The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction

May 12, 2015

The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction: Quitting Heroin Addiction is Possible

The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction is very essential if we are to defeat this problem of addiction

If there is anything users should have done like yesterday, is to stop their habit of substance abuse. The little euphoric moments are just for a moment but the repercussions are for a life time if one does not quit. If you were to be given an opportunity to choose between life and death in your sober state of life and at your very best moments in your life calendar, what would you go for? Would you opt for life or death? You have the liberty to make that choice but I strongly believe that you will settle for life like I will too. Therefore in this article, we want to look at some of the truth about withdrawal from heroin addiction to help you be ready to face any challenges that may come with your noble choice of quitting. To help us get the facts right, we are going to be talking to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a heath facility formulated by doctor Dalal Akoury primarily to offer lasting solutions to all drug addicts across the globe among other health complication matters.

Actually there is no secrete concerning the truth about withdrawal from heroin addiction because much has been written about “cold turkey” and the huge trauma of getting a heroin addict off the drug. Doctor Akoury acknowledges that withdrawal can be very difficult, but she is also very quick to register strongly that it is only difficult but not impossible. It therefore means that when there is the willingness and determination, freedom from drug addiction can be realized with a very short time. She says that at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center up on scheduling for an appointment, her team of experience experts will in the most professional way help you to first come to terms with this disturbing condition. They will also work very closely with your loved ones because in this journey everyone is a victim with just small differences in the intensity. Elements like “Clucking” or “cold turkey” is characterized by unpleasant symptoms such as sold sweats, nausea, confusion and intense craving and those are some of the areas that we will help you cope with. Nonetheless it is also very important to note that some of these symptoms are not necessarily physically dangerous.

The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction: The genesis of Effects of Withdrawal

When you have enrolled for treatment our team of experts will evaluate your individual conditions to determine the degree or the magnitude of the problem before commencement of a tailored treatment designed specifically to address the root cause of your individual addiction problem. This will help significantly in fast trucking the recovery process. We are determined to getting you back on your feet and pick up the pieces of your life back and live it to the fullest. And as this treatment process gain momentum, it is equally important to appreciate that the withdrawal effects are likely to start around eight to twenty four hours after the last dose. This will be accompanied with some symptoms similar to flu aches, chills and sweating, sneezing, yawning and muscular spasms. These effects take a week or two to subside but feeling of weakness and loss of well-being can last months. Psychological dependence can be even harder to overcome than physical dependence. As a possible candidate for treatment, it is very important that you are well informed of these challenges and contain with them because they form part of the withdrawal process. If you are not adequately informed, these can lead you into losing the treatment momentum.

The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction: Real treatment obstacles

Despite all this treatment side shows, very many patients have successfully come off high doses of heroin without medication or massive withdrawal symptoms like for instance this has been particularly common in some rehab units run as Christian foundations across the globe. Many factors are involved, not least of all mental state. For example, a heroin user who injects regularly may experience a “hit” even if he or she is injecting medical saline (salty water) so long as the person believes it to be heroin. This so-called placebo effect can be very powerful.

When dealing with heroin addiction, a lot more is involved besides the real object and target the heroin. Many users have gotten so much into the habit that they tend to be so much attached or let me say that they have fallen in love with the needle and the act of injecting themselves. When an addict gets to the position where they take this habit as a hobby, withdrawal is quite a challenge. I know of one patient whom I will name Mr. H, he is such a thin man in his late thirties and a father of three very handsome boys. For a couple of years he lived alone in a government flat and he has used heroin for very many years besides injecting so many other drugs including crush tablets and anything that comes his way. His love for the syringe causes him to sleeps at night cuddling his syringe, holding it in his hand on the pillow by his head. To him, the needle is a symbol of comfort and a source of happiness and hope. That is a serious problem and he is not alone. This gives us even greater challenge to pool together, educate the world on the truth about withdrawal from heroin addiction and all other drugs. The society is grieving and you and I must step up the spirit of defeating this menace. And even as Mr. H is changing the game in that manner, for many others the ritual of passing the needle has a meaning, they see it as a sign of belonging, of being a part of the club something that unite them, can you see the danger? The syringe being used as a bonding factor! Oh what a life? That aside the good news is that much of that is changing in this post-AIDS world. And even though a lot more still needs to be done, most injectors are now using their own equipment, replenished from government funded needle exchanges a practice that is being appreciated by many both as individuals and institutions.

