Heroin Addiction Treatment

Understanding Heroin Addiction

Derived from the opium poppy plant and made from morphine, heroin is an illegal drug that is commonly abused. It has highly addictive properties and is extremely dangerous, causing thousands of deaths every year. Many people that become addicted to heroin are drawn to the drug as a result of a prior addiction to prescription opioid use. As a semi-synthetic opioid, heroin reproduces the effects of prescription painkillers. Many times, the transition to heroin comes when a patient loses access to their prescriptions or the cost of black-market painkillers becomes too expensive. For this reason, it is imperative that patients who are prescribed opioids take extra precaution, as they are at greater risk for heroin addiction.

Initial use immediately causes changes within the mind and body that increase the likelihood for developing a heroin use disorder. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, studies show that out of the 4 million Americans that try the drug each year, roughly 25% will become addicted.

There is no doubt that our country, among many others, is currently experiencing the worst drug epidemic in history. The leading perpetrators of this crisis are those of the opioid class of drugs including heroin, fentanyl, and prescription painkillers. Unfortunately, thousands will never seek help or receive the treatment they need to recover, but that does not have to be your story.

If you suspect a loved one is currently struggling with a heroin addiction or if you need help, this page serves a guide to understanding heroin addiction, its warning signs and symptoms and how to start the process of addiction treatment. Brookdale is here to guide you every step of the way on your road to recovery.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is usually seen as a white or brown powder or a black sticky substance (this variation has earned the name black tar heroin). As a type of opioid, it overrules sensors in the brain to produce feelings of elation and pleasure, otherwise known as a high. While this effect is what users continue to seek, it is the chemicals that produce the feeling within their brain that they become addicted to.

These chemicals work as a result of heroin changing back into morphine after entering the brain. Here, it binds to opioid receptors, parts of the brain that are important for managing pleasure and other moods. These areas are also responsible for automatic bodily functions such as blood pressure and breathing. By doing this, the drug overrides the body’s limbic reward system, allowing it to quickly spur addiction, overruling judgement and planning to create a relentless desire for the next high. Heroin’s effect on the brain means that each use carries with it the risk of permanent brain damage or death.

A known gateway drug for heroin is prescription painkillers, and for this reason many who are prescribed opioid pain medications are at higher risk for developing an addiction. Oftentimes, when or if a person becomes addicted to a prescription painkiller, the financial cost becomes too expensive or physicians eventually stop this form of treatment. At this point, those individuals turn to heroin, as its potency is higher, and the cost is much less. While both drugs are highly addictive and dangerous, heroin often poses a greater risk because its production is unregulated and is sometimes combined with filler ingredients, which are unknown to the user. A common substance used to “cut” heroin is called Fentanyl, the leading cause of overdose deaths today.

Heroin is commonly used through intranasal use (snorting), smoking it, or intravenous use.

Appearance and Contents of Heroin

The appearance of heroin can tell a lot about its potency, geographical origin and purity.

The drug generally comes in brown or white with various shades in between. There is also a black variant available that is more of a solid than a powder. The whiter the drug, the purer it is. Increased purity means that it is more potent, giving users a stronger high while putting them at greater risk of addiction and overdose. The purest heroin forms are odor-free, meanwhile impure forms develop a pungent smell such as vinegar. This vinegar-like smell increases notably when smoked.

Usually, the white form of the drug is found along the eastern United States, while the brown form is usually found in the west, although there are plenty of exceptions in both cases.

The reason that some heroin is impure comes down to how it is produced and managed by drug dealers. To maximize profits, many drug dealers will mix their heroin with other substances so they can make more sales with less product. These additions may dilute the drug, but still pose a great danger to the user and in some cases, increase the likelihood of overdose and death.

Some of the alternate ingredients cut with heroin include:

Many of these ingredients are potentially fatal on their own, but even “safer” ingredients such as caffeine and flour help to make the mixture more dangerous. Caffeine is a prime example of this because when mixed with heroin, it can mask the effects created by heroin. As a result, a person may use more of the drug than they typically would, increasing their chances of experiencing an overdose.

