Facts About Heroin Treatment Center

By Gregory White


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.

Given the high rate of addiction, many centers for treating addiction have been established to offer help to those who need it. When one visits a heroin treatment center, the first thing to be done is detoxification. Detox is done under the careful supervision of a physician to ensure that proper results are achieved. The full treatment involves the use of a wide range of strategies, which include therapy, support groups, medication, and lifestyle changes.

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 one of the opiate drugs. Thus, it works through suppression of some functions of the central nervous system, which include heart rate, blood pressure, temperature regulation, and respiration. When consumed, this chemical increases the amount of chemicals in the brain that cause pleasure in the body by clinging to opioid receptors. A rush of pleasure thus occurs.

The level of dependence of the brain to the substance determines how painful it is for one to withdraw from an addiction. Ease of withdrawal also depends on the level of chemical change that the addiction has caused to the brain. Withdrawal symptoms for people with mild addictions include abdominal cramps, bone aches, muscle aches, tearing, sweats, chills, excessive yawning, and nausea. On the other hand, withdrawal symptoms for moderate-level addicts include diarrhea, tremors, restlessness, agitation, vomiting, fatigue, goose bumps, and lack of focus.

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.

Several medications have been invented to help addicts with withdrawal. Some of them include Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone. Methadone is a slow-acting opioid agonist. It is usually taken orally so that it can dampen the pleasurable feeling of being high while preventing withdrawal symptoms. This medication has been in use since the 60s and is considered effective, especially in cases where other medications have failed to be effective.

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.




About the Author:



تعليقات

المشاركات الشائعة من هذه المدونة

Vital Information About A Mona Lisa Touch Los Angeles Gynecologist

How Laser Tag Arenas Can Be Found

Surgical Instruments In Medical Supply Store Bay Shore NY