Author: Dr. Keerthy Sunder, MD, DFAPA

Are you worried a loved one is using heroin? About 948,000 Americans?admitted to using heroin in 2016. Heroin overdose deaths increased by almost 20 percent between 2015 to 2016.

The scary part is these numbers keep rising. More and more young adults reported using heroin, which is the largest group to increase usage.

Heroin is one of the most widely abused opiates in the world, with 9.2 million?using heroin worldwide. There’s a reason why it’s so addictive. Here are important facts about heroin.

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is a type of opioid. It is made from the seed pods of the opium poppy plants from Mexico, Colombia, and Southeast and Southwest Asia. Various forms of heroin include a black sticky substance or brown or white powder.

People either smoke, snort, inject, or sniff heroin. Sometimes they mix heroin with crack cocaine. Common names for heroin include smack, horse, big H, and hell dust.

Why Is Heroin So Addictive?

Heroin has long been known to be a very addictive drug. In fact, about one in four users that try heroin are addicted.

This is because it immediately affects the brain. It causes the brain to release “feel good” chemicals – both endorphins and dopamine. The brain recognizes the activation of these chemicals and begins to link them with heroin almost as a reward to the body.

In addition, the withdrawal symptoms of heroin are extremely uncomfortable, and it is hard for a user to stop on his or her own. The body also begins to require larger amounts of heroin to feel good, so users build up a tolerance. This tolerance causes?certain areas of the brain to stop responding without the opioid receptor.

Getting Off Heroin Takes a Long Time

If you are addicted to heroin, it may take you a while to kick this addiction. You will experience withdrawal symptoms that can vary in intensity.

These withdrawal symptoms start around 6 to 12 hours after your last use. You will feel the peak of withdrawal symptoms around 1 to 3 days. They should subside gradually after about 5 to 7 days.

Some users have withdrawal symptoms for weeks or even months. Everyone is different, so it’s hard to say how difficult it will be for each person.

You will have to retrain your body to feel good again naturally. Some users have a hard time getting rid of the urge to take heroin even after they have gone through withdrawal.

Withdrawal Is Difficult

A person addicted to heroin will get withdrawal symptoms around 12 hours after the last time he or she used. Heroin withdrawal can be extremely difficult. Some of the common symptoms include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Sweating
• High anxiety
• Agitation
• Restlessness
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Intense cravings
• Uncomfortable leg movements

Some withdrawal symptoms are so intense that users want to take heroin just to get rid of the uncomfortable symptoms and get relief. The user then goes through withdrawal all over again once he or she stops using heroin.

Cravings for heroin can last years after a person has stopped using the drug. These cravings can be triggered by bad memories, places, people, and extreme stress.

Extreme Itching Is a Side Effect of Heroin Use

After heroin enters the brain, the brain changes it to morphine that binds the receptors in the body. This also produces a strong rush and a warm flushing to the skin.

A little-known side effect of heroin use is extreme itchiness. Opiate drugs create histamines that the body uses during allergic reactions. These histamines make the skin itch, which makes users want to scratch.

This side effect means the drug is strong and not contaminated. A lot of users?feel that their skin is “crawling” along with being itchy.

Mixing Heroin with Other Drugs Can Be Dangerous

A lot of heroin users take at least one other drug along with it, and some of these combinations can be pretty risky. Many heroin overdoses are from combining heroin with other drugs, most commonly sedatives and alcohol.

Drinking alcohol along with heroin increases the risk of overdose because it causes shallow breathing, lowered heart rate and blood pressure, and can put someone in a deep sedation.

Anxiety medicines?such as Valium, Xanax, and Restoril are extremely risky to take with heroin. Both the opioids and these medications slow the rate of breathing, making it highly risky that you could stop breathing altogether.

Using heroin and cocaine together is also a very serious combination. Heroin depresses the nervous system while cocaine revives it. Both of these drugs cause breathing difficulties and can harm your heart.

Mixing opioids together such as hydrocodone, fentanyl, oxycodone, and morphine is dangerous because they intensify the side effects. They work the same as heroin does, so too much of these drugs can suppress the nervous system and heart rate to the point of cardiac arrest and death.

Drowsy-State After First Rush Is Risky

When?a person uses heroin, he or she gets a sudden rush or a feeling of euphoria. After that state, the person then enters a phase where he or she alternates between being awake and extreme drowsiness?for hours.

To imagine what it looks like, think about a student who is trying to stay awake and school and his or her head keeps nodding when sleepiness takes over. Eventually, the student will jerk awake to try to concentrate. That’s what heroin does to you.

Heroin is a sedative that causes a person to get sleepy but not fall into a deep sleep. This is the phase that most users enjoy because they feel so relaxed.

This can be dangerous because the body can go into a deep sedation. If the person becomes unconscious, he or she could sink into an overdose as the body’s breathing slows too much and may stop.

Babies Can Be Born Addicted to Heroin

Every 25 minutes a baby is born suffering from opioid withdrawal. The baby was exposed to the drug in?the womb and becomes physically addicted, just like heroin users.

A baby can be addicted to any opiate including prescription drugs. When a pregnant woman takes opioids, the growing baby is exposed to this drug regularly. As soon as the baby is born, he or she suddenly does not get this drug anymore.

The baby is dependent on this drug and begins to go through withdrawal. These symptoms include fever, irritability, vomiting, slow weight gain, fever, and excessive crying. A newborn exhibits symptoms about 72 hours after being born.

Addicted babies need treatment. This involves putting the baby back on opiates and gradually reducing dosage to withdraw the newborn over time.

Other Side Effects of Heroin

The immediate side effects of heroin include dry mouth, heavy feeling in extremities, nausea, vomiting, severe itching, and a warm flush of the skin. The user will be drowsy for several hours. Other immediate symptoms include:

• Clouded mental function
• Slow heart rate
• Reduced breathing rate

Reduced breathing can lead to brain damage and a coma.?The drug effects the opioid receptors that control the body’s functions such as swallowing, breathing, heart beat, blood pressure, and consciousness.

Because the drug impairs these functions, there?can be long-term problems such as:

• Kidney?disease
• Liver disease
• Collapsed veins
• Lung complications such as pneumonia
• Abscesses
• Heart infections
• Digestive issues including cramping and constipation

Heroin can also clog blood vessels to main organs like the brain, kidneys, lungs, and liver. These clogs create permanent damage to these vital organs.

Prescription Opioids Can Lead to Heroin Use

Nearly 75 percent of Americans?in treatment for heroin have stated they used prescription opioids before heroin. These prescription medications include Vicodin and OxyContin.

This is just one factor leading to heroin use. People switch to heroin because it is cheaper and easier to get than the prescription drugs.

Any Method of Using Heroin Is Addicting

There are different ways to use heroin including injecting, smoking, and snorting. Because all methods enter the brain quickly, all of these ways are addictive contrary to what users think. All three of these methods cause severe health problems.

Can You Overdose on Heroin?

In 2016, more than 15,500 people died?from heroin overdose in the U.S. So, yes, a person can definitely overdose on heroin. An overdose happens when the person takes enough of the drug for a life-threatening reaction.

Once the breathing slows or stops, the brain does not get enough oxygen. This is called hypoxia. This can cause short- and long-term effects to the brain including brain damage or a coma.

Signs of an overdose include:

• Blue tint to the person’s fingers and lips
• Gasping for air
• Shallow breathing
• Extremely pale skin
• Weak pulse
• Pinpoint pupils
• Disorientation
• Low blood pressure
• Confused mental state
• Spasms
• Seizures

It’s important to call emergency personnel immediately if you see anyone with these symptoms. The person needs medication to reverse the effects of heroin to get breathing normally again.

How Do You Treat a Heroin Overdose?

Naloxone is given to a person immediately to treat the overdose. This medicine binds to the opioid receptors in the body to minimize the effects of the heroin. A person may need multiple doses to begin breathing again.

This is why a person suspected of an overdose needs immediate medical attention by a trained professional. These medications are available in different forms such as an injectable solution, a nasal spray, and a handheld auto injector.

Because of the increase in opioid overdose deaths in the past years, there is an increase for the public health sector to make naloxone more available to at-risk people and their families. First responders typically have these medications on hand. Some pharmacies dispense naloxone without prescriptions because of this need.

Other Facts About Heroin

It’s important to know that there is no typical heroin user. Most users are teenagers or young adults that come from upper to middle class families, which is not what a person may think of for a typical drug user.

Heroin’s purest form is white. Most heroin is black, brown, or gray because toxic ingredients are added. It’s hard to tell how pure heroin really is when it is not white.

Heroin used to be sold over the counter as a pain reliever in cough drops. People thought it was less addictive than morphine. The name heroin originated because doctors thought it had “heroic” qualities of a strong medicine.

Treatment of Heroin Addiction

There are a variety of treatment options for heroin users. These treatments typically include both medical and behavioral programs. These approaches help the brain to function normally without the drug.

Detoxing from the drug causes withdrawal symptoms that can be severe. This is why a person may need medical help for detoxification. The non-opioid medication helps reduce these withdrawal symptoms.

A person should not detox from heroin?alone because it can be extremely dangerous. If a person is alone to detox, there is a good chance they may start using again to help relieve the withdrawal symptoms.

Behavioral treatments can be outpatient or in-home. This approach helps a person to learn to cope with life stressors and learn how to modify expectations. This is important to help a person stay on the road to recovery – if someone can not deal with these stressors correctly, a relapse could happen.

If you have a loved one that is addicted to heroin, you may want to stage an intervention. This lets the person know you care and can help them see there is a problem. It’s important to work with a professional and have a plan before starting an intervention.

Getting Help for Heroin Addiction

Now that you know the facts about heroin, it’s time to get the help you are a loved one need to kick this dangerous addiction.?Getting yourself or a loved one help for addiction is an extremely difficult decision.

