Learning about heroin addiction – A brief guide
Listen to this articleHeroin is an illegal drug derived from morphine, which comes from the poppy plants. People take it by sniffing, snorting, smoking, or injecting it. A kind of opioid use disorder, it can cause specific brain and behavior-related changes in humans. If you look at the reports, about 6,52,000 people suffered from heroin addiction in 2017. They were mostly 12 years or more in age. It may make you wonder why people get addicted to heroin. Heroin consumption leads to a temporary feel-good factor in the brain, releasing dopamine and create cravings for more of such experiences.
What happens when during heroin addiction?
When people increase their dependence on it, the brain loses its natural ability to generate a happy chemical. As a consequence, the doses keep going up in the urge to witness the same good feeling.
In this context, you should also be aware of the fact that the reason behind opioid use disorder doesn’t have to be only this. Some prescription drugs or pain killers also behave similarly. Once the patient becomes habituated to these medications, on not finding the same option, he or she can feel tempted to use illegal drugs such as heroin to experience a pleasure. Then, the low price is another motivation. However, it doesn’t necessarily impact everyone. There can be a few people who start depending on them without even realizing it.
Reasons for heroin addiction
According to some studies, there can be other instances also, which can lead to heroin abuse in a person, such as:
- Cases of anxiety or depression
- Risk-taking behavior
- High tobacco consumption
- Joblessness
- Substance abuse cases in family
- Company of bad people or friends
These are possible risk factors. It doesn’t mean that a person will get addicted to heroin or such other harmful substance. Environment, genes, and psychology can also play a critical role in this. The person diagnosed or identified with heroin abuse or any substance misuse disorder can look for treatment at luxury drug rehab centers like The Holistic Sanctuary. If you notice any of the following symptoms in your friend or family member, make sure to get help for him. The common signs include:
- Depression, slurry speech
- Agitated behavior
- Feeling of drowsiness
- An issue with remembering things
- Needle marks if the source is injection or nose sores if snorting
- Feeling less pain
- Constipation
Addicts generally stop taking care of their body. Aggression, secrecy, and other such behavioral changes start reflecting on them. They tend to ask for more money without providing any practical reason why they need it. They face or create troubles at school or workplace, whichever is relevant. Addiction doesn’t allow them to stop the use of a substance even when they face lots of stress at every level.
The only way to bring them back to life is through holistic rehab treatment and procedure. Individual care, fitness and diet plans, healthy environment, behavioral therapy, and other such concerted efforts can treat their addiction. The chances of relapse are there. But with motivation and support, the challenges can be manageable.
