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Heroin Addiction

Heroin use has declined over the past few years, but overall its use is higher than what it was back in the 1990s. The trends that heroin addiction are following make it critical that people have up to date information on this topic. High addiction rates, drug use and glamorization in the media and the changing patterns of both drug use and its users make getting this information out more important than it's ever been.

The Canyon, located in sunny California, is a heroin addiction treatment center that helps patients not only break free from the addictive cycle, but gives them the tools to help them stay drug-free for the rest of their lives. Licensed and highly trained therapists, using a variety of treatments, help patients in this journey, leading them back to a normal, healthy life.

The Effects of Heroin Addiction

Heroin is an extremely powerful addictive; so powerful, in fact, that many users report that they became hooked from the very first time they tried it. Starting with this initial tryout, heroin begins working on the body in numerous ways, and nearly all of them negative. Users can experience pleasurable side effects such as "highs" and the feeling of a "rush," but the negative side effects far outweigh the positives. Constipation, stomach problems, hallucinations, judgment impairment, sleep disorders, lowered immune system response, sexual dysfunction and loss of appetite are just some of the many physical effects that heroin addiction has on the body, starting with the very first time it's used.

The Dangers of Heroin Addiction

There are more dangers to heroin than just the effects it has on the person's body. Once addicted, a user must take progressively higher doses of the drug in order to feel the same "high" that they felt the first time, due to their body developing a tolerance to the drug. This can easily lead to an overdose, even in an experienced user, that is deadly and unforgiving. Sometimes, a heroin user will stop taking heroin for some amount of time, then once they relapse, they will accidently overdose because they misjudged the amount of the drug that their body could handle. Finally, crime and violence almost always become a part of a heroin user's life, due in part to the new social life that the user adopts and partly because they must find a new source of income to fuel their drug addiction. Heroin doesn't just affect the user; it affects everyone around the user, too.

Heroin Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Heroin withdrawal symptoms can being occurring several hours after the last dose was taken, generally peak around one to two days later, and can last up to two weeks. Some of the symptoms include chills, cramps, vomiting, loss of appetite, yawning, loss of sleep, panic attacks and anxiety attacks.

How You Know If You're Addiction to Heroin

If you want to know if you're addicted, consider the following:

• Do you ever feel guilty about taking heroin?
• Do you use it right when you wake up, to help you steady your nerves and get motivated for the day?
• Do people criticize your use?
• Do you ever feel like you should reduce how much heroin you use?

If your answer was yes to any of the above, you should talk to a drug treatment specialist immediately.

Heroin Addiction Treatment and Recovery

Heroin rehab and recovery is like any other treatment and recovery program, but it can last up to several months. If you attempt to quit heroin on your own, the results can be deadly due to the side effects that it can bring on. A licensed therapist and treatment center will be able to provide you with resources that you can use to control the effects of ceasing your usage of heroin, as well as helping you learn how to control your urges. Once your body has detoxed from the drug and you have gone through rehab, then you will have the best chance at maintaining abstinence from heroin.

Heroin Addiction Treatment at The Canyon

At The Canyon, our Healing Life Program will help you develop a positive relationship with yourself, reclaim your personal goals and dreams and reawaken your authentic relationship with life. We'll give you all the tools you need to succeed, and we're ready and eager to help you break your addiction and get back to the life you deserve.