Don’t wait until your loved one’s addiction gets worse. Contact us today to discuss the best options to get your loved one treatment. We can discuss recovery options, detox, rehab, and even costs including insurance coverage.

About 5% of American adults suffer from Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD). Chronic insomnia, restlessness, irritability, lack of focus and pain from prolonged muscle tension is enough to wear anyone into submission.

If you’re suffering from these symptoms, taking Xanax might seem like a good idea. But, recent scientific findings reveal that Xanax might be worse for your long-term well-being.

In this article, we’ll reveal eleven things you should know about Xanax. We’ll also talk about where you can find relief from addiction.

#11: Xanax Has Short Term Side-Effects

The short-term side effects of Xanax include: decrease or loss of physical coordination, slowed breathing, heart palpitations, stuffy nose, sweating, chest pain, blurred vision, upset stomach, and swelling of hands or feet.

Meanwhile, psychological side effects of Xanax can include irritability, dizziness, loss of focus, sleeping problems, memory loss/difficulty, and fatigue.

These might seem like a fair trade to relieve the symptoms of generalized anxiety. But there’s much more to consider whether Xanax is the best option.

#10: Xanax Can Be Both an Antidote, and a Problem

Taking Xanax People with GAD want to enjoy life again. They want freedom from the creeping worries, the “adrenaline bleed” and the feelings of impending dread. This is perfectly reasonable considering these statistics about Xanax use in America:

• 77% of Americans regularly experience the physical symptoms of stress.
• 73% of Americans regularly experience the psychological symptoms of stress.
• 33% of the American population lives with “extreme stress.”

So, if you’re experiencing extreme stress, you’re not alone. Plenty of people start taking Xanax during a stressful period of their lives, but they stop before the habit becomes an addiction.

But for others, the desire for temporary relief leads to long-term dependency. This is because, while Xanax “turns down the volume,” on GAD symptoms, it doesn’t eliminate the cause.

Instead, it slowly makes your body dependent on the drug, which is the first phase of addiction. The more dependent you become on Xanax, the further you get from learning to cope with the symptoms of stress and anxiety.

In a 2015 study, only 16% of American adults reported that their stress had decreased over the previous year. Meanwhile, 48% of American adults reported an increase in stress symptoms.

Doctors across America write about 50 million prescriptions for the family of drugs (benzodiazepines, or “benzos”) to which Xanax belongs. Xanax is one of the top ten best-selling (prescription) drugs in America and the 5th most prescribed drug.

Xanax prescriptions have also increased since 2008-averaging about a 9% increase every year. All these statistics reveal two important things about Xanax use in America:

1. Xanax is becoming more popular.
2. Stress is becoming more common.

This suggests that Xanax is not the long-term answer to treating America’s growing epidemic of stress and anxiety. But that’s not all.

#9: Xanax Use Has Been Linked to Depression Symptoms

Anxiety disorders affect 40 million adults (18 or over) in the United States. That’s 18.1% of the population, making anxiety the most common mental health issue in North America.

What most people don’t know is that nearly half those diagnosed with anxiety disorders are also diagnosed with depression. Xanax is a tranquilizer. On the streets, it would be called a “downer.”

It doesn’t take a medical degree to figure out that downers are the last thing a depressed person needs. Of course, you might be one of the 10% of Americans who suffer from anxiety, but not from depression.

But we’ll explain later how taking Xanax over a long enough time period could change that. For now, you should know that 33% of long-term Xanax users report an increase in depression-like symptoms.

#8: Xanax is Highly Addictive

Alprazolam, a member of the benzodiazepines drug family, is the generic name for Xanax.

Like other benzodiazepines, alprazolam calms your brain and central nervous system by enhancing the effect of a naturally occurring neurotransmitter called “GABA” (Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid).

Your body releases GABA to calm you when you’re anxious. GABA then binds to receptors, which transmit a “message” to your central nervous system, sending a wave of calm throughout your body.

The problem is, if your GABA receptors are overloaded, they become less sensitive to these “chill out” messages. This means, your brain has to send more GABA neurotransmitters to get the same message across to the rest of your body.

To put this into perspective, imagine trying to shout instructions at a group of people. Every time you shout for new instructions, the people lose a little bit of their hearing. You have to shout louder, and louder, and louder until you can’t shout any louder.

This is essentially what benzodiazepine addiction does to your brain and nervous system. The more Xanax you take, the more you have to take. This is why people who start taking just a few Xanax a day eventually find themselves swallowing them like tic tacs.

#7: Xanax Addiction Literally Rewires Your Brain

Modern neuroscientists have discovered that your brain can “rewire” itself in response to your behaviors and your environment.

Norman Doidge, M.D. (author of “The Brain that Changes Itself”), writes about stroke patients who regained their power of speech and a woman with literally half a brain who lived a perfectly normal life.

How is this possible? Because the neural networks in your brain are not static. They can reorganize themselves to compensate for brain function lost through injury or disease.

This is called “neuroplasticity,” and the brain can perform this function at any stage of life. But, when it comes to addiction, neuroplasticity has a dark side.

To paraphrase a statement from a 2012 addiction study conducted at the Centre for Neuroscience Research at the University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia:

“Addiction is a long-term and recurring brain disorder where compulsive patterns of drug use and drug seeking eclipse other activities. As the behavior goes from casual to compulsive, the potential for relapse is underpinned by neuroadaptations in brain circuitry, similar to those at work during long-term memory formation.”

In other words, drug addiction “programs” your brain for dependency. While the brain can heal by reprograming itself, it takes time, energy and proper conditioning.

People who go to rehab have a fighting chance at making this change. But, since 95% of people who need specialty substance abuse treatment don’t get it, it’s easy to see why so many people become slaves to addiction.

Thankfully, there is a way out of this tangled web of dependency. But it takes more than willpower. We’ll talk about that later.

#6: Xanax Abuse Can Lead to Other Types of Drug Abuse

By now, you know that addiction changes your brain and its interaction with your nervous system. But if your neuro-receptors are “numbed” to one neurotransmitter (such as GABA), you can still get a similar effect by switching to a different drug.

Many of the people who come to us for Xanax addiction treatment are combining it with alcohol or other illicit drugs. Also, since Xanax users report an increase in depression symptoms, some of them use stimulants to treat the depression.

In fact, 86% of people who seek assistance for Xanax problems admit to taking Xanax as a secondary drug. Again, this is because addiction changes your brain’s wiring.

Once these changes happen, addiction becomes less about one particular drug and more about the general use of mood-modifying chemicals.

#5: Taking Xanax Puts Others in Your Life at Risk

About one in twelve high-school seniors self-report to having abused Xanax at some point. Seven out of ten of them admit to getting the pills from their parents’ medicine cabinet.

The same sources reported that half of these teens believe that using prescription drugs for recreation is safer than using illegal drugs. But again, addiction changes your brain in a way that makes you highly vulnerable to other types of drug abuse, including illegal drugs.

In 2009, sixteen million Americans over the age of twelve admitted having used prescription drugs for non-medical purposes. Nearly half of teens who take Xanax will take it with at least one other drug.

So, if you’re a parent taking Xanax, it’s worth considering whether your teen will become one of these statistics.

#4: Xanax Withdrawal is Physically and Emotionally Stressful

An addict who decides to quit has no choice but to go through withdrawal. Sometimes, the fear and dread of withdrawal is so severe, it stops the addict from getting help.

Friends or family members who call our addiction intervention specialists understand this. They see their loved ones trying to quit, or cut back, only to be beaten into submission by the physical and emotional stress of withdrawal.

Thankfully, Xanax withdrawal is temporary, and there is freedom on the other side. But Xanax detoxification should happen under intense medical supervision.

It’s also best followed up by an intensive drug rehab program to ensure long-term success. But if you, or someone you love, is headed towards Xanax addiction, it’s important to know that Xanax withdrawal can be more stressful than the anxiety it’s supposed to treat.

#3: Xanax Addiction Can Erode Your Relationships

The average person with a Xanax addiction will take between 20 and 30 pills a day. The more Xanax you take, the more likely people are to get worried. If they think you’re losing control, they’ll try to either distance themselves or to help.

In many cases, people who want to help can be the hardest people to deal with. If you have any experience with addiction, you’ve probably heard them say things like:

• “Why don’t you just stop?”
• “you’re going to kill yourself.”
• “You can stop if you really want to.”

If you’re suffering from anxiety and/or depression, you don’t want to be around people who make you feel worse. This is why addicts often distance themselves even from the people who are just trying to help.

People who suffer from depression and anxiety have less frequent social interactions. Considering how hard it is for non-addicts to understand addiction, it’s easy to see why. Addicts also retreat from relationships due to feelings of shame or inadequacy.

#2: Benzodiazepine Related Deaths Are On the Rise in America

Every day, about 115 Americans die from overdosing on opioids. Over 30% of these overdoses involve benzodiazepines. But that’s not all.

Since 1999, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have reported a consistent rise in opioid deaths involving benzodiazepines.

In 1999, the average death count ranged between 5,000 and 10,000. By 2015, that number had exploded to between 30,000 and 35,000. Other commonly abused benzodiazepines include Valium (diazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam).

Between 1996 and 2013, the number of adults fulfilling these benzodiazepine prescriptions increased from 8.1 million to 13.5 million. That’s a 67% increase.

Benzodiazepine purchase sizes are also on the rise. The average (out of 100,000 adults) quantity of benzodiazepine obtained has risen from 1.1 kg to 3.6 kg lorazepam-equivalents.

In 2016, the CDC issued new guidelines for opioid prescription in an attempt to slow the rising death toll. The guidelines recommend clinicians to avoid prescribing benzodiazepines along with opioids.

The FDA also issued a “black box” warning to warn of the dangers of using opioids and benzodiazepine together.

