Heroin is one of the most addictive substances in the world. It is a very powerful opiate drug, derived from morphine and made from poppies.
The effects of heroin
One of the major reasons that heroin is so addictive is because it interacts with the brain's opioid receptors, which are responsible for controlling pleasure and pain. When you take heroin, your brain releases a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which causes feelings of euphoria and well-being.
This rush of dopamine is much stronger than what the body naturally produces on its own, and when you experience these intense feelings multiple times over a period of time, your brain may begin to associate them with the use of heroin. As a result, you may find yourself craving more heroin in order to continue experiencing this high.
In addition to causing feelings of euphoria, heroin also triggers changes in other areas of the brain as well. For example, it affects the brain's reward system and the limbic system, which controls emotions. These changes can lead to dependence on the drug and even addiction in some people.
Finally, heroin stimulates certain areas in the brain that are responsible for controlling heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. This is one of the reasons why it is so dangerous to abuse this drug - it can cause your breathing or heart rate to slow down to a dangerously low level, leading to coma or even death.
Quitting Heroin
There are several reasons that heroin is so difficult to quit using. First, it creates strong physical dependence in the body, which means that your body needs it just to feel normal. When you stop taking heroin after prolonged use, your body goes into withdrawal. You may experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, severe pain and muscle aches, shakiness or tremors, anxiety and stress levels that are out of control, fever and hallucinations. These symptoms can be absolutely debilitating - they are often worse than the flu - and they make it very difficult to stay clean.
In addition, heroin use can create strong psychological dependence in people who become addicted to it. This might be because of the way that heroin makes you feel, relaxed, euphoric, carefree and ready to have fun without any worries. It is easy for users to fall into a pattern where they use heroin daily just for these feelings, even if they know that using will cause more problems down the road. When someone becomes psychologically dependent on heroin, quitting can seem like an insurmountable task.
You can beat a heroin addiction
Although it might be hard to beat a heroin addiction at first, there are many options available today that can help you succeed. For example, there are medications like methadone and suboxone that can stop withdrawal symptoms and help you stay clean without experiencing the severe pain of heroin withdrawal.
There are also therapies, counseling, peer support groups and inpatient or outpatient treatment programs that can provide you with tools to overcome your addiction. With time, effort and the right resources, it is possible to beat a heroin addiction for good.
7 Steps to beat a heroin addiction
- Recognize that you have a problem.
The first and most important step in beating a heroin addiction is recognizing that you have a problem and that your life is negatively impacted by the drug. If you find yourself using more often or increasing the amount of heroin you take, it's time to step back and reevaluate your actions.
- Seek help from others who can support you on your journey to recovery.
There are many different options for seeking help with a heroin addiction, such as group counseling sessions, therapy, or support groups like Heroin Anonymous. It's crucial that you reach out to people who can offer non-judgmental support during this difficult time in your life so that you don't feel alone.
- Commit to a program of recovery and stick with it.
Much like other substance abuse issues, beating heroin addiction is most successful when it's approached from the perspective of long-term treatment. In many cases, addicts who attempt to go "cold turkey" eventually relapse because they haven't yet addressed the underlying causes behind their addiction or developed coping strategies for handling triggers and cravings in the future. However, long-term programs that combine therapy, emotional support, and community outreach can be highly effective in helping people overcome a heroin addiction for good.
- Establish new routines and activities that will help you stay focused on your recovery goals.
One of the biggest challenges facing an addict trying to beat an addiction is that the day-to-day routine of getting high can seem more appealing than changing your lifestyle to push it aside. However, by creating new routines and activities that help you stay focused on your recovery goals instead of using heroin, you can greatly reduce the likelihood of relapse and eventually overcome your addiction to this powerful substance.
- Stay in close contact with those who are supporting your journey to recovery—both physically and emotionally.
No matter how strong you think you may be, there will always be times when it's difficult or even impossible to resist cravings for heroin or other addictive substances. By staying close to friends and family members who support your efforts at recovery, such as attending meetings together regularly or helping out around the house, you can maintain a strong support network that will help keep slips and relapses at bay.
- Take advantage of programs or resources that can help you overcome your addiction.
Depending on where you live, there may be many different programs available to help people beat heroin addiction. For example, some doctors offer medications like methadone that are designed specifically to reduce cravings for the drug and make it easy for addicts to quit without experiencing severe withdrawal symptoms. Other options include inpatient treatment centers and outpatient counseling sessions where experts work with recovering addicts one-on-one or in groups to identify the underlying causes behind their addiction and develop new strategies for managing their situation more successfully going forward.
- Avoid situations where you'll be exposed to heroin or other drugs.
Even after you've quit using, it's important to stay vigilant about avoiding situations where you might be exposed to drugs like heroin. For example, if you attend parties that involve heavy drinking or smoking pot regularly, try to avoid these gatherings for a few months until your cravings become less intense. Similarly, if you're worried about being around friends who still use illegally, try to come up with new activities that will keep the two of you separated so that there's no temptation to give in and start using again. By keeping yourself away from situations where drug use is prevalent, you can dramatically reduce the likelihood of relapse and successfully beat your addiction once and for all.
Soberman's Estate is a residential men's addiction treatment center that provides discreet, individualized, sophisticated recovery and wellness services for adult men that want to recover from substance use disorders, and or other behavioral issues such as trauma, anxiety, depression, stress, or other addictions.
