroin is an especially dangerous drug for three important reasons. First, it is highly addictive. After one or two uses, many people already have a genuine need to use the drug more. Addiction can rapidly cause the user to lose control of the frequency of use and the impact on their life and body.
Secondly, the drug is also especially dangerous because even in small amounts it can cause drowsiness, mental cloudiness, depressed heart rate, and slowed breathing. Heroin can slow a person’s heart rate and breathing enough to cause brain damage or coma. Chronic users can also suffer from some of the following side effects:
- Personality disorders
- Insomnia
- Constipation
- Damage to the lungs or internal structures of the nose
Third, the manufacturing and application of the drug can both produce unique dangers. Illegal drugs are often created in haphazard circumstances. Users never know the exact potency or the combination of substances used to cut the purity of the heroin. In addition, needle use has been linked with hepatitis C and HIV infections.
Heroin Overdoses
Because heroin depresses breathing and heart rate, large doses can easily cause life-threatening circumstances. In addition, since drug purity can vary with each dose, users never really know how much they are using. The exact same amount of powder can contain different concentrations of actual heroin with each dose.
How Heroin Rehab or a Heroin Detox Center Can Help
Ending heroin use is not just a question of will. Long-term use of heroin can lead to serious withdrawal complications, including pain, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment centers have access to medications that can reduce the sense of craving and physical discomforts. When managed with medical professionals, these drug detox center treatments can make it easier for the person to overcome the initial period of detoxification.
In addition to the physical symptoms of drug addiction, users sometimes adopt behaviors that can promote continued use. People also use illegal drugs as coping mechanisms for other issues.
Drug addiction treatment centers can provide behavioral therapy to address cognitive or behavioral issues that may contribute to drug use. When used with medications, the combination can provide the person with the coping tools and behavioral modifications necessary to avoid a relapse. This comprehensive approach to heroin use disorder is the best way to get the patient back to healthy living.
Contact Ethan Crossing for Heroin Addiction Treatment
Get the professional help you need to remove heroin from your life. Through medication, therapy, and support, Ethan Crossing Recovery can help you recover. Reach out to our heroin detox center by calling us at 833.691.0736 today.