However, this growing trend of Xanax addiction and regulatory pressure has also created a black market for Xanax. Underground Xanax dealers sell pills for $1 and $10 a piece (depending on dose size).

This trend has turned Xanax addiction into an expensive habit and Xanax addicts into criminals.

#1: Good News: Xanax Addiction is Treatable

How do you know if your Xanax habit has become an addiction?

The World Health Organization (ICD-10) and the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-IV), has set six qualification standards for answering that question:

1. Withdrawal: physical and/or emotional.
2. Limited control: regrets about dosage size or frequency.
3. Lifestyle consequences: negative impact on your relationships, career or physical health.
4. Neglect of activities: putting off or neglecting social, career or recreational activities.
5. Wasted time and/or energy: excessive time spent hiding or indulging the habit.
6. The desire to stop: multiple failed attempts to quit or cut back.

If you, or someone you love, meets three or more of these qualifications, it’s time to get help. The good news is that a personalized Xanax addiction treatment plan can be very successful.

The problem is, only one out of ten addicts actually get help. You can make a choice today to escape this grim statistic and find freedom.

Stop Taking Xanax and Start Your Recovery Today

Xanax isn’t the only alternative for treating stress and anxiety. In fact, 90% of patients who take Xanax alternatives claim to do just as well as those taking Xanax.

This is good news. And the sooner you get into a personalized and professional treatment plan, the sooner you can be free of Xanax addiction.

Just call us or fill in our contact form to get started right now. Our benzodiazepine addiction treatment programs typically start with drug detoxification, followed by intensive inpatient or outpatient rehab programs. Talking to an intervention specialist is the first step to discovering which program is best for you.

Isn’t it time to break the cycle? Contact us right now, and let’s put you on the road to recovery.

The DEA released a 164-page report on the opioid crisis in 2018 that indicated that prescription drugs and heroin, in particular, were responsible for the most drug-related deaths since 2001 reports USA Today. But at the same time, data contributed to that report by the CDC noted that the years 2017 and 2018 were starting to see a decline in numbers of heroin-related deaths. It’s likely that is due to the fact that more and more people are getting help for their heroin and opioid addiction. Avoid becoming part of the grisly side of those statistics, by learning everything you need to know about the heroin comedown and heroin addiction recovery.

Just because the number of heroin-related deaths may be declining, that doesn’t mean that heroin is no longer a problem. We know that heroin is a quick acting drug, a fast-acting addiction, and a problem with a very long recovery period. that is the opioid crisis.

The Opioid Crisis

The term opioid crisis is on the news almost every single day, and the drug heroin is a very big part of that problem. Today heroin is being mixed with a number of other drugs as well, such as fentanyl. This is contributing to the opioid crisis and leading to more heroin-related overdoses.

While heroin-deaths may be on the decline, heroin issues are still showing up in today’s emergency rooms every single day. The CDC reports that in 2016, nearly 948 thousand Americans admitted to using heroin, which is approximately 0.4 heroin users per 100 Americans.

In the year 2015, 81,326 emergency department visits occurred for poisonings related to heroin. That’s 222 visits a day due to heroin in emergency rooms across the country.

While deaths may be declining, heroin poisoning is still a very big problem.
What happens after those emergency room visits? The heroin comedown.

Heroin addiction is a multi-pronged problem and a large component of the opioid crisis. Addiction happens in one minute, but the recovery is a prolonged process that begins with the heroin comedown.

The heroin comedown and the withdrawal symptoms associated with that may be difficult to recognize.

Why is Heroin so Addictive?

Heroin is so addictive because of its properties and its chemical makeup, and because of the effects on the body that those properties create.

Most people of adult age have heard of the word “heroin.” But many don’t know how complex the heroin problem is. It’s a complex drug that launches a complex and multi-billion-dollar problem in the United States.

The drug is an opioid that is made from the medication known as morphine. Morphine is a drug that comes from the pods of poppy plants.

Those pods from the poppy seeds are then used to create heroin. It’s a powder substance that can be white, brown or black.

It’s sometimes seen as a black sticky substance that is tar-like. It can be known by a number of names such as smack, hell dust, big H, or horse, among many other names.

Because it is an opioid, it creates an almost instant-like pleasure inducing experience in the brain. It reaches the brain rapidly once it is consumed, and binds to receptors in the brain that create instant pleasure.

This “high” is what heroin users are chasing. The pleasure centers in the brain activate a dopamine surge, and it’s almost an instant addiction.

The manner in which the brain absorbs the drug is why it is so addictive. The National Institute on Drug Abuse reports that heroin use is more common than prescription opioid use in recent years, due to the fact that it is lower in cost and easier to obtain.

That and the manner in why heroin is so addictive is why heroin is such a big part of the opioid crisis. Understanding the risk factors and the heroin comedown is the biggest component in recovery and coming out the other side.

Risk Factors for Heroin Addiction

The CDC reports that prescription drug use is the strongest factor that leads to heroin use, but there are other risk factors. Widespread exposure to prescription opioids is leading to widespread exposure to heroin, once prescription drug users leave that drug of choice to chase a more affordable high.

The CDC reports that nine out of 10 Americans that used heroin in 2013 had a history with prescription drugs, or had at least been treated with one other medication.

Prescription drugs such as Oxycontin and Vicodin are among the medications that are reported to be the most dangerous gateway drugs to heroin. These medications are similar to heroin in their pleasure inducing effects.
Prescription opioids are a significant risk factor for heroin addiction.

The CDC notes that further risk factors are people between the ages of 18 and 25, white, live in urban centers, and making less than $20,000 a year. People addicted to alcohol, marijuana, or cocaine, are also exposing themselves to the risk factors for heroin addiction.

The Mayo Clinic also notes other risk factors. Those include a family history of addiction, mental health problems, peer pressure, disassociation with family, or a history of injecting other drugs.

Those who consume drugs at an early age are also exposing themselves to the risks associated with the gateway to heroin addiction. There are many risk factors that lead to this addiction, and these risk factors are indicating why heroin is more dangerous than it ever was before.

When someone presents at the hospital or emergency room with a heroin addiction, these risk factors can be identified. This is when the heroin comedown begins.

But we can help with addiction recovery by understanding the signs of heroin use, and prevent the emergency room visits in the first place.

Signs of Heroin Addiction

Signs of heroin addiction are similar to what other signs of any addiction include. They are behavioral and family and friends will generally notice changes in normal behavior.

Because heroin is so addictive, users need to take more and more once they start the habit. This is because they develop a tolerance to the initial dosage, and need higher amounts once they become hooked, which happens very quickly.

Once the brain becomes accustomed to it, it needs more to activate those pleasure centers. It is this tolerance that leads to the cravings for that high.

Once someone is addicted in this capacity, the behavior changes begin. The user will do anything to obtain heroin.

The Mayo Clinic notes that some signs of addiction include a preoccupation with needing the drug. They note that additional drug addiction symptoms include:

• Being consumed with the need to get the drug, not thinking of anything else
• Taking more amounts of it over longer periods of time
• Ensuring you have a lot of the drug on hand
• Spending money on the drug when you can’t afford it
• Missing work or life responsibilities
• Withdrawing from social or family responsibilities
• Continuing to use it even though it is interfering in your life
• Driving while using
• Experiencing withdrawal when you stop using it, or, the heroin comedown
• Physical problems such as weight loss or fatigue
• Neglect of appearance or losing interest in grooming
• Secrecy at home or work exaggerated changes with family entering the bedroom or being secretive about their social outings
• Money problems

These signs of heroin addiction will come up in discussion during the heroin comedown.??Either inpatient or outpatient treatment for recovery will be required. For severe detox situations, what you’ll find in in-patient treatment will help with all of these problems.

Withdrawal Signs and Symptoms

After the signs of heroin use appear and are identified, recovery is an important next step. When someone is coming down off of a heroin high, they will experience withdrawal signs and symptoms that are known as a heroin comedown.

Because heroin impacts the body in a physical way, the heroin withdrawal period is a physical one. This includes insomnia, anxiety, tearing of the eyes, aches of the muscles, yawning, sweating, agitation, and a runny nose. These are the early withdrawal signs after heroin use.

Later withdrawal symptoms are more severe and physical, notes the Mayo Clinic. Those include nausea, abdominal problems, diarrhea, dilated pupils, vomiting, and goosebumps.

The Mayo Clinic reports those symptoms can occur within 12 hours of the last heroin use. Users with some of these symptoms should not try to detox at home.

Because there are different levels of detoxification, recovery through the heroin comedown is safest in a clinical or hospital setting.

What is Heroin Comedown?

The American Addiction Center reports that heroin is a short-acting drug. The high is achieved quickly, but heroin also leaves the body quickly and as such, withdrawal symptoms will arrive quickly as well. This is the heroin comedown.

The American Addiction Center cites the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimations that those symptoms can arrive as soon as 6 hours after the last heroin use. They will peak within two or three days, lasting five to 10 days in total.

The American Addiction Center notes that detoxing in a medical setting is the safest way to detox from heroin, in order to avoid a heroin-related overdose death.

A medical detoxification usually starts before heroin is out of the system, and can take up to a week. For someone that is heavily addicted to heroin, it could last a little longer.

Medication can help with heroin comedown treatment, and all vital signs will be monitored. Heroin comedown symptoms will not be the same for everyone.

Factors that impact how long recovery will take include the following:

• How long the drug was used
• How long it was abused
• How much was consumed regularly
• History of mental illness
• Previous opioid withdrawal

Heroin use induces a pleasure-like feeling, and heroin withdrawal induces the opposite.??When heroin is being used, euphoric feelings occur, with decreased heart rate and low moods.

Withdrawal symptoms might be the opposite, depending on how severe the addiction is. Problems with breathing may occur, cravings for the drug, rapid heart rate and increased blood pressure may occur, as well as muscle spasms. An inability to feel pleasure is also one of the heroin withdrawal symptoms.

