Your Treatment Options for Heroin Abuse
In 2016, almost 950,000 people in the United States reported heroin use within the past year. What’s worse, the majority of heroin users are young adults in the 18-25 years age group. Even more worrisome is the fact that the number of people using heroin for the first time in 2016 had doubled to 170,000, up from 90,000 in 2006. It’s no surprise then that an increasing number of Americans are seeking treatment at heroin detox centers in Washington and elsewhere in the country.
Repeated use of heroin is associated with serious health effects as well as the risk of death due to overdose. It’s encouraging that approximately 625,000 Americans enter rehab at heroin detox centers each year, but much more needs to be done. Many people in need of heroin detox center treatment are not getting the help they need. If you or someone you love needs treatment at a Washington heroin detox center, read on to learn more about your options.
What is Heroin?
Heroin belongs to the same class of drugs as morphine and prescription pain medications like oxycodone and hydrocodone (Oxycontin, Vicodin). It is an opioid drug that is made from the poppy plant. Heroin is an illegal drug with no currently accepted medical use. Because of its extremely high potential for abuse and addiction, heroin has been classified by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) as a Schedule I drug. People obtain heroin from street dealers who sell it under names like hell dust, horse, big H, and smack. Repeated use of heroin can lead to addiction, requiring treatment at a heroin detox center.
Health Effects of Heroin Abuse
People abuse heroin for its euphoric effects. The drug produces a “high” or rush of pleasure that is extremely addictive. However, heroin also causes several short- and long-term adverse health effects, which may prompt drug users to seek treatment at a heroin detox center.
Some of the common short-term effects of heroin that are frequently seen at a heroin detox center include nausea, vomiting, flushing of the skin, dry mouth, heaviness of the limbs, clouded thinking, and alternating between consciousness and semi-consciousness.
Heroin also leads to several long-term health effects, such as damage to the veins in people who inject the drug and damage to the nasal mucosa in people who sniff or snort heroin. Long-term use of heroin is also associated with liver and kidney disease as well as pneumonia and other lung complications, which need to be managed by a medical team at a heroin detox center. Other health complications of heroin abuse include heart infections, mental disorders, sexual dysfunction in men, and menstrual irregularities in women.
Looking at the long list of health complications that can be caused by heroin abuse, it is evident why people with a heroin addiction need professional medical management at a heroin detox center.
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
Once a person has become addicted to heroin, they are unable to quit using this harmful substance due to the appearance of severe cravings and withdrawal symptoms when the drug is withheld. A heroin detox center in Washington can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce drug cravings by using prescription medications if needed. Some of the withdrawal symptoms that are often treated at a heroin detox center include restlessness, cold flashes, sleep disturbances, severe aches and pains, vomiting, diarrhea, and uncontrolled leg movements.
Without treatment at a heroin detox center Washington, the risk of relapse to heroin use is high. Moreover, opioid withdrawal symptoms can escalate quickly and lead to serious health complications. That’s why it’s important to seek treatment at a heroin detox center, to ensure a safe and comfortable withdrawal from heroin.
Heroin Overdose
An individual who abuses heroin can overdose on the drug if they use a large quantity that produces life-threatening symptoms. As noted, heroin is an opioid drug and it can slow or stop breathing at high doses. Slowing of breathing causes not enough oxygen to reach the brain, a condition known as hypoxia. Hypoxia can lead to permanent brain damage, coma, and even death. Getting heroin addiction treatment at a heroin detox center can reduce the risk of overdose and death.
Heroin Addiction Treatment
Fortunately, there is a range of effective FDA-approved medications and behavioral therapies that the clinical team at a heroin detox center can use to help you recover from heroin addiction.
Methadone and buprenorphine are two medicines that can help you stop using heroin by reducing cravings and withdrawal symptoms. Naltrexone is a medication that prevents opioid drugs like heroin from having an effect. The FDA has also approved a medicine called lofexidine to reduce withdrawal symptoms in heroin-addicted individuals. The medical staff at a heroin detox center can use these medications as well as symptomatic management to make the withdrawal from heroin easier. Once opioid detoxification is completed, a medication called naloxone may be prescribed by the heroin detox center to help you during recovery.
Is There a Heroin Detox in Washington Near Me?
If you are looking for the best heroin detox center Washington State offers, look no further than Discover Recovery. We are a leading heroin detox center in Long Beach, Washington, staffed by a highly experienced team of medical professionals including board-certified physicians with a specialization in addiction medicine, registered nurses, and licensed psychologists. Our heroin detox center is a nationally accredited addiction treatment center. We offer multiple levels of care to meet your unique recovery needs.
The medical detox program at Discover Recovery heroin detox center is designed to aid you in overcoming your physical and psychological dependence on the drug. Our clinical team will attempt to make the heroin withdrawal process as smooth as possible and much safer than detoxing at home, which is ill-advised and potentially very dangerous.
The goal of our program at the heroin detox center is to put an end to heroin use and prepare you for the next step in recovery, which involves residential addiction treatment with intensive counseling and behavioral therapies. If you or a loved one needs treatment at a heroin detox center, get in touch with us at Discover Recovery today and take the first step towards a drug-free future.
