Addiction to any opiate, especially one as strong as heroin, is dangerous. The regular consumption of these types of substances can be life threatening. Withdrawal from heroin is usually quick, but extremely difficult. Medical professionals usually rely on medications to help patients cope with the ordeal that is heroin withdrawal. The three most commonly used drugs used to treat heroin addicts going through withdrawal are methadone, levo-alpha acetyl methadol, or LAAM, and buprenorphine.
People who are addicted to heroin seek the drug despite the many serious negative consequences in their lives, such as loss of friends, housing and employment or arrest and jail time. While heroin addiction is notoriously diffi...
Heroin is a highly addictive opiate sourced from the Asian poppy. Due to its effects on the brain and body, quitting a heroin addiction can have serious physical and psychological side effects. As a result, a number of drug tre...
When a person takes heroin, it converts into morphine once it crosses the blood-brain-barrier, a protective layer around the brain. Heroin use causes changes in the brain that results in addiction.
A variety of treatments are available to help individuals addicted to heroin to cope with the harsh withdrawal symptoms, including medications and behavioral therapies. A medically assisted detoxification is usually the first s...
Heroin addiction is usually caused by social and psychological factors, the euphoric “rush” and severe withdrawal symptoms. The National Institute for Drug Addiction, or NIDA, estimates that approximately 23 percent...
In 2008, approximately 3.8 million Americans aged 12 or older had admitted to using heroin at some point in their lives, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. This drug is highly addictive and using it can ha...
Heroin, a byproduct of the opium poppy plant sold and bought illicitly in the United States, remains the most physically addictive drug, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reports. Methods of ingestion include sniffing, intra...
Heroin, one of the most addictive opiates, can cause a long-term and chronic disease of the drug addiction. Opiates.com reports heroin as one of the most addictive substances and rates it as the most influential in the "war on ...
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, around 23 percent of people who try heroin end up addicted to it. Heroin, an opium derivative, is highly addictive, both physically and psychologically, and there are
Drug abuse, especially with drugs such as heroin, has a profound effect on brain functioning, particularly with long-term drug use. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, "addiction is a brain disease that affects m...
All addictive substances act by changing the way nerve cells, neurons, in the brain communicate with each other. Neurons normally communicate by releasing small amounts of natural chemicals that activate special receptors on ot...
One of the most commonly abused narcotics according to the American Council for Drug Education's, heroin is derived from either the opium poppy or chemical synthetics. Dependence on heroin can be a difficult to break. For this ...
Once injected, smoked or sniffed, the drug binds to receptors in the body and brain, causing a number of intoxicating effects. There are three approved medications for helping those suffering from heroin addiction. These drugs ...
Living in close quarters with a heroin addict, whether it is a family member or friend, can be stressful. Even if the heroin addict believes that his addiction isn't affecting anyone, the addiction creates a dangerous environme...
People choose to go through the process at home for several reasons, including financial, the need for privacy, and the safety and protection of familiar surroundings. There are dangers involved with detoxing from heroin at hom...
Coping with a heroin addict who is a friend or part of your family can be extremely difficult. As the drug takes over the person's life, you may have physical and verbal altercations with the person. You probably wish to keep t...
Heroin (diacetylmorphine) is a very addictive opiate and is one of the most abused illegal drugs in the United States. Derived from morphine, which is made from poppy seeds, it is sold on the black market and may be weakened ("...
Heroin is one of the easiest drugs to detox from at home because the withdrawal does not pose any life-threatening symptoms like alcohol or prescription painkillers, report doctors at the National Institutes of Health. Instead,...
Detoxing from heroin at home can be done safely if certain precautions are taken. Some people prefer the privacy of home and the ability to choose who will be with them while they try to stop using heroin. Careful planning is n...
According to the National Drug Intelligence Center, 3,091,000 Americans have reported using the drug at least one time. Heroin can be inhaled, snorted or injected. Heroin produces a sensation of euphoria in the user and ofte...
Medications that doctors might begin with include clonidine and buprenorphine to minimize the initial physical symptoms of withdrawal.
But for drug addictions as serious as heroin use, the process does not end with detoxifica...
Heroin abuse is a serious problem for the user and for those around him. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug, meaning it is highly addictive and dangerous, ev...
Heroin is a synthetic drug made from opium poppies. It is a white or brown powder that can be injected, snorted or smoked, and it primarily affects the brain. The drug is highly addicting and, according to the National Institut...
You've probably heard it said that the first step to getting help for a drug addiction is to admit you have a problem. It's true. You won't be able to get help until you've admitted to yourself that you need help. Until that p...