Supporting the Heroin Comedown

The only way to prevent the heroin comedown is to avoid using the drug altogether. It is that dangerous. But withdrawal can be easier, and safer, with support. This support can come from family and friends, as well as the medical community.

Withdrawing from heroin is not necessarily dangerous in and of itself, but due to the number of physical symptoms that occur with a serious heroin withdrawal, recovery is best supported in a clinical setting. As well, there are some complications with a heroin comedown that could be life-threatening.

Heroin withdrawal is associated with depression that could lead to suicidal tendencies. Severe use should not ever be stopped without professional recovery support.

Heroin use activates dopamine in the brain which leads to pleasure feelings that are so high the addiction begins. When use is stopped suddenly, dopamine levels crash in the heroin comedown, and this leads to emotional changes with a sudden dopamine drop.

As such, treating heroin addiction in a safe support setting will be multi-pronged. Medical such as methadone or suboxone can be used to treat the addiction during the heroin comedown.

But mental health support is also recommended. There are different treatments and therapy options for heroin addiction.

Finding Heroin Addiction Support

It is not always possible to prevent a heroin addiction when someone finds a gateway to the drug. But preventing a heroin addiction is the most effective tool in fighting the opioid crisis. The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence says that due to the billion-dollar costs of this problem, outreach and education are key in helping the public understand the warning signs of heroin addiction and signs of heroin use, and how to get support.

Addiction recovery support to avoid the heroin comedown is easy to find, and available in every state. If you or someone you love is in danger of finding themselves in heroin withdrawal, Addiction Treatment Services will help you to locate addiction recovery support by state.

More than 115 people are dying every single day from this soul-stealing disease.

Let’s break that down.

There are 24 hours in a day. That means nearly five people are dying every single hour.

Every year, the two million people affected, in the U.S. alone, spend approximately $78.5 billion on this disease.

What is this mysterious disease? The culprit is none other than opioid addiction.

“Addiction? That’s not a disease!”

Contrary to the popular belief, addiction is a disease, just like diabetes, cancer, or heart disease. Addiction is defined as, “Addiction involves changes in the functioning of the brain and body. These changes may be brought on by risky substance use or may pre-exist.”

But, why are opioids so addictive? And how do you know when you have a problem?

Read on to answer these questions and find out more on opioid addiction.

Terminology: Opiates vs Opioids

To get things started, let’s go over some basic terminology.

You’ve heard the term opioids, but you’re probably more familiar with the term opiates as well. More than likely, you’ve heard them used interchangeably or incorrectly. But what really is the difference?

Opiates

Both the terms opiate and opioid are derived from the opium plant. Opiates are the actual chemical substances that are extracted from the opium plant, also known as opium alkaloids. Opiates are natural compounds from the opium plant.

Morphine, Codeine, and Thebaine are the three main opium alkaloids scientist use to synthesize many medical compounds.

Opioids

Opioids, on the other hand, is a broader term. It refers to any substance that binds with the opium receptors in your body. This substance could be natural or synthetic. So, opioids can be opiates, but opiates can’t be opioids.

In this article, we’re going to focus on opioids because it is a broader term and covers more.

How to Spot an Opioid Addiction

How can you spot an opioid? Are they all dangerous? How can they be taken?

If you suspect your loved one has an opioid addiction, it’s important to learn how to spot it and what danger signs to look out for.

What Does Opioid Addiction Look Like?

A person that is recreationally using opioids might show any of the following signs:

• High resting heart rate
• Increased energy
• Decreased appetite
• Increased sexual arousal
• Difficulty sleeping
• Irritability
• Depression

How Are Opioids Taken?

Opioids can be taken orally or through injection. Many medical professionals will prescribe opioids for severe pain, cough, or diarrhea. Doctors will usually prescribe the opioid to be taken orally, however, if you’re in immediate need for pain relief your doctor make give you an injection.

Some abusers may even snort crushed pills, as this allows the opioid to absorb into the bloodstream much faster.

Why Are Opioids So Addictive?

There are two main factors in addiction: physiology and psychology.

The physiology refers to the body’s biological response to synthetic opioid chemicals, where the psychology focusses on behavioral symptoms.

The Physiology

Did you know that your body makes opioids naturally? You have special protein receptors in your brain, spinal cord, and digestive system called opioid receptors. These natural opioids kill pain, slow down breathing, and relax the body.

Opioids like heroin or oxycodone mimic the chemical structure of these natural opioid neurotransmitters and bind to your receptors. This triggers the brain’s reward system and causes dopamine to be released.

Dopamine is responsible for emotion, motivation, body movement, and is a hedonistic hotspot, more often referred to as the “pleasure center”.

The Psychology

A person’s psyche is affected by many factors, the BRA being a major one in addiction. In addition to the BRA affects, we have deeper roots such as dependence and tolerance.

The BRA

Your brain is absolutely incredible. It has a built-in reward system. The brain reward system, or BRA, is a group of neurons that control what you like and what you want.

Liking something and wanting something are two completely different stimuli.

When you like something, it’s called intrinsic. Intrinsic stimuli are things that you naturally like. For example, food.

Extrinsic, on the other hand, are learned motivated behaviors, or wanting. Money, for example, is just a piece of paper. But through learned association, money now triggers the BRA.

Opioid addiction is an extrinsic stimulus, meaning that a person doesn’t actually like doing drugs, but they have a begging want for them.

The want center, or incentive salience, is responsible for making abusers feel like they need their next fix.

Roots of Addiction

Many abusers don’t want to keep doing these drugs, but they might feel like that have to keep doing them just to feel normal. Things like tolerance, dependence, and withdrawal are big factors in a person’s detox.

Addiction may start out where the user enjoys the euphoric feeling that opioids provide, but it quickly morphs into dependence.

Remember how we said that your body makes a natural opioid neurotransmitter? When the body gets used to receiving the fool chemicals, it actually stops making the natural neurotransmitter. Because of this, users have to continue to take opioids just to feel normal.

The euphoric feeling that once was is now just a dose of “normal” to long-term abusers.

What Makes Opioids Deadly

Opioids kill a person by slowing down the breathing processes. Breathing delivers fresh oxygen and removes poisonous carbon dioxide. When this process becomes too shallow, cells throughout the body begin to die off.

Many of the opioid receptors are found in the brainstem. The medulla and pons are regions inside the brainstem that are responsible for involuntary breathing, they control that rate and depth of breathing. Because the opioids taken are not the exact natural neurotransmitter, the cells react in a different way than normal, causing malfunctions.

Fentanyl, for example, can cause the diaphragm and surrounding muscles to tense up and further restrict breathing. This condition is called wooden chest syndrome.

Other possible causes of death are caused by vomit aspiration or abnormal heart rhythm.

Signs and Symptoms of an Overdose

If you have a loved one that is facing an opioid addiction, there is a possibility that you may one day find them overdosing. While this is a tough truth to hear, it’s important to know the signs and symptoms of an overdose so that you can call for the appropriate treatment.

Signs and symptoms:

• Pinpoint pupils
• Drowsiness
• Confusion
• Depressed breathing
• Uncontrollable vomiting
• Slow movements

First responders carry a drug called naloxone, which is used in life-threatening overdose situations. Naloxone works by latching onto the opioid receptors and effectively blocking the damaging opioids from continuing to bind. Naloxone works within minutes and may reverse the effects of an overdose if taken in time.

Risk Factors For Addiction

Opioids post the biggest threat when you take them differently than your doctor prescribes. Your risk factor also increases based on the length of time the opioid is taken. The longer the opioid is taken, the higher dependence your body will have formed.

Other known risk factors for addiction include:

• Family history of substance abuse
• Heavy tobacco use
• Untreated psychiatric disorders
• Young age

When Do Opioids Become a Problem?

Opioids become a problem when a person builds up what is called a tolerance. A tolerance is when the body needs more and more of a substance to create the same effect.

Because of tolerance and dependence, detoxing on your own can actually be a very dangerous process. The body has stopped creating its own opioid neurotransmitters, so when the body all of a sudden stops receiving these chemicals that it’s learned to rely on, it can go into a state of shock. Being in a state of shock can be deadly if not cared for appropriately.

For this reason, it’s important to detox in a certified rehab facility.

How to Detox Safely

Suboxone, for example, can be prescribed in these facilities to aid in successful detox. Suboxone contains two different opioid agonists: buprenorphine and naloxone. We mentioned earlier how naloxone can help, but what is buprenorphine?

buprenorphine is a partial opioid agonist, meaning that it only partially blocks the opioid receptors, and partially activates them. This allows the user to be gradually weaned off of the drug, preventing the body from going into shock.

Why isn’t suboxone given out in drugstores?

Just like other opioids, suboxone can be abused. Rehab facilities that prescribe suboxone carefully monitor the recovering addicts and watch for warning signs of abuse.

If you know someone taking suboxone, you should learn the warning signs of misuse as well. The following are a few signs and symptoms:

• Nausea
• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Headaches
• Insomnia
• Mood swings

Emotional Recovery

During and after a person successfully detoxes from opioids, there are many emotional phases they must go through. These phases are very similar to those a grieving person may go through.

Depression

The first emotional recovery phase a person may go through is depression. Depression may be felt during or even before opioid use.

This depression is not to be confused with sadness. Just like addiction, depression is a mind-altering disease.

Clinical depression affects the way a person’s brain chemistry works and directly affects the BRA. This depression may be temporary or, sadly, the person may never recover from it.

A treatment facility may prescribe medication to help curb the depression. Finding an anti-depressant medication is never easy, so you’ll want to leave it up to the professionals.

Anger

Anger is the second stage a person may experience. This stage tends to be felt during the beginning to the end of the detox process. The user may feel anger towards friends and family, especially if those loved ones suggested the rehabilitation.

