Treatment for Heroin Addiction in Newport Beach, California.
Morningside Heroin Addiction Treatment.
Heroin is a highly addictive opiate, derived from morphine, which comes from the opium poppy plant. The white or brown powder (as well as the sticky black tar heroin) enters the brain rapidly after it has been inhaled through the nose, ingested or smoked.
Whatever means is used to get the drug into the system, the immediate result is a response on the parts of the brain responsible for producing physical dependence. In other words, the body becomes addicted.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) says those who inject heroin with a needle often feel an immediate rush of euphoria. This is followed by a dry mouth, flushed skin, and a heavy feeling in the arms and legs. Sometimes the user experiences nausea. Drowsiness follows, often lasting several hours. This semi-conscious state is often termed “nodding” and is characteristic of heroin addicts. In addition, the breathing is slowed, a condition that can be dangerous and is frequently cited as the cause of heroin overdose.
Heroin is an opium derivative and, as with any of the opium derivatives, creates a severe physical/mental dependency when it is abused. Heroin affects the brain. It slows the thinking process, slows reaction time, and it slows down memory functions. This affects the way you act and make decisions.
Long-term use of heroin results in a physical dependency that requires the user to go to any lengths to obtain the drug. As more and more of the drug is required to satisfy the addict, he or she finds themselves spending more and more time obtaining the drug. And, because of the cost, this often means turning to crime to raise the cash needed for heroin. The substance literally becomes their life work, and the end result often includes a trip through the criminal justice system or death. Because the drug is most often purchased on the street, it is impossible to determine how potent the drug is, or how much it has been cut. Heroin is one of the top two drugs frequently reported by medical examiners in drug abuse deaths.
Heroin also poses special risks for those who inject it because of the potential for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles. These health problems can be passed on to sexual partners and newborns.
Withdrawing from heroin is one of the most difficult undertakings for an addict. Going “cold turkey,” or quitting abruptly can result in severe symptoms. These can include restlessness, pain in the muscles, sleeplessness, nausea, diarrhea, hot and cold flashes, and, of course, a continued craving for the opiate.
Kicking heroin can take two to three days after the last dose, and the addict generally feels much better after a week. There are a variety of prescriptions that can assist the addict in reducing the pains of withdrawal, but this detoxification should be followed by professional counseling.
Morningside Recovery specializes in comfortably treating the heroin addict from withdrawal to long lasting recovery.
At Morningside, Quality, Caring Heroin Addiction Treatment is Affordable.
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