FAQs About Heroin Usage and Treatment Options

FAQs About Heroin Usage and Treatment Options

Heroin is an extremely addictive opiate. This is the reason why FDA has classified Heroin as a Schedule I drug. For those who don’t know what is a Schedule I drug, it means that it has no accepted medical utility, and is not considered safe for personal or clinical use.

Now, before you go through a rehab directory in order to find a suitable facility to check yourself or a loved one in, it is necessary to acquire some knowledge. Here are a few frequently asked questions about heroin usage and its treatment options. Go through them, and clear some of your doubts beforehand…

FAQs about heroin usage and treatment options

How Is Heroin Used?

Pure heroin white powder is sold in the eastern U.S. Users mostly inject, snort, sniff or smoke it. However, the black tar heroin which is usually found in the western parts is dissolved and injected.

What are the short-term effects of heroin?

Users report that short-term effects of heroin as similar to that of dopamine. However, they are magnified. Some of these effects are:

  • Reduction in pain
  • Relaxation
  • Intense pleasure
  • Feeling of happiness

Some of the physical effects are:

  • Heaviness of limbs
  • Sleepiness
  • Fatigue
  • Increase in body temperature

What are the long-term effects of heroin?

One of the worst things about heroin abuse is the user quickly builds up tolerance against the drug. This means, with time the user will increase the quantity and frequency of using the drug. This will cause both physical and physiological imbalances which are difficult to reverse.

What medical complications are caused by heroin?

Since heroin depresses respiration, user may develop lung complication, which in long run can contract Tuberculosis and pneumonia.

What are the treatment options?

There are 3 most commonly used treatment options. They are:

  1. Medication

This is one of the most effective type of treatment. Treatment with the help of medication minimizes the withdrawal symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting. Usually, before the treatment begins, user needs to go through a detox in which body gradually gets rid of all the heroin in the system.

The treatment involves using certain opioid substitutes. These medications react just like heroin, but they are less addictive. Gradually, a user gets sober.

  1. Therapeutic

This treatment includes psychological and behavioral therapies. The treatment focuses on the lifestyle habits and behaviors of the user and figures out why it led to addiction. With the help of reflective and analytical techniques, the user understands what let him/her to addiction and gradually learns to avoid such behaviors and habits which can trigger the craving in future.

  1. Rehabilitation

There are two different types of rehabilitation option – inpatient and outpatient. In inpatient rehabilitation, users check themselves in a rehab facility. They are kept in a strict environment to ensure effective recovery. On the other hand, outpatient recovery is a more relaxed option. An individual need to give around 10 to 12 hours every week, and can otherwise live his/her life freely.

Both the types of rehabilitation will include participation in group therapies, counselling, and detox.

There you go. Now you know enough about heroin addiction and its treatment options. Well, if you still have some questions, checkout therecovery.com and you will surely find everything you are looking for.