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The Truth about Heroin Addiction

Heroin addiction is a disease that affects the user and anyone that loves the person caught in the trap of heroin addiction. The truth about heroin addiction is that it will produce both psychological and physical dependence. It is characterized by an increase in tolerance, meaning a person must use more of the drug to get the same effect, and a physical dependence.

But even though people easily become addicted to heroin it is also a treatable condition and first begins with a medical detoxification program. Heroin withdrawal should be attempted only under the supervision of medical professionals who can monitor the reaction of the individual to the withdrawal of the drug and administer medications to make the process more comfortable as well as prevent any dangerous side effects of the withdrawal.

Physical heroin addiction withdrawal symptoms include restlessness, diarrhea, low blood pressure, stomach cramps, leg cramps, vomiting, hot and cold chills, goose bumps and runny nose. The emotional effects can include depression, anxiety, insomnia, and loss of appetite. Physical withdrawal from heroin peaks on the 3rd or 4th day, and is pretty much over by the 8th day. Statistics show that the average addict will stop and start detox 10 to 25 times in their lifetime, relapsing to heroin use every time.

Heroin is a physical as well as psychological dependence which means that the body requires the administration of the drug to function appropriately. Without heroin the body is placed in a position of craving the drug and causing side effects that can be dangerous to the individual. The addiction to heroin is a medical disease or condition and not a mental condition or a result of someone who is ìweak mindedî.

But it is the psychological dependence that makes recovery and rehabilitation the most difficult. Like any other drug that has social repercussions, such as caffeine or nicotine, the heroin addict will also feel a dependence on the drug to get through certain situations or they will feel those cravings in certain social situations.

Heroin addiction is also associated with other activity such as criminal activity and disease. For instance, since 1988 there has been a dramatic increase in the number of people infected with HIV, hepatitis C virus and tuberculosis who are also intravenous heroin users.

Heroin addiction is growing in most countries but is especially increasing in Russia and the U.S. Individuals who enter a treatment program may relapse after discharge because of the stressors placed on them outside of the facility before they may be ready to handle them.

Inside a treatment facility the individuals are surrounded by physicians, counselors, psychologists, nurses and socials workers in a supportive environment. Re-entering society can cause an unbelievable stress on the individual which is why half-way houses for rehabilitation facilities are so successful in re-introducing the individual back into the work place and social situations.

Treatment programs should provide assessment for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B and C, tuberculosis and other infectious diseases, and counseling to help patients modify or change behaviors that place themselves or others at risk of infection. Counseling can help patients avoid high-risk behavior as well as learn new behaviors that decrease their risk of starting their addiction once they leave the facility.

The truth about heroin addiction is that it is a problem that faces many countries. Without adequate treatment programs we are sentencing sufferers to prison time, infections, poor decisions and a lack of adequate medical care. Although the success rate of most programs is slim this doesnít mean that the individual isnít able to stop the addiction but rather that the treatment programs have not yet been developed to answer the needs of the addict.

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