This anger is never personal, as it is a side effect of the BRA. The user’s body is used to receiving a stimulus to the BRA, so when that stimulus stops, well, basically the body throws a chemically induced temper tantrum.

This stage is temporary, as the body is working out the kinks. Let some time go by and this stage will correct itself.

Guilt

Guilt is often felt after the detoxification process is complete. The user begins to realize the many harmful things that they have said or done to their loved ones. Guilt can be more than overwhelming, so it’s important to be patient.

Therapists will usually suggest apologizing as the first step. The therapist will also inform the ex-addict that not every person will accept the apology.

In some cases, similar to depression, the feeling of guilt will never leave a person – no matter how many times they apologize. For this reason, many rehabilitation facilities will recommend further therapy after detox. This therapy may be a personal therapist or NA meetings.

NA, or narcotics anonymous, meetings are held by many ex-addicts, each of them sharing their stories and recovery tips. Some members of NA groups have been clean for many years, others only days.

Whichever type of therapy is chosen, it’s important to stick to it. Leaving a therapy prematurely can result in a relapse.

Getting Help for Addiction

Now you know the answer to “why are opioids so addictive?” If you or a loved one is experiencing opioid addiction, there is hope.

We have state-to-state centers that offer multiple levels of rehab care, including detoxification, inpatient treatment, partial hospitalization, and outpatient treatment.

Contact our addiction intervention specialists for help in overcoming the disease that addiction really is.

Our addiction specialists are available 24 hours a day to help you or your loved one take the first step into recovery before it’s too late.

There may be as many as 1.5 million chronic heroin users in the United States.

Unfortunately, statistics are a bit slim because of the nature of the drug. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), many people do not answer surveys about heroin or other drug use honestly, which makes it difficult to estimate just how many addicts there are.

If someone you love is addicted to heroin, you may wonder, “How does heroin make you feel?”

After all, it’s a valid question, especially after watching your loved one go back to it over and over.

In this article, we’ll go over some things someone addicted to heroin might feel when they ingest the drug, as well as why people continue to take it despite the consequences.

Read on to find out more.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is a common name for the drug diacetylmorphine. It is a derivative of morphine, a strong painkiller. You, or someone you know, may have been given morphine if you’ve had a particularly serious surgery or had a long-term painful recovery from a serious injury.

Morphine and heroin are both derived from the opium poppy plant. This is why some people use the name “Poppy” to describe heroin. In some cases, the name “Poppy” personifies a heroin addict’s addiction. Such language is also popular in the world of eating disorder recovery in which anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa are personified as Ana and Mia. Someone addicted to crystal meth may also call their addiction “Crystal.”

Originally, heroin was produced on the mass market by Bayer starting in 1874. It was used as a cough suppressant and as a “safer” alternative to morphine. Although we tend to think of drug addiction as a byproduct of modern society, morphine addiction was a common social issue back then, too. Heroin was supposed to help morphine addicts wean from their addiction. Instead, it created a new addiction altogether.

In 1924, the United States deemed heroin illegal. It was then placed in the category of Schedule I. This means that it holds no medicinal value. It also means that there is a big risk that people will abuse the drug.

As it is one of the most addictive drugs ever made, the Schedule I class for it makes perfect sense.

How Does Someone Take Heroin?

There are many ways to ingest heroin. If you’re an addict or have a friend or family member who is, you’re likely already familiar with some of the ways.

Some people may chop it up and snort it, like cocaine. Others prefer to smoke it or insert it up their anus. Most hardcore addicts inject heroin into their veins intravenously. For some addicts, this is the quickest way to get the most intense high.

It is, however, also the most dangerous. Aside from the risks associated with ingesting the drug itself, there are many issues that arise from using needles in a non-clinical environment.

There is a high risk of AIDS and hepatitis amongst this group of heroin users. This is because they may reuse needles or share needles with friends. They may also not properly clean the area or not dispose of needles correctly, which can lead to accidents and further health complications

Heroin Addiction is an Epidemic

Heroin and opiate addiction affect people from all walks of life, and is incredibly difficult to quit without professional help. Let us guide you in the right direction for treatment. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

How Does Heroin Make You Feel?

This is a question many people who don’t take heroin want to know the answer to. As many see their loved ones return to the drug, again and again, they are curious as to the draw the drug has for that person.

Here are some of the things that heroin addicts feel when they take a hit:

A Dopamine High

Once you take a hit of heroin, dopamine fills your brain, which gives you an intense feeling of pleasure. This “hit” can make you feel confident, happy and produce positive thoughts feelings and sensations.

Many people take heroin in order to achieve that “first hit feeling.” A large chunk of people who take heroin do so in order to self-medicate and mask other issues in his or her life. If you’re constantly depressed, taking heroin will likely make you feel incredibly happy for a least a little while.

There are heroin users who describe this feeling as euphoric. This means they feel happy beyond measure or compare.

For some people, everything else negative about the drug is worth this feeling.

Relief from Pain

While most people who have chronic pain take opioids prescribed by their doctors, some people do get hooked on drugs like heroin. The drug can mask and numb physical pain you might feel from an injury or chronic illness, which makes getting off of it particularly difficult. When dealing with an addict who also has chronic pain, and takes heroin to cope, this can be fairly tricky.

Other people may take heroin as a way to “escape” or “not feel” if they are in situations that aren’t the most pleasant.

For instance, drug use can happen on battlefields where soldiers must risk their lives in the open fire. It can also occur when they have to deal with traumatic events day in and day out while near the battle zone.

Sex workers may also take heroin to help them cope with the reality of their situation. If they shoot up, they are less likely to feel disgusted with themselves or their situation. They’re also less likely to feel pain if a customer gets rough with them or the sex itself becomes painful.

In some cases, individuals who kidnap and traffic sex workers will get the women hooked on heroin purposely. This is to keep them numb and compliant. It also ensures that the woman is hooked on the drug, so she’ll always return to her pimp because he holds the “key” to getting her high.

Homeless individuals may also take heroin to cope with their circumstances. They may be constantly afraid of living on the streets. Ingesting heroin can make them feel as though things aren’t as bad as they seem.

Heroin can also help homeless people, sex workers and people in high anxiety situations feel calmer. This can allow them to sleep, even in places that would normally not be conducive to sleep. It can also allow homeless individuals, or people sleeping on the street, not feel cold and rest despite the harsh outdoor conditions.

As mentioned above, individuals with depression and anxiety may take heroin to mask their pain.

Adverse Effects of Heroin

For some people, the positive effects of heroin are worth any and all negative effects they have from the drug.

Some people, however, will not feel any positive effects and will only feel negative effects. These people may instantly feel nauseous, itch, experience dry mouth, and vomit after ingesting heroin.

Other people may not feel bad until they experience a “come down.” This can include the symptoms listed above as what some people feel instantly when ingesting heroin for the first time.

Before the person experiences a “come down,” some enter a state after the euphoria where they are simply just existing. They may nod off and wake up repeatedly. They may fall asleep entirely in almost any environment. They may also have a lower heart rate and low blood pressure.

Withdrawal

After repeated use of heroin, a person may experience withdrawal if they stop taking it. They will often continue to ingest the heroin in order to stop this unpleasant process from occurring.

If not done in a medically supervised environment, withdrawal can lead to death in severe cases.

Otherwise, individuals will experience muscle aches, dilated pupils, anxiety, sweating, diarrhea, insomnia as well as nausea and vomiting. Some people describe it as the worst stomach flu of their life.

This process can last for several days. It can be more comfortable if done in a medical environment, as the effects can be managed through medicinal intervention.

If the person takes heroin during the withdrawal process, it will cease and they will become addicted again.

Avoid Painful Withdrawal from Heroin

Heroin is extremely painful when an individual quits cold turkey. Without proper medical care, the withdrawal can be so uncomfortable, heroin addicts are often driven back to the drug very quickly after stopping. Let us guide you in the right direction for detox. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

Long-Term Effects of Heroin

Many people who become addicted to heroin remain so for many months or sometimes even years. They become addicted to that euphoric feeling that they get when they first get high and are always chasing it.

Taking heroin long-term can lead to AIDS or hepatitis, as mentioned above, from using dirty needles.

It can also lead to skin infections, heart problems, collapsed veins and kidney, and liver failure.

Most addicts have trouble sleeping and are at a higher risk of death than those not taking the drug.

Those who abuse heroin for too long without receiving help may ultimately die from their addiction. This can be through overdose or through other issues like their bodies no longer being able to handle the use of the drug.

Overdose

Overdose is a very scary and very real part of heroin addiction. Many people who overdose die, even those who have used for decades can overdose. Experience does not necessarily protect you from falling prey to an overdose.

Many heroin addicts think that they’ll be fine because they know the dose that works for them. This, however, can be a fatal mistake. Over time, they may develop more and more tolerance, which means they will need more and more heroin to catch that initial euphoric feeling.

Some heroin addicts will lose weight, which will mean their tolerance suddenly decreases when they think it has increased due to their drug activity. This can lead to an overdose.

Those who have been clean for a while and relapse are also susceptible to an overdose. This is because once you’re clean, your body’s tolerance for the drugs reduces dramatically. If you go back to your old dosage, you may accidentally overdose or kill yourself in the process of the relapse.

Additionally, heroin can be cut with a variety of other opioids or drugs. You may not know everything that has been mixed with the drug. The person who sells it to you may not even be aware either.

This is where things get very dangerous. Some heroin is mixed with fentanyl, a powerful opioid. You may take the same amount of heroin you usually take and accidentally overdose on fentanyl because you didn’t realize it was in the drug.

Heroin may be mixed with many other drugs or substances, and you can never be sure if you purchase it “on the street.” If you’re allergic to any of these substances, it can put your life at risk without you even knowing it.

Not knowing what you’ve ingested can make it even more difficult for the doctors to help revive you. If you were with friends who can tell the doctor you took heroin, but can’t tell them what it was cut with, this could turn out to be a fatal mistake for you.