Finally the luck of knowledge is a very bad disease, if you are reading this right now, be an ambassador of change and share what you now know with a friend and better still schedule for an appointment with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center and get the best treatment that will restore your life back for prosperity.

The truth about withdrawal from Heroin Addiction: Quitting Heroin Addiction is Possible

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction

May 5, 2015

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction: Their Effectiveness and Side effects

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction begins with detoxification.

The best way of handling substance abuse is primarily to prevent it from happening. Treatment cannot be an option if we all did the right things and prevented it from happening. But because of the short comings we have as a society, we have found ourselves with this problem and so we have to take the next appropriate cause of action. When one is already addicted to any drug, treatment must take place immediately. For this reason, we want to explore into this discussion some of the medications for heroin and pain pill addiction to help us restore our life back to normalcy. It is however important to note that when we are talking about treatment, everyone is involved. This is not something that is left to the medical professionals only. Family members, friends and relatives have a major role to play in the recovery process of their loved ones. Doctor Dalal Akoury is going to take us through some of the available medications for this purpose.

Experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center a facility founded by doctor Akoury are in agreement that unlike in the past, today there are so many types of medications that are applicable to heroin addiction and other substance abuse. Such treatment options may including medications, behavioral therapies and support groups. We are privileged that there are very many health facilities across the globe that are professionally handling matters relating to addiction. However doctor Akoury says that when settling for one, you must seek for more information to establish whether your needs will be handled professionally and with great confidentiality.

Under normal circumstances treatment often begins with medically assisted detoxification, the reasons for this is to help patients withdraw from the drugs they are addicted to safely. Nonetheless it is important to note that detoxification alone is not enough treatment and has not been shown to be effective in preventing relapse. This is merely the starting point. Therefore after detoxification, cognitive behavioral therapy, psychotherapy, marriage and family counseling or any other form of psychotherapy that fits the patient’s needs will follow. The next step would be procedures of reintegration into the society and most importantly is getting a lifestyle that is abstinent from heroin and any other drug for that matter says doctor Dalal Akoury.

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction: Heroin Withdrawal

Ordinarily the withdrawal syndrome from heroin may begin within 6 to 24 hours of cessation of the drug; whereas this is the procedure, this time frame may fluctuate depending on the degree of tolerance and the quantity of the last dose of drugs consumed. This can be identified easily by the following symptoms: sweating, malaise, anxiety, depression, priapism, extra sensitivity of the genitals in females, general feeling of heaviness, cramp-like pains in the limbs, excessive yawning or sneezing, tears, sleep difficulties (insomnia), cold sweats, chills, severe muscle and bone aches, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and fever.

Besides those symptoms, many addicts also complain of a painful condition, commonly referred to as “itchy blood”, which often results in compulsive scratching that causes bruises and sometimes ruptures the skin, leaving scabs. Abrupt termination of heroin use often causes muscle spasms in the legs (restless leg syndrome). The intensity of the withdrawal syndrome is variable depending on the dosage of the drug used and the frequency of use. Very severe withdrawal can be precipitated by administering an opioid antagonist to a heroin addict.

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction: Physical Opioid withdrawal

Three general approaches are available to ease the physical part of opioid withdrawal and they include the following:

The first is to substitute a longer acting opioid such as methadone or buprenorphine for heroin or occasionally another short acting opioid and then slowly taper the dose.

