There is a substantial increase in the number of individuals getting addicted to heroin annually. In 2013, a CDC report indicates that up to 8200 people died because they overdosed themselves with the drug. This number is four times higher than the number in 2002. People between 18 and 25 seem to be the most affected group. Current addicts are found to have a history of addiction to prescription opioid drugs before graduating to heroin.
Since the rate of addiction has skyrocketed, many treatment centers have also been opened to offer assistance to addicts. When one goes to a heroin treatment center for help, detoxification is usually the first cause of action taken. For the best results, detoxification is done and supervised by a physician. Various strategies are used to achieve full withdrawal including lifestyle changes, support groups, therapy, and medication.
Withdrawing from an addition is usually not a simple process, because it can be very painful and long. The withdrawal process can take weeks depending on factors such as the level of addiction and physical health. Medications are usually prescribed to minimize the discomfort that is associated with withdrawal. These medications help the body to adjust to functioning without the drugs.
Heroin is an opiate drug. That means that it works by suppressing some central nervous system functions such as temperature regulation, respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. The substance increases the level of the chemical responsible for pleasure in the brain by binding to opioid receptors. This causes a rush of pleasure, while withdrawal causes the opposite.
How dependent the brain is to the drug dictates the difficulty of withdrawing. Since the drug also causes chemical change to the structure of the brain, difficulty of withdrawing also depends on how much change has been caused. Mild addiction causes symptoms like muscle aches, tearing, abdominal cramps, bone aches, sweats, excessive yawning, nausea, and chills. On the contrary, moderate addicts experience diarrhea, tremors, fatigue, goose bumps, restlessness, vomiting, lack of focus, and agitation as withdrawal symptoms.
Severe addiction causes severe symptoms when one is trying to withdraw. These symptoms include hypertension, depression, muscle spasms, insomnia, impaired respiration, anxiety, and drug cravings. The process of withdrawing is not considered to be life-threatening. However, psychological and medical symptoms associated with the process may be life-threatening. People often commit suicide due to depression. Thus, it is not advisable to withdraw without the assistance of a doctor.
In order to assist people with different needs with their withdrawal, various medications are in production. Naltrexone, Buprenorphine, and Methadone are some of the medications in common use today. Methadone acts slowly and is an opioid agonist. This substance is taken by swallowing so that it can dampen the ecstasy that one feels after using heroin. The medication simultaneously prevents any associated withdrawal symptoms. This drug has been in use since the 60s and if highly effective. When other medications fail, Methadone works.
Buprenorphine is classified as a partial opioid agonist. It acts by relieving drug cravings and does not produce dangerous side-effects like other opioids. It is taken sublingually or orally.
Since the rate of addiction has skyrocketed, many treatment centers have also been opened to offer assistance to addicts. When one goes to a heroin treatment center for help, detoxification is usually the first cause of action taken. For the best results, detoxification is done and supervised by a physician. Various strategies are used to achieve full withdrawal including lifestyle changes, support groups, therapy, and medication.
Withdrawing from an addition is usually not a simple process, because it can be very painful and long. The withdrawal process can take weeks depending on factors such as the level of addiction and physical health. Medications are usually prescribed to minimize the discomfort that is associated with withdrawal. These medications help the body to adjust to functioning without the drugs.
Heroin is an opiate drug. That means that it works by suppressing some central nervous system functions such as temperature regulation, respiration, heart rate, and blood pressure. The substance increases the level of the chemical responsible for pleasure in the brain by binding to opioid receptors. This causes a rush of pleasure, while withdrawal causes the opposite.
How dependent the brain is to the drug dictates the difficulty of withdrawing. Since the drug also causes chemical change to the structure of the brain, difficulty of withdrawing also depends on how much change has been caused. Mild addiction causes symptoms like muscle aches, tearing, abdominal cramps, bone aches, sweats, excessive yawning, nausea, and chills. On the contrary, moderate addicts experience diarrhea, tremors, fatigue, goose bumps, restlessness, vomiting, lack of focus, and agitation as withdrawal symptoms.
Severe addiction causes severe symptoms when one is trying to withdraw. These symptoms include hypertension, depression, muscle spasms, insomnia, impaired respiration, anxiety, and drug cravings. The process of withdrawing is not considered to be life-threatening. However, psychological and medical symptoms associated with the process may be life-threatening. People often commit suicide due to depression. Thus, it is not advisable to withdraw without the assistance of a doctor.
In order to assist people with different needs with their withdrawal, various medications are in production. Naltrexone, Buprenorphine, and Methadone are some of the medications in common use today. Methadone acts slowly and is an opioid agonist. This substance is taken by swallowing so that it can dampen the ecstasy that one feels after using heroin. The medication simultaneously prevents any associated withdrawal symptoms. This drug has been in use since the 60s and if highly effective. When other medications fail, Methadone works.
Buprenorphine is classified as a partial opioid agonist. It acts by relieving drug cravings and does not produce dangerous side-effects like other opioids. It is taken sublingually or orally.
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