Also known as Horse, Skag, Junk, Smack, or Black Tar, Heroin is a highly addictive drug made from morphine.
Morphine is a natural substance derived from poppy plants.
Heroin is usually found in the form of powder (either white or brown). Black tar heroin is a sticky, black substance.
If you feel you have developed an addiction to this drug, you must contact a center for drug rehab in Florida at the earliest.
How Heroin is taken
Most users take this drug in the following ways:
- They inject themselves with it.
- They sniff (‘huff’) it up.
- They snort it up to their nose. This is also called nasal insufflation.
- They smoke it.
Some users also mix it with crack cocaine. This is called ‘speedballing’ or ‘powerballing’. This combination has a dubious reputation of being the reason behind many high-profile deaths, such as that of River Phoenix and John Belushi.
This drug enters the system and introduces a feeling of intense pleasure. This is called a ‘rush’. All users get addicted to this drug in search of this euphoric feeling and then get caught in its trap.
You can search for ‘drug detox near me’ if you feel you are completely dependent on this drug and want help and supervision to escape its clutches.
Effects of Heroin Addiction
There are both short- and long-term consequences of heroin addiction. Here they are:
Short-term effects
- Having a dry mouth
- Feeling flushed
- Feeling heavy, especially in the arms and legs
- Facing severe itching
- Feeling woolly-headed
Long-term effects
- Contracting serious diseases like HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) and Hepatitis C
- Liver and kidney complications
- Depression
- Sleep disorders
- Abscesses
- Male users may face sexual dysfunction, while female users could start suffering from irregular periods
It has been found that patients with mental effects of heroin benefit tremendously from participating in a spiritual program as that seems to give them the much-needed peace of mind.
Heroin Withdrawal
As this drug is supremely addictive, if a user stops taking it abruptly, they usually face intense withdrawal symptoms. These are quite severe, such as:
- Extreme craving for the drug
- Acute pain in muscles and bones
- Frenzied leg movements
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Cold flashes and goosebumps
Since these are such strong symptoms, it is always better to enter a Florida drug rehab center so that the medical professionals there can help alleviate them. Going ‘cold turkey’ is not advisable at all. It can do more harm than good.
Treatment for addiction
No single treatment is de rigueur for this addiction as each individual is different from the other. Most good rehab centers, such as Daylight Detox will customize the treatment after thoroughly examining the user.
Most medicinal treatments are combined with behavioral therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy and contingency management. These have been found to be quite effective in helping the user stop heroin use and, over time, becoming a useful and productive member of society.