In the second approach, benzodiazepines such as diazepam (Valium) may be recommended for opiate withdrawal especially if there is comorbid alcohol withdrawal. Benzodiazepines may temporarily ease the anxiety, muscle spasms, and insomnia associated with opioid withdrawal.

The use of benzodiazepines must be carefully monitored because these drugs have a high risk of physical dependence as well as abuse potential and have little or no cross tolerance with opiates and thus are not generally recommended as a first line treatment strategy. Although heroin withdrawal is very unpleasant, it is rarely fatal.

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction: Medications to Assist in Heroin Detox and Help Prevent Relapse

Methadone – this has been used for more than 30 years to treat heroin addiction. It is a synthetic opiate medication that binds to the same receptors as heroin; however, when taken orally, it has a gradual onset of action and sustained effects, reducing the desire for other opioid drugs while preventing withdrawal symptoms. Properly prescribed methadone is not intoxicating or sedating, and its effects do not interfere with ordinary daily activities. At the present time, methadone is only available through specialized opiate treatment programs. And like any other medication, it also has some side effects including the following: Drowsiness, weakness, nausea, constipation, headache and loss of appetite.

Buprenorphine – this medication was recently approved to be one of the options for heroin treatment including other substances as well. The difference between this and methadone is that it has lesser risk factors for overdose and withdrawal effects and most importantly, it can be prescribed in the privacy of a doctor’s office. Its side effects may include; Headaches, flu-like symptoms, dizziness, constipation, upset stomach, sleep problems.

Naltrexone – even though naltrexone is recommended for treating heroin addiction, it has not been widely utilized because of compliance issues. It is an opioid receptor blocker which has been confirmed to be effective in highly motivated patients. It should only be administered to patients who have gone through detoxification in order to prevent severe withdrawal symptoms. Its side effects may include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, headache, dizziness.

Naloxone – this is a shorter acting opioid receptor blocker used to treat cases of overdose.

Finally when you are opting to using any of these medications, it will be very important that you consult with your doctor from time to time. Remember that prevention is very key in sustaining good health. Therefore you can talk to doctor Akoury today for professional guidance in handling medications for heroin and pain pill addictions in your life.

Medications for Heroin and Pain Pill Addiction: Their Effectiveness and Side effects

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment

April 24, 2015

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment: The Disturbing realities of Heroin

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment are just a drop of what you should know about heroin addiction. Seek for more information for you to be on top of this problem

While discussing the topic how well do you know heroin addiction in our previous article, we listed four questions of concern and were only able to discuss the first one. We want to take time and discuss the remaining three in this article to appreciate the effects of heroin addiction and treatment. Again we are going to be relying on the expert opinions from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury’s care. Dr. Akoury is also the founder of the facility and has been in the medical practice for well over two decades making her to be one of the most experienced medical doctors when it comes to drug addiction and other areas of concern.

How Do I Know if I Have a Heroin Problem?

What is Heroin and how is it Used?
Effects of Heroin Use
Treatment for Heroin and Opiate Addiction

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment: What is Heroin and how is it Used?

Heroin is an illegal, semi-synthetic drug processed from morphine, a substance extracted from the opium poppy. It is used as a recreational drug for the intense feelings of relaxation and euphoria it induces. Heroin is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as a black, sticky substance known as “black tar heroin.” Most street heroin is “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar or starch. Heroin can also be cut with poisons like strychnine.

Heroin is usually dissolved and injected, or the powder is snorted or smoked. All forms of heroin are psychologically and physically addictive, and a tolerance to the drug builds quickly. IV or intramuscular heroin use poses special problems because of the potential for transmitting infectious diseases. Over the past decade, researchers have observed a shift in heroin use patterns, from injection to snorting and smoking. With this shift comes an even more diverse group of users.

