Healthcare providers at a heroin addiction treatment center, like Discover Recovery in Washington state, often treat people who started out by misusing or abusing prescription pain relievers like Vicodin or Oxycontin, went on to develop an addiction to them, and later switched to heroin because it is more easily available from street dealers. The rate of heroin initiation is estimated to be 19 times higher in people with prior misuse of opioid pain relievers. Roughly 8 out of 10 heroin users report using prescription pain pills in the past.
It’s important to seek timely care at a heroin addiction. Heroin overdoses are responsible for 15,000 deaths in the US each year. Entering a residential addiction treatment program in Washington can help individuals overcome their dependency on heroin. If you or someone you love could benefit from a program at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington, read on to learn more about your options.
Heroin FAQ
Heroin is made from the poppy plant. It is mainly produced in Afghanistan and Colombia. Afghanistan is the source of more than 90% of the world’s opium supply.
Street dealers sell heroin under various names such as hell dust, smack, horse, and big H. It comes in the form of a brown or white powder or sticky black tar. A heroin addiction treatment center Washington treats all kinds of heroin addicts, including those who inject, snort, sniff, and smoke the drug. A particularly dangerous practice called speedballing involves mixing heroin with crack/cocaine. People who use multiple drugs through such practices can suffer serious health complications. They should not attempt to quit cold turkey at home. Rather, they should seek care at a top-rated heroin addiction treatment center Washington to safely quit using.
The human body contains natural opioids that mediate feelings of pleasure and pain relief. Heroin simulates these effects and produces an intense euphoria. With repeated use, a person needs higher or more frequent doses of heroin to get the same effects. This is known as tolerance. Also, in the absence of heroin, a regular user experiences unpleasant withdrawal symptoms. Tolerance and withdrawal are key characteristics of heroin addiction and indicate the need for therapy at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington.
Heroin abuse can lead to many serious health complications. Besides the rush or high it produces, the drug can cause unwanted side effects like flushing, dry mouth, heavy limbs, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and itching. These symptoms are commonly noted in patients at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington.
Besides the short-term effects, heroin abuse can also cause long-term health effects. For example, people who inject heroin may suffer from collapsed veins or skin abscesses. The drug can also lead to liver, lung, and kidney disease. Heroin abuse has been linked to antisocial behavior and depression. Individuals with mental health conditions such as depression along with heroin abuse can benefit from treatment at a dual diagnosis heroin addiction treatment center Washington.
If you are unsure whether a loved one needs care at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington, you should look out for the following signs and symptoms.
- Unexplained euphoria
- Mood swings
- Anxiety and depression
- Agitation, hostility, or irritability
- Hallucinations, delusions, or paranoia
Physical signs of heroin abuse, such as small pupils, extremely itchy skin, scabs or needle marks on the skin, and poor hygiene are other warning signs that indicate a person could benefit from treatment at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington.
Many people who enter a drug rehab program at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington are encouraged to seek help by a friend or family member who noticed something was amiss with their behavior. For example, a loved one may notice missing money or colleagues may notice a decline in work performance.
Heroin is an opioid that reproduces the feelings of pleasure and pain control that natural opioids in the body produce; however, heroin does this with much greater intensity. The drug quickly enters the bloodstream and makes its way to the brain where it binds with specific opioid receptors on the surface of brain cells. This produces an intense high that heroin abusers become accustomed to. That’s why people who show up at a heroin addiction treatment center often suffer from intense cravings for the drug.
What’s more, without the drug, they experience a range of withdrawal symptoms like flushed skin, itchy skin, dry mouth, heaviness of the arms and legs, nausea and vomiting. Also, the drug affects thinking and can lead a person to alternate between consciousness and semi-consciousness – this is often referred to as “going on the nod”. The clinical team at a heroin addiction treatment center can manage and control these withdrawal symptoms and make quitting easier.
Many heroin users suffer from additional medical complications as a result of their drug abuse. For instance, people who inject heroin may have collapsed veins or skin abscesses. Heroin can also lead to kidney, liver, and lung complications that may need treatment or stabilization. These medical conditions can be managed simultaneously along with drug rehab at a heroin addiction treatment center.
Withdrawal Symptoms In Heroin Users
People who have been using heroin for a length of time may experience a range of symptoms when they attempt to quit using the drug. These withdrawal symptoms are the main reason heroin addicts are unable to quit without professional help and need to go to a heroin addiction treatment center Washington.
Besides severe cravings, a heroin addict can experience extreme sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, goosebumps, muscle cramps, shaking of the legs, restlessness, fever, and insomnia. These symptoms can be managed at a heroin addiction treatment center Washington to make the withdrawal process smoother and reduce the risk of relapse.
Prescription Pain Pill Abuse and Heroin Addiction
Overdosing On Heroin
A heroin overdose is a life-threatening condition that can be fatal. This is because opioid drugs like heroin can slow down or stop breathing, thereby reducing oxygen supply to the brain, leading to permanent brain damage and coma, even death in severe cases. Timely treatment can prevent the risk of a heroin overdose.
Heroin Treatment Process
It can be dangerous to attempt to quit heroin at home without professional help. Care at a heroin addiction treatment center is necessary because it includes medically supervised detoxification. During this phase of drug rehab, the body is allowed to rid itself of heroin under close supervision by a team of healthcare providers. This is essential to ensure the client’s safety and comfort.
Once a client has been stabilized with medical detox, they can move forward to the next phase of treatment at a heroin addiction treatment center. This typically consists of a range of behavioral therapies that help recovering addicts learn the skills they need to stay drug-free. These skills help heroin addicts deal with triggers, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms. Individual counseling sessions and group therapy are used to teach heroin addicts strategies to prevent relapse in the future. A family therapy program may also be offered at a heroin addiction treatment center.
The best heroin addiction treatment center offers experiential therapies to make recovery easier. This can include things like yoga, meditation, and art/music therapy. The idea is to take a holistic approach to addiction treatment where every aspect of the client’s life is optimized. This type of comprehensive approach at a heroin addiction treatment center has proven benefits in ensuring lasting sobriety.
Discover Recovery Heroin Addiction Treatment Center
If you or a loved one has become addicted to heroin, don’t lose hope. This is a serious but treatable medical condition. The team at Discover Recovery heroin addiction treatment center can help you get clean and stay clean.
Discover Recovery is a leading Washington rehab staffed by a highly experienced team of board-certified physicians, masters level counselors, and registered nurses. Many of our staff members are themselves prior addicts and understand what you are going through. The medical detox and residential rehab program at our heroin addiction treatment center are designed to help people like you get their lives back on track.
The treatment plan at our heroin addiction treatment center is customized for each client. We offer multiple levels of care to meet your needs. Treatment usually begins with medical detox, during which time we use various medications to make the withdrawal process easier. We also provide you with the psychological support you need to deal with cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Following stabilization, you will move to the residential program at our heroin addiction treatment center. During this phase of heroin rehab, we use a range of behavioral therapies to help you learn new skills and change unhealthy behaviors that put you at risk of relapse. Our effective group therapy sessions, individual counseling, and family therapy program teach you strategies to kick the heroin habit for good. What’s more, we offer an aftercare program that provides ongoing support to reduce the risk of relapse.
If you or someone you love is battling heroin addiction, get in touch with Discover Recovery heroin addiction treatment center today. Make the call and take the first step towards a healthier, happier, drug-free future.
