California heroin rehab has seen heroin overdose deaths on the rise in California during the past several years. Between 2012 and 2017, the annual heroin death total rose from 593 to 715. (1) People who use prescription opioids are also at risk of developing a heroin addiction. According to one study, 80% of the people who entered a treatment facility for heroin use had used prescription opioids in the past. (2)

Although overdose is a major risk among heroin users, the risk of a reduced lifespan also exists. A longitudinal study (3) that followed people who struggled with heroin addiction for more than 30 years showed that their lives had been shortened by as much as 18 years on average. If you use heroin, it is important to know how to identify an overdose. Also, the signs are important to know if you have a loved one who is struggling with addiction. California heroin rehab can help.

Heroin Overdose: What Happens to the Body

To better understand why you or a loved one may experience certain symptoms, it helps to know what happens to the body. These are the effects (4):

When heroin enters the bloodstream, it activates euphoric neurotransmitters.
As you feel a rush, the drug also affects the areas of your brain that regulate heartbeat and breathing.
The disruption in breathing regulation makes your body “forget” to breathe when it should.
You may experience an irregular heartbeat that leads to a lack of proper oxygen circulation in your blood.

While these effects start happening, several symptoms may develop. Those are covered in the next section. With heroin addiction, you require a larger dose to get the euphoric feeling that your brain is seeking. The longer you use heroin, the greater your risk is for overdose.

Signs of Heroin Overdose & When to Call California Heroin Rehab

If you think that you or someone you know may have overdosed, these are the most common heroin overdose symptoms (5):

Shallow breath, slow breathing or not breathing.
Pupils that are smaller and may be as small as a pin.
Discolored tongue or dry mouth.
Weak pulse, bluish-colored skin or lips, and low blood pressure.
Drowsiness, disorientation, delirium or coma.
Stomach spasms or constipation.
Uncontrollable muscle movements.

If the person is conscious and alert, you can call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. However, it is better to seek immediate help in an emergency room if you do not have Narcan on hand.

How Overdose Is Treated

Without medical help, a person’s overdose can be fatal. Naxolone, also known as Narcan, is a common treatment for a heroin overdose. Naxolone (6) is an opioid receptor antagonist, and it can help reverse an overdose’s effects by binding instantly to natural opioid receptors in the body. This reverses the slow breathing and heart rate back to a more normal range.

If you have a loved one who you are around often who struggles with heroin addiction, talk to a physician about getting naloxone. There is also a nasal spray version of the substance that is available without a prescription in many pharmacies. Since it has been determined to save lives, naloxone can be administered by someone who is not a trained medical professional. You should still call 911 or seek emergency treatment if someone overdoses. It is meant to sustain life until medical help arrives.

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Limitations of Overdose Treatment

It is important to remember that heroin addiction is a disease. There are physical aspects of it that can only be dealt with by ongoing treatment. Naloxone is only meant to reverse overdose effects. However, it does not reverse the addiction itself. Only in rehab can a person learn how to overcome the cycle of addiction and break it permanently.

How California Heroin Rehab Can Help

The first step toward recovery is reaching out for help. If you have a loved one who is struggling with heroin addiction, it can be challenging to get the person to go to rehab voluntarily. If you need help discussing rehab with a loved one, please contact Ocean Hills Recovery. We can provide some suggestions that may help.

If you are struggling with an addiction to heroin, it is possible to break the cycle permanently. Rest assured that we are here to help when you are ready. These are some of our service highlights:

We build a treatment plan that addresses each of your unique needs.
With Collaborative Therapy, we consider your learning style, your history and your responses to treatments.
We provide intensive outpatient treatment programs that include comprehensive treatments.
Our facility offers partial hospitalization programs for people who have greater care needs.
We use 12-step programs to help people develop strategies for staying in recovery.

From the beginning, Ocean Hills Recovery acknowledges your individuality. We realize that treatment is a different journey for each person, and our goal is to help you get through it and live a fuller life as you remain in recovery. Once you break the cycle of addiction and can maintain the strategies that we teach you, there is hope for a brighter future. Please contact us to learn more about California heroin rehab.

Sources:

(1) https://www.drugabuse.gov/drugsabuse/opioids/opioid-summaries-by-state/california-opioid-summary
(2) https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/relationship-between-prescription-drug-heroin-abuse/prescription-opioid-use-risk-factor-heroin-use
(3) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2039886/
(4) https://www.health24.com/Mental-Health/Drugs/this-is-what-happens-to-your-body-during-a-heroin-overdose-20180823
(5) https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002861.htm
(6) https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/heroin/what-can-be-done-for-heroin-overdose

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Frequently Asked Questions

How long does drug and alcohol rehab last?

The length of your stay at drug and alcohol rehab will vary for each person attending rehab and from treatment center to treatment center. Most inpatient programs are at least 30 days long; however, some programs may incorporate a shorter inpatient stay with a more extended outpatient stay. The best rehab centers will provide a more custom treatment plan for each person that takes into account the individual’s needs before determining the length of treatment. Ocean Hills Recovery offers a variety of options for addiction treatment. A typical stay at our inpatient drug and alcohol rehab programs last between 30 to 45 days.

Do I need inpatient or outpatient treatment?

Outpatient is an excellent option for people who are unable to take time away from work or their families while receiving addiction treatment. Inpatient treatment is an excellent option for people who can be away from their work or families for at least several weeks for treatment. We recommend that you contact a reliable treatment center, like Ocean Hills Recovery, for a complete assessment before you decide whether inpatient or outpatient treatment for addiction is best for you.

Should I get addiction treatment locally or away?

The answer to whether you should go away or stay local for addiction treatment is very individual. Many people need to get away from their everyday life for them to fully submerge themselves in their addiction recovery process. For these individuals, going to an out of state treatment center is the best option to be able to commit fully and concentrate on their recovery. For others, this is not an option because of work or family obligations.

What do I do if I don’t have insurance for drug rehab?

There are options for drug rehab, even if you don’t have insurance. When you decide to get help, the best thing to do is to find a treatment philosophy that you believe may help and contact them for assistance. Rehab professionals can help you determine if you have insurance coverage for addiction treatment, and what options are best for you. Many drug rehabs accept insurance but also have private pay, or financing options available. Contact our rehab admissions specialist today, and we can help you navigate insurance questions, payment options, and treatment plans.

How to find a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center?

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website is a great place to start when you are looking for a drug and alcohol rehabilitation center. We recommend that you make a list of a few different centers to contact and speak with them to get a feel for their programs, therapies, and staff and find the center that you feel most comfortable with. Have a list of questions that you can ask each center to help you through the process. One of the most important questions to ask is if the rehab holds accreditation by CARF. Having a state license is no longer enough to ensure that a rehab center is reputable. If the rehab holds CARF accreditation, they have had to meet a more strict set of guidelines and procedures.

Do I need detox before addiction treatment?

Many people require detox to help manage withdrawal from alcohol and other drugs. There are several factors that we take into consideration to determine if you will need detox before addiction treatment. Our admissions professionals work with each person to obtain a thorough history of substance use and other medical conditions to help make the appropriate recommendations for care. You must give accurate information so that we can keep you as comfortable as possible if you are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. However, detox is only the first step in addiction recovery. For long-lasting addiction recovery, a person must deal with the underlying issues that lead to substance use in the first place. Contact us today for a confidential assessment.

Signs of Heroin Overdose & When to Seek Help