Heroin Overdose is a Real Risk

In 2017, heroin overdose was responsible for over 15,000 deaths in the United States. Overdose is a risk every heroin user faces, regardless of how they use the drug. Let us guide you in the right direction for professional help. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

Getting Treatment

Now that you’ve read this article and answered the question of, “How does heroin make you feel?”; you might understand your relative or loved one’s dependence on the drug a little bit better

While there’s no doubt that heroin has a certain allure to many individuals, and that withdrawal isn’t pretty, there is help. There is hope.

If you or a loved one are addicted to heroin, get in contact with us today. We can work with you to form a live-saving treatment plan and start the process of recovery immediately.

We can help you save your loved one’s life.

If you or a loved one suffer from drug addiction, you have already heard a lot about drug rehab. Doctors and former addicts often talk about how rehab can help people live a drug-free life. But does rehab work as well as experts claim?

Overcoming addiction can seem like a task of tremendous difficulty, but countless people have succeeded through rehabilitation. However, the cost and effort can be intimidating, especially when you don’t know the results.

Read on to find out if rehab really works, and what you need to know about drug rehabilitation.

Drug Rehab Basics

The most important thing to know about addiction is that it is a complex illness.

By definition, drug addiction is a brain disorder that leads to the inability to control drug abuse. An addict’s brain is rewired to make it impossible for them to stop, despite the harmful effects. An addict has an uncontrollable compulsion to seek drugs even if it means they might die from it.

People can become addicted to numerous chemical substances, including a variety of drugs, prescription medicine, nicotine, and alcohol. Addiction affects the brain’s reward mechanisms, making the addict feel dependent on taking more of the same drug. Prolonged drug use can bring about tolerance, which means that the addict will need a higher dose to get the same sense euphoria from their drug of choice.

What is even more worrisome is that drug addiction also has broad social and mental consequences. The destructive behaviors wrought by addiction can damage a person’s career, social life, mental health, and family happiness.

So, an effective drug rehabilitation program should address all the root causes and restore a person’s life. This is a complex challenge. Also, each addiction is different and requires a different approach to treatment.

Each drug rehab program is different, but they all have the same core aims. These include helping the patient get rid of drugs from their system, as well as from their life. Drug rehab also works to prevent relapses, which are common among former drug addicts.

Since you are here, it means that you have already started your journey towards recovery. Let us see the different levels of rehabilitation care you can seek.

Drug Rehab Levels of Care

As we have seen above, different addictions merit different treatments. The most effective treatments rely on a combination of comprehensive professional treatment, psychological support, and long-term life changes.

Detoxification Programs

Detoxification is the cleansing of drugs from the body. All drug rehab programs have some form of detox, but some focus solely on detoxification. These programs include frequent, and often constant, medical monitoring to ensure that the patient does not relapse.

Detox may also include specific prescription medicine designed to alleviate the symptoms of withdrawal. For example, methadone is an opioid prescribed to treat heroin addiction.

Residential Treatment Programs

Residential treatment involves staying in a live-in healthcare facility. Recovering addicts leave their homes and stay at the facility to get therapy for substance abuse. This is the most intense form of drug rehab, and also the most expensive.

The length of stay in the healthcare facility varies depending on the type of addiction and the severity of the symptoms of each recovering addict. The key benefit of residential treatment is that it helps recovering addicts stay away from the triggers and temptations that led to their addiction in the first place.

This type of treatment allows recovering addicts to “reset” their lives and make a new start once treatment is over.

Inpatient Treatment Programs

Another form of intensive care, inpatient treatment aims to heal severe cases of drug abuse. In such programs, recovering addicts live in a closed treatment facility for a month or longer. During that time, they must follow a strict schedule with no deviations.

The aim of inpatient treatment is not only to detoxify, but also to help recovering addicts build the coping mechanisms they need to live a drug-free life.

Partial Hospitalization Programs

Partial hospitalization programs (PHP) do what they say in the box. With PHPs, recovering addicts receive partial hospitalization and enjoy many of the benefits of inpatient care. The treatment requires a minimum of six hours each day, five days a week.

Intensive Outpatient Programs

Intensive outpatient programs (IOP) give recovering addicts the chance to live at their homes and still receive effective treatment. In such programs, patients must visit a hospital or treatment center on a daily basis to receive treatment.

With IOPs, patients get to maintain some of their daily habits while eliminating everything that has to do with their addiction.

The drawback of IOPs is that recovering addicts may still be exposed to the triggers that led to their addiction. Intensive outpatient programs have a higher rate of relapse than inpatient and residential treatment programs.

Conventional Outpatient Programs

A milder approach, conventional outpatient treatment involves detoxification and frequent meetings with a psychologist who helps with behavioral issues.

These programs are less intense than intensive outpatient programs. They are mainly for recovering addicts who haven’t been abusing drugs for a long time.

Halfway Houses

Halfway houses, also known as sober living homes, offer additional support once a recovering addict finished their primary rehab treatment. Recovering addicts can live for a while in a halfway house before returning to their homes.

Halfway houses offer a safe and drug-free environment. Recovering addicts get to live with each other and build social support. This helps recovering addicts stay drug-free and avoid relapsing once they return to their homes.

Ongoing Support Groups

With drug relapse being a real threat, ongoing support is a must even after you have escaped your drug addiction. Joining an ongoing support group like Narcotics Anonymous (NA) can help you maintain your motivation and find constant encouragement to stay off drugs.

Recovering addicts can also help others who struggle as they did through ongoing support groups. Giving back to the community can be a rewarding experience for those who overcame their addiction.

How Efficient is Drug Rehabilitation?

Many drug addicts are reluctant to commit to a drug rehab program because it often fails. Yes, drug relapse is real. Studies show that more than 85% of all recovering addicts will relapse in less than a year from finishing their treatment.

However, this is not the whole picture. The same studies also show that only 10% of all drug addicts ever receive treatment. This means that more than twenty million drug addicts in the US alone will never receive the treatment they deserve.

For those struggling with drug addiction, rehabilitation may be their only chance to live a healthy, drug-free life.

However, the patient’s dedication and the level of care they receive are crucial to the outcome. Moreover, strong ongoing support is also essential to avoid relapsing since recovering drug addicts are still in high risk for years after their treatment is over.

Drug addiction is a disease much like diabetes, depression, or cancer. It requires careful treatment, follow-up support, and lifestyle changes to overcome.

Coming out of rehab, your body will be clean and you will have the tools you need to live a drug-free life. What you do with these is up to you. Many recovering addicts never touch drugs again, but others fall into the same traps and relapse.

Even if you relapse, you can seek treatment again. This will be different than the first time, to give you a new perspective and avoid the same mistakes.

Evaluating Drug Treatment Effectiveness

Before committing to a drug rehab program, you should do your research to make sure it is the right program for you. If you are looking to book a treatment for a loved one, you should also research your options and discuss details with a qualified physician.

As part of the national drug control strategy, the Office of National Drug Control Policy provides a list of factors to determine the effectiveness of drug rehab programs. These factors include:

• Reduction or elimination of drug use
• Physical health improvement
• Mental health improvement
• Social interaction improvement
• Education improvement
• Employment improvement
• Public safety improvement
• Legal status improvement

According to the Office of National Drug Control Policy, complete sobriety is the end goal, but even a reduction in the use of drugs is a success. The office aims to improve quality of life. This is possible even before achieving complete sobriety.

The Profile of a Good Drug Rehab Program

Knowing what you should expect at drug rehab can help you make that big decision to change your life.

The first thing you have to understand is that rehab represents a huge commitment. A commitment that can change your life forever. However, the stakes are nothing less than your life itself.

Getting into rehab will take you away from your triggers, temptations, and distractions. It will also take you away from your current responsibilities, allowing you to focus 100% on getting sober.

While different rehab plans offer different options, most follow some basic core elements. Let us see them below:

Initial Assessment

Rehab starts with an initial assessment interview. You will have to complete an interview and a series of medical exams to assess your health and the severity of your drug addiction.

Medical Detoxification

Unless your addiction is at very early stages, or you have just relapsed, you will have to undergo medical detox. This includes going through a withdrawal period and taking prescription medication to ease the transition to sobriety.

A Fixed Schedule

All rehab programs are scheduled to optimize your time in treatment. There is little free time and everything is planned and programmed. This doesn’t mean rehab is boring or tiring. It means that even leisure and rest are tightly scheduled.

Behavioral Counseling

You will take part in counseling sessions on a daily basis. These will help you build the skills you need to live a drug-free life. Counseling will also help you deal with the underlying causes of your addiction to prevent relapsing.

Education

These include workshops to teach you new skills and educate you on how drugs and addiction work. Knowing how the brain works can help you avoid the same mistakes.

Social Support

Rehab often means socializing with other recovering addicts. This can build mutual social support that will help you find the motivation you need to keep going.

Family Support

Family participation can be a huge boost in your recovery efforts. Your close family members will learn how to help you stay sober and support you during your recovery and after you have become sober.

Ongoing Care

Finally, rehabilitation continues even after you are sober. You will have to join support groups and take part in ongoing activities to ensure you remain drug-free.

These are all part relapse prevention planning. The aim of drug rehab is not only to get you free from drugs but also prevent you from doing them again.

So, Does Rehab Work?

Finally, answering the question “does rehab work“, we have to say that it does. It does work and has helped millions find happiness without drugs. Here at Addiction Treatment Services, we help recovering addicts find the personalized rehabilitation they need.

With so many drug rehab options, it can be difficult to find the right one for you or your loved one. Taking that first step is often the hardest thing to do, but remember that ending your drug addiction is possible.

At Addiction Treatment Services, we know how to help with rehab that works. Contact us today to start your journey to find out the ideal rehab center to treat your addiction.

