The Process of Heroin Detox

The Process of Heroin Detox

The heroin drug epidemic is sweeping the nation and leaving behind friends and loved ones who’ve done everything they can to help. Heroin is the drug of choice for many opiate users mainly because of its price and how easy it is to find. It’s estimated that there are more than 626,000 people addicted to opiates in this country. Some feel that people are addicts by choice, but really addiction should be approached as a disease that needs treatment.

A person makes a conscious decision to use the first time, but the drug quickly grabs ahold and causes them to act in ways and do things that they never thought possible. Substance abuse and addiction can take someone who has a great career, a beautiful family, and many friends and brings them to the brink of destruction. A user may not be able to stop, and they don’t know how to ease the pangs of addiction without help. Substance abuse treatment facilities become a vital part of maintaining sobriety from the initial withdrawal phase through to clean living. Because of the severity of an addiction to opiates, a medically assisted detox is the best way to taper off the drug.

Understanding Heroin

Heroin is a substance made from poppy flowers, much like the pain killer morphine. Initially, this medication was created as a replacement for the potent pain medication, but it was far more problematic than they ever imagined. Not only is it just as addictive as morphine, but it’s hazardous. On the street, it’s easy to find it in a black tar form or as a powder that is brown or white. It can be called many things, but the most common is hell dust or horse. It can be snorted, smoked, injected, or mixed with other drugs for different effects.

Unfortunately, many distributors on the black market have learned that by adding things like cornstarch to the powder, they can increase their profits. The only problem is that cornstarch and other fillers can cause severe damage to the body. They can clog blood vessels and damage the heart or lungs. You never know what the dealer has mixed the drug with, and it’s scary to ingest something without truly understanding what’s in it. That’s why so many people die after just one dose.

Did you know that more than 80 percent of heroin users initially start by using prescription medications? Most people have an operation or an illness that requires the use of morphine. However, doctors limit the frequency of the use of this medication, so since heroin is made from the same plant, it seems like a logical choice for those in pain. The use of opioid drugs has increased dramatically over the past ten years. It’s estimated that more than 116 people die each day from an opiate overdose.

Heroin has strong effects on its users, which is why so many people develop an abuse problem with it. It gives a euphoric feeling that makes the cares of life melt away, but extended use can cause the following concerning problems:

• Mental confusion
• Seizures/ hallucinations
• Vomiting and severe nausea
• An unconscious state
• Damage to nasal tissue
• Collapsed veins
• Abscessed teeth
• Mental health issues
• Kidney disease
• Liver disease
• Overdose

The Heroin Detox Process

Detoxing from heroin is a long process, but it’s a necessary step to getting the drug cleansed from your system. During the initial phase, you may have tremors, excessive sweating, anxiety, headaches, and vomiting. The important thing is that you don’t do it alone. You can choose the “cold turkey” method to detox, or you can opt to use a medically supervised detox where the strong drugs are exchanged for medically weaker ones.

Going “cold turkey” is usually done at home and without medical supervision. Due to the intense nature of heroin and its effects on the body, this method is not recommended. Things can get out of hand quickly, especially for someone who used large amounts of this drug daily. Should something happen, like a seizure, during your heroin detox, it’s good to have medical professionals close by.

Getting The Help You Need To Succeed

At St John’s Recovery Place, we understand that people don’t set out to develop substance abuse or addiction problems. Life and hard circumstances happen to everyone from time to time, and for whatever reason, this is the battle you must fight. Many of our clients are trying to self-medicate from an underlying mental illness like depression or anxiety. For others, they started using it recreationally, and things got out of hand. Our staff is well versed in all kinds of substance abuse issues. There’s no better place to be than Florida in the sunshine to detox and start your life again.

We start by developing a treatment plan just for you. Being in-house helps you to get away from daily triggers and the cares of life that hold you down. Our relaxing and peaceful location makes for a great place to start your journey to sobriety, and we have counselors, medical professionals, and staff that want to see you succeed.

What Happens If I Relapse?

Your brain has been rewired and seeing your life without the drug may be impossible at this stage. However, though the withdrawals are going to be fierce, we are not going to give up on you. Your group and individual therapy sessions are great tools to network with others and find strength. Attending meetings both during and after treatment make it possible to maintain your sobriety.

You must remember that your drug addiction didn’t morph to the levels it is overnight, and it’s not going to go away overnight either. Once you get the drug out of your system, you will struggle with the aspects of psychological dependence. Thankfully, we have seen so many people come to Crescent City, Florida, and they find the courage to face their demons head-on and win! We have put plenty of time and effort into making our program successful.

Are you ready to take control of your life back? Stop letting the cravings for substances ruin your life. Call one of our intake specialists at St John’s Recovery Place today. We are ready to help you; all you need to do is take the first step. Call 1-(833) 397-3422.