Millions of people in the United States misuse opioids like heroin. As many as 1.1 million adults in the U.S. use heroin every year, according to the National Institutes of Health. If you have an opioid use disorder, getting help can save your life. Turn to our heroin detox center at BoardPrep Recovery Center®® by calling 866.796.4720 or reaching out online.
Is Heroin an Opioid?
Many people wonder, “Is heroin an opioid?” Yes, heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid made from morphine. It binds to opioid receptors throughout the body and can affect the centers of the brain that control your heart rate, breathing, and sleeping.
The most common ways of using heroin are injecting it into a vein, snorting the powder through the nose, and inhaling or smoking it.
Some of the short-term effects of heroin use are:
- Dry mouth
- Nausea
- Warm flushing to the skin
- Severe itching
- Clouded mental functioning
- Vomiting
The long-term effects of heroin use are:
- Insomnia
- Collapsed veins
- Infection of the heart lining and valves
- Abscesses
- Constipation
- Stomach cramping
- Breathing complications
- Sexual dysfunction
One of the dangers of heroin abuse is the possibility of overdosing. Your body quickly gets used to functioning with heroin. You can start needing more of the drug to feel the effects you want. Taking too much heroin can quickly lead to an overdose, with symptoms like:
- Shallow breathing
- Weak pulse
- Low blood pressure
- Severe disorientation
- Extreme drowsiness
- Delirium
- Coma
A heroin overdose can be fatal.
Getting Treatment for Heroin Abuse
If you have an opioid use disorder involving heroin, getting help as soon as possible is vital.
Heroin Detox
You need to remove all traces of heroin from your body before you can really dive into what caused the addiction. This means going through the detox process, which you don’t want to do on your own because of the withdrawal symptoms you can experience.
To avoid these symptoms, you can turn to a heroin detox center. During medical detox, you receive tapered doses of medications that mimic the effects of the drug so that your body can gradually adjust to being without heroin.
You will be under constant monitoring to ensure you are safe.
Individual Therapy Sessions
Individual therapy sessions can help you understand what caused the addiction. The majority of people can benefit from behavioral therapies like cognitive-behavioral therapy and dialectical behavior therapy.
These options allow you to identify the negative thought patterns that can affect your moods and behaviors so that you can then start making changes.
Group Therapy Sessions
Group therapy helps you break free from the isolation that addiction can cause. You can start seeing that others also struggle with similar challenges. Group therapy can also help you start communicating with others more easily and in healthier ways.
You can apply the techniques you learn in individual therapy sessions in group sessions to gain confidence in your abilities to put them to use.
Family Therapy
Addiction can affect your entire family. By having family counseling sessions, you can relearn how to speak with one another and start building trust once again.
Get Help for Heroin Abuse at BoardPrep Recovery Center®®
If you struggle with heroin addiction, turning to professionals for help can be the best choice you make for yourself.
At BoardPrep Recovery Center®®, we offer heroin use disorder treatment that begins with detox services and continues through aftercare options. You will have access to individual therapy and group therapy sessions led by experts and receive the support you need to get on the path to sobriety.
Get the help you need by calling BoardPrep Recovery Center®® at 866.796.4720 or connecting with us online.