In 2015, The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reported that, while 21.7 million Americans needed substance abuse treatment, only 2.3 million people received it. In other words, only about 10% of the population received professional help for their addiction.

Illicit drug use, such as heroin, can be life-threatening at any point during one’s use. Sobriety is a necessary step toward regaining control and happiness over one’s life.

But what about the heroin addiction recovery rate? Do we see success stories? Are people building the lives they want?

Let’s get into what you need to know!

Understanding The Heroin Epidemic

Despite the recent opioid epidemic, research from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health showed that half as many people tried heroin for the first time in 2017 as in 2016.

However, heroin and other opioid use remains a continuous problem throughout America. Overdose rates continue to ravage the lives of individuals and their loved ones. Entire communities have experienced the devastation these drugs can have on their homes and societies.

Who Uses Heroin?

Nearly 100,000 Americans reported using heroin in 2016. It’s a concerning trend (even if it’s allegedly on the decline).

When most people think of a heroin user, they envision the scrawny and sketchy guy living on the side of the road. They think of the classic ‘junkie’ stereotype.

However, heroin doesn’t just exist on the side of the road in the veins of homeless men and women. Heroin also lurks in American suburbia, in high-achieving schools, and in stay-at-home mothers with chronic pain conditions.

In fact, many people start using heroin as a result of being prescribed prescription painkillers like Oxycontin, Morphine, or Norco.

These painkillers, which have medicinal purposes, can become easily abused. That’s because people quickly develop a tolerance and physical dependence on these substances.

Entering withdrawals can be incredibly painful. Thus, the person will continue taking the drug to ward off the unpleasant feelings.

Because physicians must limit refills and prescription lengths, some people turn to other methods to achieve the opioid sensations. They often end up turning to heroin, as its cheaper, more accessible, and doesn’t require any prescriptions.

Heroin Addiction is an Epidemic

Heroin and opiate addiction affect people from all walks of life, and is incredibly difficult to quit without professional help. Let us guide you in the right direction for treatment. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

Why is Heroin So Dangerous?

Heroin is an opioid derived from morphine, a naturally existing substance from opium poppy plants.

However, heroin comes with serious potential side effects including:

• Liver disease
• Pulmonary infections
• Arthritis
• Collapsed veins
• Chronic constipation and irritable bowels
• Depression
• Kidney problems and disease
• Heart valve infections
• Skin abscesses
• The risk of contracting HIV or Hepatitis C

Furthermore, it’s becoming harder and harder to find ‘pure’ heroin. Instead, most street dealers cut heroin with other potent synthetics, such as Fentanyl or carfentanil (both of which can be 100x stronger than heroin).

Therefore, many people use heroin without knowing exactly what they are putting in their bodies. They face the risk of overdosing, which can be fatal.

Why Do People Continue Using Heroin Despite The Dangers?

Many people use heroin for the positive sensations it creates. Heroin can feel incredibly euphoric. It enters the brain rapidly, and it can evoke an ‘immediate’ rush of pleasure.

Others will use it to numb their feelings or to escape their problems and fears. This is often characteristic of addiction. The person believes he or she cannot cope with life without the substance.

Finally, heroin withdrawal can be incredibly distressing. The symptoms can include:

• Intense cravings
• Restlessness
• Irritability
• Severe bone and muscle pain
• Diarrhea or continued constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Cold sweats and gooseflesh
• Kicking movements
• Insomnia

While the withdrawal symptoms typically peak between one to three days, many people describe them as one of the worst experiences in the world.

For this reason, even though users may have the best intentions to quit or reduce use, the terrible withdrawals can make it feel impossible.

Understanding Heroin Addiction Treatment

Seeking help for heroin addiction can be one of the most frightening decisions someone can make. It can also be one of the most rewarding.

The decision to attempt sobriety is one that people usually contemplate long before they first step foot into a treatment center.

Seeking Detox

As mentioned, heroin withdrawal symptoms can be fierce. Initially, they are what typically discourage people from abstaining from use.

Detox represents the first step for someone seeking formal help for heroin addiction. The length of detox can range from 5-10 days depending on the individual, types of drugs used, and other medical conditions.

Detox provides on-site monitoring and clinical management. Some centers offer medications for those experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms.

While detox alone does not treat the heroin addiction, it provides the first step towards stabilization and sobriety.

Avoid Painful Withdrawal from Heroin

Heroin is extremely painful when an individual quits cold turkey. Without proper medical care, the withdrawal can be so uncomfortable, heroin addicts are often driven back to the drug very quickly after stopping. Let us guide you in the right direction for detox. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

Seeking Treatment

There are a variety of drug and alcohol treatment facilities available to individuals struggling with a heroin addiction.

Treatment can vary drastically, depending on financial factors, individual preferences, location, and medical history. However, all treatment is designed to help people reestablish and rebuild their lives absent from mood-altering substances.

Inpatient treatment provides round-the-clock supervision and structure for patients. Individuals live on-site (or at another established site) and receive a variety of clinical services ranging from individual therapy to medical appointments to even spiritual advising and nutrition-based counseling.

In addition to inpatient treatment, there is also partial-hospitalization (PHP), intensive outpatient (IOP) and outpatient (OP) levels of care. Each of these provides structured and monitored schedules for patients. However, they do not require 24-hour supervision.

In treatment, individuals learn various life skills, relapse prevention techniques, and support with self-esteem and mood management.

Staying Sober From Heroin

Unfortunately, relapse rates for heroin (and all other drugs) remain high. Because addiction represents a chronic disease, relapse can very much be part of the recovery process.

With that said, several factors can increase an individual’s chance for success.

Prioritizing Recovery First

Getting sober is one thing. Staying sober is an entirely different story. The work required in staying sober is both continuous and evolving.

Successful people in recovery put their sobriety above everything else. That includes work, school, and even family and friends. They believe that if they don’t put their recovery first, they won’t be able to have or enjoy all those other things in their life.

Prioritizing your recovery means doing whatever it takes to stay sober. If that means attending inpatient treatment, so be it. If that means committing to prayer every single morning, get on board.

Support Groups

Research shows that positive social interactions with those who support abstinence can improve one’s chances for sobriety.

In a study examining more than 1,700 participants, the results found that greater participation in Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) was positively associated with successful, sustained recovery.

However, AA is only one option. There are numerous 12-step groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, Heroin Anonymous, Pills Anonymous, and Nar-Anon available to those in recovery (or for those who have loved ones in recovery).

Additionally, there are other secular alternatives, such as SMART Recovery, Women for Sobriety, LifeRing, Moderation Management, and Secular Organizations For Sobriety.

Reaching Out For Help

A successful recovery entails a level of vulnerability. That means letting go of dark secrets and shame and letting other people in.

Whether it’s through a licensed therapist, pastor or priest, or even just a friend, it’s essential to learn how to ask for help. Identifying feelings and sharing them with another person is powerful. It evokes human connection and decreases toxic shame.

Self-Care

Most people do not adequately take care of themselves when active in their addictions. They may neglect their hygiene and appearance. They may ignore their nutrition, and they may disregard having a healthy sleep schedule.

Successful recovery requires self-care and self-compassion. By taking the time to develop positive habits, people learn how to implement stress management. They also learn how to value taking care of themselves before trying to spread themselves too thin.

Identifying Triggers

Triggers can happen anywhere. They can exist in a familiar place, a toxic friendship, or even in a nostalgic smell. When someone doesn’t know their triggers, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and distressed when they arise.

Identifying current and potential triggers can be empowering. This process allows people to create action-based plans for managing difficult moments. It also allows them to insulate themselves with more support during these times.

Managing Stress

Many people use heroin to numb and check out from life altogether. Reentering back into the real world can feel frightening.

Stress management is critical. This includes learning how to stay in the now by practicing mindfulness and meditation. It also includes determining how to identify what is and what isn’t in one’s control.

Finally, stress management means having other enjoyable activities and hobbies that evoke feelings of joy and recreation. These can range from physical activities to artistic expression to social interactions.

Sober Environments

In early recovery, some people cannot live in their homes if other tenants are using drugs or alcohol. The situation becomes too triggering.

Sober environments, such as formal sober livings or halfway homes, provide the opportunity for like-minded individuals to reside together collectively. Tenants pay rent, collaborate on chores, and receive routine drug tests.

If it’s not possible to move out of the home, experts recommend having an honest conversation with your family or roommates. This may consist of asking to uphold a no-drug policy at home, and it may require removing any triggering paraphenelia.

Heroin Overdose is a Real Risk

In 2017, heroin overdose was responsible for over 15,000 deaths in the United States. Overdose is a risk every heroin user faces, regardless of how they use the drug. Let us guide you in the right direction for professional help. All calls are 100% free and confidential.

GET HELP NOW

What Is The Heroin Addiction Recovery Rate?

Studies on recovery success rates have been historically challenging to find. Many people drop out of studies (due to relapse). Furthermore, it can be hard to find a quality sample group that represents the general population struggling with addiction.

However, the chronic nature of addiction means that people do relapse, and relapse rates are similar to those of other chronic medical illnesses. If and when people stop following their treatment protocols, they are likely to relapse.

In research comparing relapse rates between substance use and other chronic illnesses, up to 40-60% of individuals relapse.

It can also be challenging to identify the nature of a relapse. If, for example, a heroin user drinks alcohol, is it considered a relapse? What if he receives a narcotic IV drip at a hospital post-surgery?

For these reasons, it’s essential for anyone struggling with addiction to have a personalized relapse prevention plan. Having a professional or support group assist with this plan can best keep people on track.

What Are The Signs of A Relapse?