As the cost of opioids rises and prescription monitoring regulations are put into effect, the demand for heroin grows.

Symptoms of Heroin Use

The symptoms of heroin are not just physical, but emotional and social as well. Its use causes a change in how the brain functions and people that are addicted to heroin may seem to completely change as individuals. Oftentimes, they will give up activities and hobbies that they once enjoyed and if they face financial troubles, may resort to criminal or manipulative means to feed their addiction. Many will also neglect their responsibilities, whether it is caring for children, their personal health or attending work. Some choose to avoid loved ones, develop lying tendencies, and some even become violent.

Physical signs of using heroin start out relatively mild but will quickly decline as use continues. Some of the lesser symptoms to watch out for are:

Meanwhile, worsening symptoms include:

Some of these symptoms are long-term and permanent, even if heroin use has stopped. Depending on how the person uses heroin, they can have an increased risk for HIV or Hepatitis as well. Additionally, they are at a greater psychological risk for antisocial personality disorder and depression.

If an individual is suspected of using heroin and developing an addiction, several other signs that friends and family members should watch out for are:

• Loss of appetite

• Weight loss

• Unexpected or rapid mood changes

• A change in friends and social environments

• Financial troubles despite having a job

• Missing family gatherings or holidays, when they otherwise would not

• Wearing long sleeves in warm weather

• Being manipulative and deceitful

• Faking pain-related emergencies or causing self-harm to receive pain medication

• Keeping an excess of pill bottles and prescription pads in their home or nearby

In some instances, a heroin addict may recognize their addiction but be unable to fight. In others, they may be in a complete state of denial, unable to see just how damaging their addiction is. As a result, it is often necessary for a loved one to recognize the signs and step in to connect them with professional help.

Heroin Addiction and the Road to Recovery

Heroin addiction is especially difficult to break away from because of how the drug influences and overrides the brain. It uses natural systems in the body, specifically the limbic reward system to strengthen a person’s desire for the next high. Because of this, it can be dangerous and nearly impossible for a person to break the addiction on their own, needing the help of professionals trained in the field of addiction treatment.

Heroin Detox and Rehabilitation

Every person who comes to rehab presents with their own unique set of circumstances and needs. As such, it is imperative that the patient first be thoroughly evaluated by the treatment team to create customized therapeutic plans. An individualized care plan will give each patient the best chance for long-term recovery.

In most scenarios, the first step of the treatment process is detoxification, otherwise known as detox. During this time the patient is slowly weaned off any harmful and addictive substances that are in their system, under the supervision of medical professionals. While in detox, a patient may begin to experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms, which are mitigated through a use of medical interventions, such as medication. To properly manage any harmful side effects associated with withdrawal or furthering medical conditions, it is crucial that a person struggling with addiction seek the help of professionals.

After the detox process is complete, the residential portion of treatment can begin. During residential care, patients will participate in an array of traditional and holistic therapies that can include 12-Step integration, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, yoga, relapse prevention, family education, meditation and mindfulness, as well as many others. The goal of this stage of care is to help the patient recognize the negative thinking and behaviors that encourage addiction and equip them with healthy coping mechanisms for life after rehab. While recovery is not an easy process, its rewards are certainly worth fighting for. Through the process of treatment rests the hope for a sober future.

Read more: How Long Does Heroin Stay in your Body

Getting Help for a Heroin Addiction Today

Heroin addiction can affect anyone regardless of their gender, race, age or social background. While it was once known as a street drug, it has become common among all demographics with the rise of prescription painkiller addiction. For this reason, no individual is immune to addiction or protected from the risk of a potentially fatal overdose.

If you recognize the signs of a heroin addiction in yourself or someone you know, it is imperative to get seek professional help. As a facility that specializes in drug and alcohol addiction treatment, Brookdale will guide you on the path of recovery. A life free from the bonds of addiction is possible, and it starts with calling us today at 855-575-1292.

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