Choosing to take advantage of a highly rated inpatient program at this California heroin rehab is the first step to regaining control of your life.
When you think of a heroin addict, what do you picture in your mind? Someone living on the streets? Someone who hasn’t showered in a few days? Someone with teeth missing, or dirty clothes? Anyone standing on a corner in a bad neighborhood? In reality, heroin abuse is getting a new face. It is far more likely to find your middle-class neighbor or coworker having a heroin addiction than you would probably realize. The harsher reality is that heroin abuse touches every socioeconomic group without discrimination. This is a result of heroin abuse increasing by 770 percent in some states since 2000 and 60% across the US. While other types of drug abuse are experiencing decreases, it seems as though heroin is picking up their slack with its increase.
How does this happen?
Though a person can certainly begin their addiction journey with heroin as their first drug experience, it seems as though an increasing number of addicts are turning to heroin after having been on prescription drugs. Prescription painkillers (opioids) are given legally to patients to treat their pain for various conditions. These legal drugs, like Oxycontin and Vicodin, create similar effects to heroin. Once taken, the opioid enters the brain and binds to receptors that are involved in the perception of pain. In reality, the pain is still there, but the brain isn’t recognizing that pain anymore. Once a person’s painkiller prescription runs out, and their physician doesn’t refill their prescription, for whatever reason – maybe the person didn’t even contact that physician because of the stigma attached to being addicted to a substance, heroin becomes the next available substance they try to relieve their pain. In essence, prescription painkillers are the new ‘gateway drug.’ While certain prescription medications can often be purchased illegally, heroin is often easier and cheaper to obtain; thus, the growing epidemic of heroin abuse.
Signs of Heroin Use
Heroin can be snorted, injected, and smoked which means the visual signs of heroin abuse can vary. For example, there may not be obvious track (injection) marks if a person is snorting or smoking heroin. Most often, changes in behavior and spending money may be the first indication that something is remiss. Changes in physical appearance, sleep patterns, increasing problems at work or school, agitation, restlessness, or other physical health issues may also be indicators that there is a drug issue at hand. Drug treatment is the only way to effectively move past such addictions.
Heroin use can quickly turn into addiction as the person needs it more often or in higher doses. When a person uses heroin they experience a quick rush of euphoria followed by a very mellow or even slightly sedated state which lasts a few hours. It’s very common for heroin abusers to continue using heroin not to get that sudden rush of euphoria every time. At a certain point, they begin to use heroin instead to keep their withdrawal symptoms at bay.
How To Get Help for Heroin Addiction
Contact for California heroin rehab facility and talk to a counselor as soon as possible. Don’t wait until you think the person has reached their breaking point, it may be too late. An addiction counselor can help you formulate a plan for treatment which can include intervention and detoxification if need be. Your best chance for success is to call our California Heroin Rehab as soon as you realize there is a problem.
References:
http://www.forbes.com/sites/daviddisalvo/2014/01/14/why-is-heroin-abuse-rising-while-other-drug-abuse-is-falling/
http://health.usnews.com/health-news/articles/2014/05/28/todays-heroin-abusers-often-middle-class-suburbanites-study
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/basics/symptoms/con-20020970
http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/heroin
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/heroin.html
About the author:
Nicole earned her doctoral degree in Psychology with an emphasis on marriage and family therapy at California School of Professional Psychology. Her doctoral thesis was a grounded theory study exploring the role of alienation and connectedness in the life course of addiction. She specializes in treating addiction and trauma. She is certified in DBT and EMDR, two of the most highly regarded evidence-based methods in psychotherapy. Dr. Doss is a strong LGBT advocate and provides open and affirming support to her LGBT clients.
Dr. Doss’s earlier education included graduating cum laude from the University of California, Irvine in June of 2007 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology. While there, she received honors recognition by Psi Chi and Golden Key honor societies.
Nicole has been working with alcoholics and addicts in our California drug and alcohol rehab center as an advisor and counselor for many years. She is passionate about providing quality counseling and care to her clients. Her main focus is on integrating the 12 Step and disease models of addiction with experiential therapeutic theory. She is married to Greg; they have two adorable sons together and an energetic yellow Labrador Retriever.