While relapse can occur at any time during any stage of recovery, the following symptoms could reveal a slippery slope:

• Disregarding responsibilities at work or school
• Increased depression or anxiety
• Lack of interest in usual hobbies or activities
• Increase in lying or sneaking around
• Becoming overly defensive over various behavior
• Engaging in impulsive or radical behavior
• Feeling unmotivated
• Becoming easily angered or irritated
• Feelings of dissatisfaction with life
• Associating with old friends or partners associated with addiction

These warning signs can creep up in insidious ways. Before realizing it, the individual may be in full-blown relapse mode.

That’s why it’s so important to know the signals and recognize them as they start happening. Having strong accountability with other people helps. Additionally, identifying all the reasons to stay sober and push through the distress can also help.

While relapse can and does occur, it does not mean someone failed. Rather, it’s a sign that something wasn’t working, and that something must be changed.

Final Thoughts

There’s no doubt that heroin addiction represents a severe and concerning problem in modern society. Even though the heroin addiction recovery rate may seem bleak, people are transforming their lives every single day.

We want to help you find your light! Contact us today for any questions related to addiction, treatment, or scheduling an intervention. We’re here to support you.

In America today, more than 23 million men and women report being addicted to drugs or alcohol. Of these 23 million, only a handful choose to take the next step and commit to a specialized treatment program.

For those who feel their addiction may be taking charge of their life, it’s certainly in your best interest to consider entering a drug rehab facility. While it takes courage and motivation to commit to such a decision, it has the power to save and transform your entire life.

While the main priority of a drug rehab facility is to overcome addiction, there is an abundance of other benefits that stem from the program. Alongside conquering one’s addiction, those in drug rehab facilities also learn the tools necessary for building a productive, healthy, and happy lifestyle.

If you’ve been considering attending a drug rehab facility, you’re going to want to read this. We’re outlining the top ten most life-changing benefits of attending a drug rehab facility.

While overcoming addiction is never easy, the long-term benefits are always worth the fight.

1. Establishing Healthy Routines

First and foremost, a drug rehab facility is the best way for an addict to establish a new, healthy routine.

Because drugs are so damaging to both the body and the mind, it’s crucial to make efforts to correct as much of this damage as possible.

Unfortunately, some of the effects caused by even casual drug use are long-term and have proven to be irreversible.

However, with a healthy new routine fixated on balanced meals and exercise, certain components of the mind and body are capable of healing. For example, some studies have noted that certain areas of the brain can return to their original state. For some, this may be in terms of both volume as well as functionality.

In a rehab facility, meals as well as exercise are pre-determined and balanced. Those participating in such a program can rest assured that their meals are following a strict guideline and their body will be properly exercised.

This helps former addicts navigate a positive relationship with healthy eating and exercise routines. Once established, they can practice these routines when returning to their usual environment.

2. Erasing Temptation

It won’t come as a surprise that all rehab facilities are drug and alcohol-free.

In order to free the mind of temptation, it’s vital to be in an environment in which drugs and alcohol are simply not an option.

When attempting to eliminate drugs or alcohol outside of a rehab facility, this is not the case. In the outside world, an addict is still engulfed in an environment where it is possible to get ahold of their substance.

Without an environment that is entirely drug and alcohol-free, it can be difficult for the addict to find long-term success.

3. Learning How to Set Goals

Rehab introduces individuals to set goals that are realistic while also providing the best tools possible for achieving them.

While addicts may have set goals throughout their addiction, many of these goals fail to be met. This is often because the mind is so often altered and controlled by their substance of choice. Even with sincere intentions, these goals fail to be taken seriously and are eventually abandoned.

A drug rehab facility helps to break the cycle of abandoned goals. Once an individual enters rehab, their mind will be more capable of setting goals. From here, that individual is taught the tools necessary for the best way to achieve these goals in the near future.

Not only are these goals the pathway to creating a healthy and happy life, but they are also beneficial to recovery.

4. Learning About Addiction

Understanding addiction is never a simple nor straightforward task.

After all, addiction can be different for each and every person as well as the different factors leading to one’s addiction. In order to overcome one’s addiction long-term, it’s essential to understand what may have sparked the addiction in the first place.

In learning about addiction, the individual becomes better able to identify things, people, places, or events that trigger the mind into craving drugs.

This can also help addicts to shift some of the blame they hold against themselves for their addiction. This creates a healthier mind for that addict and allows them to feel less anger and resentment toward themselves.

Individuals will also learn about the realities of addiction and the damaging effects that it has on one’s health. This comes in terms of both short-term effects and long-term effects such as the potential for certain diseases. For example, those who use methamphetamine have a higher risk of developing HIV and hepatitis.

5. Understanding Underlying Issues

Each and every rehab program provides addicts the opportunity to delve deeply into the psychology of their addiction.

In doing so, individuals are able to understand the factors that may have led to their addiction. This could be anything from genetics and family history to their mental state and current living conditions.

Through understanding the underlying issues of one’s addiction, it’s easier to shift the entirety of the blame from one’s self and begin to forgive. This is important as it reminds former addicts that their addiction did not stem from a lack of morality or an innermost desire to act wrongly.

Addicts also learn about the personality traits or characteristics that are common amongst addicts. In fact, a recent study found that 53 percent of the patients in one rehab facility were diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder.

Once an addict understands the factors that may have contributed to their addiction, it’s easier to prevents these factors from emerging once again. This is especially made possible with the help of a psychologist that can help provide tools for fighting these factors and overcoming them.

6. Establishing Lifelong Relationships

One of the most important factors in remaining sober long-term comes in terms of support and relationships.

One reality in getting clean is that former addicts tend to withdraw themselves from past friendships. This is often because those relationships were centered on substance abuse and a mutual addiction. Without the drug, the friendship slowly deteriorates and ceases to exist.

Fortunately, a drug rehab facility presents the perfect opportunity to discover like-minded friendships. These friends all share a common goal and can provide eternal support and friendship to one another. These are the types of friendships that have the ability to be long-term relationships.

Let’s face it, humans are naturally social beings. The desire to engage with others and establish a connection is a natural human tendency. The more healthy and fulfilling an addict’s relationships are, the more likely that person will have the power to resist their addiction.

Without these human relationships, it is only natural for humans to experience feelings of loneliness or depression. As we know, these emotions can be triggers and are always best avoided.

7. Building New Habits and Practices

For those battling drug addiction, self-care and healthy habits typically fall to the back burner.

Instead of focusing on one’s health, the mind of a drug addict narrows their focus to their substance of choice. As a result, abiding by a positive and healthy lifestyle is not prioritized nor practiced.

Throughout one’s stay at a drug rehab facility, addicts will learn new habits and practices that are centered upon a healthy lifestyle. This may be anything from proper nutrition and exercise to proper self-care and discipline.

Learning these habits and practices in rehab give individuals the tools necessary to transition these practices into their new life. Because that individual is now capable of seeing the positive effects these practices have on the body and mind, they are more likely to continue these habits.

These healthy habits are also more likely to keep the individual on the road to sobriety and focus on their health and well-being.

8. Determining Your Triggers

One of the most important factors in overcoming an addiction is to gain a solid understanding of one’s personal triggers.

While each addict has different triggers that speak to them, a list of common triggers are as follows:

• People
• Places
• Dates
• Holidays
• Emotional States
• Medication
• Events

Throughout one’s program, the individual will continue to learn about the triggers of their addiction. To minimize these triggers, it’s vital to understand what exactly these triggers are and where they stem from.

Many addicts will find that one of their most prominent triggers comes in the form of negative emotions or mental states. For example, stress or depression has proven to be a major trigger for many addicts.

At a rehab facility, the individual will be able to learn how to handle the triggers that result in an unwell mental state. Doctors and psychologists will be able to provide that individual with the tools necessary for resisting these triggers in the future.

These are lifelong lessons that former addicts will use and practice throughout their entire life.

9. Overcoming Obstacles

Throughout an addict’s journey, there are bound to be numerous moments of uncertainty and doubt.

During these times, it’s only natural to feel that one’s addiction will always come out on top. However, as the program continues and the individual learns more about their addiction, these feelings typically begin to lessen.

In eventually completing the journey and fighting against their addiction, that individual is overcome with an incredible sense of pride and confidence.

Successfully completing rehab is something that likely felt impossible at one point in time. To imagine living freely against their drug of choice may have seemed a distant dream for the majority of addicts.

Completing a rehab program gives them all the confidence necessary for overcoming obstacles in the future. After all, the battle against drugs or alcohol is surely one of the most challenging occasions in life for many addicts.

10. Establishing a Life-Long Mentor

One of the most important aspects of a drug rehab is finding a sponsor or mentor for the addict. Having an established mentor in combination with attending addiction meetings is the best way to resist temptation when the program comes to an end.

A mentor is someone who has battled with addiction themselves and has worked hard to overcome this addiction. With their strength and experience, they are able to provide valuable information as well as support to those in the recovery process.

They also help addicts in the beginning stage of their recovery to share that a life without addiction is possible. This person is acting as proof that an addict can change and that addiction does not have to be forever. Seeing this firsthand helps to provide a strong sense of hope that recovery is realistic.

In doing so, the hope is to create a successful mentor and mentee relationship that continues outside of the program. For many addicts, this becomes a long-term relationship that continues to persist for many years to come.

The Long-Term Benefits of Drug Rehab Facilities

While 22 million Americans report feeling the need for rehab, only 2.5 million Americans attend a rehab center.

For those battling drug addiction, a rehab facility just might be the difference between life and death.

Here, addicts are in a controlled environment where they learn how to cope with cravings and how to manage their desires. It is here that addicts are in the best environment possible to break their cycle of addiction.

Not only does a rehab facility help to fight this addiction, it also provides addicts with the tools necessary to get their life back on track. These lifelong skills developed in drug rehab facilities are designed to provide a number of lifelong benefits for the sake of the future.

These benefits will help recovering addicts formulate a future that is free from substance abuse so that they can be healthy and happy.

To expand your learning on addictions and how to better manage substance abuse, be sure to stay updated with our blog!