When heroin has you under its spell, breaking away is often easier said than done. The powerful effects that heroin abuse can have on your mind and body are almost incomparable to any other classification of drug. Perhaps this is why people who try heroin even once are often in it for the long haul.
Have you been trying to find ways to rationalize your opioid abuse, by telling yourself that it’s not so bad for you? After all, something that makes you feel so amazing when you use it can’t be all bad, right? Have you become a long-term heroin user as a result of this?
We at Asheville Detox feel it’s important to take a moment to share with you the lasting effects that heroin has on your mind and body. Before we do, let’s look at some of the warning signs that you or a loved one have an opioid addiction.
Signs of an Opioid Addiction
One of the biggest red flags is if you are unable to put down opioids even if they have caused you to have problems in your life. If you try to stop or cut back and you just can’t do it, you have an opioid addiction. Other signs may encompass:
- Using heroin when you become angry or upset
- Making errors at school or work because of using heroin
- Relationships with family or friends are suffering because of drugs
- Stealing to pay for heroin
- Being hospitalized or arrested for using heroin
- Overdosing on heroin
- Becoming tolerant to heroin and needing increasing amounts
Understand that there is no such thing as a casual or recreational heroin user. Most people who use heroin become addicted after using it just once.
Long-Term Consequences of Heroin Abuse
When you use heroin repeatedly over a long period of time, it has the ability to irreversibly change both the physical structure and physiology of the brain. Opioid abuse deteriorates the white matter of the brain. As a result, decision-making abilities are impaired, your behavior is modified and the way you respond to stressful situations is altered.
Most notably, after only 24-48 hours after your last dose, severe symptoms of withdrawal are experienced. You will experience pain in your muscles and bones, cold flashes, vomiting, trouble sleeping, diarrhea, and leg movements. These serious, physical withdrawals only point to the fact of how seriously dependent that your body becomes on the drug. Using heroin over an extended period of time often results in heroin use disorder, in which the individual seeks out opioids uncontrollably, and does not care about the consequences. It becomes their only purpose in life.
Overcoming Opioid Abuse
Though long-term opioid abuse can be a tough habit to break, there is hope. By implementing a treatment plan which combines behavioral therapy with medications known to combat opioid abuse, you can be successful in leaving heroin behind. Medications such as Methadone, Buprenorphine, and Naltrexone work to normalize brain chemistry, help curb drug cravings, and prevent certain undesirable withdrawal symptoms.
Embrace Recovery with Asheville Detox
If you can only make up your mind to save yourself from the snares of opioid abuse, we at Asheville Detox will help you make it happen. Understand and accept that there is no happy ending when it comes to using heroin. Letting it go and enduring detox may be difficult, but it is going to be worth it in the end.
You are not alone. There is no time like the present to turn your life around. The professionals at Asheville Detox are highly trained, ensuring the client’s comfort and safety at all times. Call one of our friendly and discreet counselors today to learn more about how we can help.
