The number of people addicted to heroin is growing every year at a very high rate. According to CDC, about 8200 Americans died from overdose of the drug in 2013. In comparison to 2002, this number was four times higher. People between the age of 18 and 25 account for the most addicted group of people. In most cases, people who are addicted to this substance are usually addicts of prescription opioid drugs.
As a result of the skyrocketing in the rate of addiction, several treatment centers have also been established. A visit to a heroin treatment center to seek help will usually result in the detoxification of the subject as the first step. Supervision is provided by a physician during the detoxification. Other strategies are used in addition to detoxification, which include changes in lifestyle, therapy, support groups, and medication.
An addiction causes a lot of pain and takes a lot of time to withdraw from. How long one needs to withdraw completely takes a variable amount of time that depends on factors such as chemical change caused in the brain and level of addiction. The discomfort caused during withdrawal can be eased through prescription medications. The medications ease the transition from substance dependence to substance-free body.
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.
As a result of the skyrocketing in the rate of addiction, several treatment centers have also been established. A visit to a heroin treatment center to seek help will usually result in the detoxification of the subject as the first step. Supervision is provided by a physician during the detoxification. Other strategies are used in addition to detoxification, which include changes in lifestyle, therapy, support groups, and medication.
An addiction causes a lot of pain and takes a lot of time to withdraw from. How long one needs to withdraw completely takes a variable amount of time that depends on factors such as chemical change caused in the brain and level of addiction. The discomfort caused during withdrawal can be eased through prescription medications. The medications ease the transition from substance dependence to substance-free body.
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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