Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal opiate. This drug is processed from morphine (a legal drug used for pain relief), which is derived from the opium poppy. Unlike morphine, heroin has no legitimate medical purpose. It is a Schedule I substance under the Controlled Substances Act. A drug in this classification has “a high chance of being abused or causing addiction and has no FDA-approved medical use in the United States.
Heroin looks like a white or brown powder. It can also have a black, sticky appearance (“black tar heroin”). Users smoke, snort, or mix the heroin with water to inject it.
A heroin high feels like a surge of euphoria. This “rush” is what users are seeking and why they keep using the drug.
If heroin is injected into a vein, the high is felt within a few seconds and lasts from less than a minute to a few minutes. When a user injects heroin into a muscle, it takes between five and eight minutes for the drug to take effect. The user then experiences a twilight period of alternating sleep and wakefulness (being “on the nod”) lasting between three and five hours. Someone who is using heroin daily must use it every six-12 hours to avoid experiencing withdrawal symptoms.
Physical signs of heroin addiction include:
Some people turn to heroin to escape from uncomfortable emotions they are experiencing (guilt, shame, anger, grief, sadness, etc.) The euphoric feeling and sleepiness that accompany the heroin “high” allow the user to escape from their strong feelings for a time.
However, heroin users can become addicted within a few short weeks. At that point, they have an active addiction to deal with, along with the intense emotions they were initially trying to avoid.
The following are signs and symptoms of drug addiction, including heroin:
Friends and family members may notice these signs and symptoms of heroin addiction in a loved one.
All users run the risk of overdosing because they have no way of determining the purity of the heroin they are buying on the street. The dealer could mix their drugs with sugar, starch, or other substances to make more money. The heroin could potentially contain other drugs like fentanyl or a poison like strychnine.
A heroin overdose can occur whether the user ingests the drug by smoking, snorting, or inhaling it. The symptoms of an overdose are slow and shallow breathing, blue lips and fingernails, clammy skin, convulsions, and a coma. In severe cases, the overdose may be fatal.
The first step in helping new clients admitted to Willingway is a detailed medical and nursing assessment, followed by detoxification (detox) services if the client is still using drugs. We know that fear of the detox process is a genuine concern for people addicted to heroin. Willingway is pleased to provide a medically managed detox program to make clients comfortable.
After the detox process, our clients start their inpatient (residential) treatment with us. This program generally lasts up to six weeks, depending on what the client needs to have the best chance of a successful long-term recovery after leaving Willingway. Our treatment program includes group therapy sessions, individual therapy sessions, educational programs, and attending 12-step meetings.
During their stay with us, clients have time to reflect on how their heroin use has negatively impacted them and those closest to them. Working closely with a therapist, clients review past events tied to their substance abuse and acquire new coping skills to prepare them for a life in recovery.
