Heroin Addiction: Prevalence, Dangers and Treatment
By Anne Watkins
Heroin is a powerful narcotic drug derived from the opium poppy and synthesized from morphine. While in some countries it is medically used in rare circumstances, it's mostly regarded as a highly controlled recreational drug.
Among users, heroin is known for delivering an intense "rush" followed by a period of euphoria and relaxation. It's also extremely addictive and difficult to quit, which presents unique challenges for both addicts and heroin treatment professionals.
It's estimated that there are between 1 and 2 million regular heroin users in the United States, with more than 100,000 new users annually. On average, more than 5,000 people die each year from either heroin overdose or complications related to the drug. About 20 percent of all drug-related emergency room visits are attributed to heroin, amounting to around 90,000 visits per year.
Heroin users develop tolerance quickly, meaning that addicts feel pressure to up their dosage on a regular basis. Hardcore heroin addicts may consume anywhere between 150 to 400 milligrams per day, divided into three to five doses. The monetary cost of this habit can amount to hundreds of dollars daily, which is more than enough to drive some users to financial ruin and crime.
Effects and Dangers of Heroin Use
Heroin is one of the most serious illicit drugs. Heroin addiction ruins lives, destroys relationships, ravages addicts' health, and leads to overdose and death more frequently than almost any other drug.
- Blood-borne pathogens: Among people who inject heroin intravenously, there is a high risk of exposure to blood-borne pathogens, notably HIV and hepatitis. However, the dangers of intravenous use are not confined to people who share needles. Users who inject the drug often contract bacterial and fungal infections, and also prone to abscesses.
- Overdose: Because tolerance to heroin develops quickly, addicts must take more and more of the drug to feel the same euphoric effects. Fatal dosage varies depending on a variety of factors, but it is relatively low, and accidental overdose is common.
- Adulteration: Street heroin is very unpredictable in terms of quality and purity. It may be mixed with harmful chemicals that can have dangerous short- and long-term effects. These chemicals are used to dilute the heroin so that dealers get more money from the same quantity of the drug. In other cases, a dose may be much purer than expected, leading to accidental overdose.
- Interactions: "Speedballs," a mixture of heroin and cocaine, are popular among hardcore drug users. The effects of this mixture are highly unpredictable and are associated with high rates of overdose and death. Many high-profile drug-related deaths have been the result of speedballs. In addition to cocaine, heroin may be mixed with any number of other drugs, whose interactions can vary widely from person to person.
- Withdrawal: Long-term addicts may develop acute physical addiction, which can lead to extreme results should the addict attempt or be forced to quit "cold turkey." Symptoms can include pain all over the body, insomnia, vomiting, cold flashes, cramps, fever, restlessness, diarrhea, and involuntary arm or leg movements. The symptoms usually peak after a day or two, and they may not completely subside for a week. In rare cases, complications of heroin withdrawal can be fatal.
- Self-neglect: Because heroin users often end up spending much of their day-to-day energy supporting their habit, they tend to neglect other areas of their life. They may fail to eat well, or at all, and they may forego exercise and sleep.
- Pregnancy complications: If a woman uses heroin during pregnancy, the drug can cross the placenta into the baby's blood, which can cause many complications, including addiction for the fetus. It can lead to slow growth, low birth weight, learning difficulties, breathing problems, stillbirth or Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Meanwhile, there can be equally serious effects for the mother, and heroin withdrawal during pregnancy is risky, meaning that it's essential to quit the drug long before becoming pregnant.
Heroin Addiction Treatment
There are different levels of severity for heroin addiction, and each individual should make a decision about heroin treatment options with the assistance of his or her doctor. In general, there are two main paths: For those whose addiction has been identified early and is not very serious, outpatient drug rehab treatment plans can be worked out with the help of a doctor. These prevent the drug user from having to disrupt his or her life to seek treatment in a recovery facility. They usually involve counseling and support groups in addition to pharmaceutical therapy, such as methadone or suboxone.
However, most heroin addicts need something more serious. For long-term, life-destroying addictions, inpatient residential treatment is much more effective as a permanent fix. Heroin rehab always involves a detox stage, during which the addict is helped through withdrawal symptoms in the safe, medically supervised care of a treatment facility.
During this time, many patients are prescribed medications to help get through the post-addiction period. Methadone is one commonly prescribed drug to combat long-term withdrawal symptoms, and there are also medications like suboxone and buprenorphine, which help reduce withdrawal symptoms while reversing the negative effects of heroin.
After detox, there is usually a period of therapy and monitoring. While staying in a residential treatment facility for heroin addiction, a patient receives medical attention to deal with any physical complications resulting from the addiction or the withdrawal, and also undergoes intensive therapy to try to get to the bottom of any addiction issues. Many addicts also suffer from depression and anxiety, and it's important to treat these issues along with the addiction for a complete recovery.
Finally, after recovering addicts leave a heroin treatment facility, they continue to receive regular therapy. It's also recommended that they join a group such as a 12-Step program or support group. This gives recovering heroin addicts a chance to join a warm and understanding community of people who have been through many of the same things that they have been through, and it can help provide all-important support and encouragement for the difficult post-addiction months.
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