Most people who are addicted to heroin will require a combination of medical care, counseling, behavioral therapy, and social support to achieve lasting recovery from their addiction. Drug treatments for detoxification and long-term maintenance are most effective when combined heroin addiction treatment with a medication compliance program and behavioral or “talk” therapy. These medications can relieve opioid cravings without producing the “high” or dangerous side effects of other opioids. While either one can be used individually, the risk for relapse is high when used alone.
- Opioids are narcotic, painkilling drugs produced from opium or made synthetically.
- Once you’ve been addicted to a drug, you’re at high risk of falling back into a pattern of addiction.
- Though any form of heroin poses a risk of addiction, injecting heroin carries a higher risk, since your bloodstream can carry the drug directly to your brain.
- The effects of Heroin can seem harmless to those who are experimenting with the drug.
In some states, a licensed drug and alcohol counselor may make the diagnosis. Sometimes opioid use disorder begins with legal drugs like painkillers that are prescribed after a surgery or some other injury. Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. People who abuse Painkillers have a higher risk of experimenting with and becoming addicted to Heroin. Painkillers like OxyContin are classified as Opioids because they are Synthetic, Opiate-like substances activating the same receptors in the brain as Heroin.
Symptoms of Heroin Use
Heroin sold on the street can have several nicknames, including smack, dope and horse. The scientific name for heroin, which is derived from morphine, is diacetylmorphine. Morphine occurs naturally in opium, https://ecosoberhouse.com/ the sap inside the seed of the opium poppy plant. Heroin works similarly to other opioids by binding to the opioid receptors in the central nervous system (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord.
The physical and psychological signs of heroin addiction are synonymous with its side effects. There are different types of side effects related to heroin use, including common side effects, severe (atypical) side effects, and overdose symptoms. For a person with a heroin addiction, life revolves around use of the drug. A person like this might become secretive, concerned about money, and willing to skip work and family obligations in order to get drugs. Physical signs include track marks, frequent sedation, clouded thinking, and flu-like symptoms between drug doses. While heroin is a much stronger opioid than its predecessor, it can also cause a number of serious side effects.
Heroin and Co-Occurring Disorders
It also gets the drug to the brain more quickly than if heroin was swallowed. Smoking heroin is one of the fastest ways to get the drug to the brain, according to the Genetic Science Learning Center. Doctors tailor their treatment approach to the individual needs of the person. Addiction can remove an otherwise healthy and contributing member from society, and may lead to severe disability and eventually death. Stimulants include amphetamines, meth (methamphetamine), cocaine, methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, others) and amphetamine-dextroamphetamine (Adderall XR, Mydayis).
