Heroin is a highly addictive opioid drug that is so potent that it often results in emergency department visits for overdoses. The drug results in thousands of deaths in the U.S. every year. Heroin addiction leads to both short-term and long-term effects of using the drug. Heroin addicts that try to quit on their own are often unsuccessful. One reason for the unsuccessful attempts and relapses among individuals addicted to heroin is because of the withdrawal symptoms. The addiction to heroin itself causes devastating effects. Oceanfront Recovery staff has the expertise to help you heal from addiction and heroin withdrawal symptoms.
What is Heroin and Why is it So Addictive?
Heroin is an opioid drug that users typically buy on the street from a drug dealer. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that it is a white or brown powder. Some people addicted to heroin use a specific type of heroin that is a sticky black substance called black tar heroin.
Heroin is made from morphine. Users typically snort heroin, inject it, and sometimes smoke heroin. No matter how you use heroin, there are substantial risks to your health and your life every time that you use the drug.
When you use heroin repeatedly, you need more of the drug to get the same effect that you experienced the last time that you used heroin. It enters the brain quickly, and changes the physical structure and physiology of your brain.
The effects of heroin on the brain and body potentially include:
- Irreversible deterioration of white matter in the brain
- Difficulties making decisions or inability to respond appropriately to stressful situations
- Collapsed veins
- Damaged nasal tissues
- Liver or kidney disease
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
Heroin withdrawal symptoms occur because of the repeated use of the drug, the tolerance associated with heroin use, and what the National Institutes of Health (NIH) refers to as the ‘neurobiology’ of the heroin dependence.
Some heroin withdrawal symptoms include:
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Trembling or feelings of jitteriness
- Severe muscle pain or bone pain
- Uncontrollable movements of your legs
- Nausea or vomiting or diarrhea
Oceanfront Recovery provides a heroin addiction treatment program that helps both men and women through their heroin withdrawal symptoms and their heroin addiction treatment. Staff members at Oceanfront Recovery understand the effects of heroin on the body and the mind. Treatment professionals help you understand all aspects of heroin addiction, and how to recover from many of the devastating effects of your heroin addiction.
Treating Heroin Addiction
Treating heroin addiction first requires that every client participates in an assessment. The results of the assessment help determine your treatment needs, and the best options to help you regain control over your life.
Discover how to live heroin free, without further damage to your brain, your mind, or your future. Heroin treatment programs, along with all Oceanfront Recovery substance abuse treatment, including dual diagnosis treatment, provides you with the tools to learn to live a drug-free life, and work towards achieving your goals for staying clean and sober.
Contact Oceanfront Recovery today at 877.296.7477 to start on your path to recovery. We welcome men and women to the peaceful surroundings in Laguna Beach, California, which are ideal for regaining control over your life.