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment: Effects of Heroin Use

Short-Term Effects: Soon after administration, heroin crosses the blood-brain barrier. Users report feelings a surge of intense pleasure (a “rush”). This is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities. Nausea, vomiting, and severe itching may also occur. After the initial effects, the heroin user will typically be drowsy for several hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows. Breathing also slows sometimes to the point of death. The following are some of the short term heroin effects:

Euphoria
Depressed respiration
Flushed skin
Clouded mental functioning/sedation
Nausea and vomiting
Suppression of pain
Infectious diseases

Long-Term Effects: One of the most harmful long-term effects of heroin abuse is addiction itself. Addiction is a chronic disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use despite negative consequences, and by changes in the brain. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which contributes heavily to abuse. Painful withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. The following are some of the long term effects of heroin:

Addiction
Problems with the heart, liver and kidneys
Overdose Risk
Infectious diseases, for example, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis
Collapsed veins
Abscesses (at injection sites)
Arthritis and other rheumatological problems
Infection of heart lining and valves
Depressed lung function

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment: Treatment for Heroin and Opiate Addiction

Detoxification/”Detox”: The primary objective of detoxification is to relieve withdrawal symptoms, stabilize participants and prepare them for longer-term treatment. Symptoms of withdrawal most of which peak between 24-48 hours after the last use include: restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps and uncontrollable leg movements. Medications like Subutex may be used to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

Residential Drug Rehab: this is a situation where residential treatment participants come to live in a safe, supervised setting for 30 days or more. Normally the intention of residential rehab is to create an environment where patients are able to remain focus to the assignment of recovering from their addiction. Some of the services offered may include drug education both individual and group counseling, family counseling and making referrals by way of making introduction to community-based self-help groups & referrals to community resources.

Therapeutic Communities: Research published by The National Institute On Drug Abuse states that one of the most effective drug-free treatments are the therapeutic community (TC) programs lasting 3 to 6 months. TC programs are residential, with participants and therapists living together. The program length gives participants the time they need to stabilize from their drug use and to develop new, healthy behaviors and support networks.

Outpatient Treatment: More intensive treatments may be followed by outpatient treatment regular structured therapeutic groups and individual counseling several days a week, usually for several months. Outpatient participants have stabilized in terms of their drug use, and are appropriate for a level of care that isn’t monitored or structured 24/7.

Community-Based Self-Help Groups: Group like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous, along with non-12 step based programs, are designed to help addicts attain long-term abstinence. Group members gain new tools and support networks to deal with their addictions.

Maintenance Programs: Some heroin addicts do not find complete abstinence feasible. In these cases, a maintenance approach providing a small dose of medication so individuals can function without going into withdrawal is employed. The use of methadone, buprenorphine (Subutex) and levomethadyl has been found to most effective in the maintenance programs.

Finally the duty of managing heroin addiction must be done collectively and not to be left to the government authorities alone. All of us are affected and we all have a duty to perform. When doctor Akoury made the decision to form a medical center whose main objective is to transform each individual’s life through increasing awareness about health and wellness and by empowering individuals to find their own inner healing power, she was guided by this common fact of collective responsibility. Dr. Akoury’s practice focuses on personalized medicine through healthy lifestyle choices that deal with primary prevention and underlying causes instead of patching up symptoms. This makes her one of the best professionals you can rely on with your addiction problem. You can reach her on call to schedule for an appointment with her for the commencement of your addiction treatment.

Effects of Heroin Addiction and Treatment: The Disturbing realities of Heroin

How well do you know Heroin Drug

April 24, 2015

How well do you know Heroin Drug: How do I know if I have Heroin Problem?

How well do you know Heroin Drug? The information about heroin is very important in the journey to heroin addiction recovery and creating awareness is just the beginning

For a couple of days we have been addressing various issues concerning drug abuse and particularly heroin. We noticed that the rate at which this is increasing is worrying and as professionals at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury we will continue giving our contribution to ensure that the prevalence of substance abuse is reduced to manageable levels. In our interaction with clients and patients from time to time, we have noticed that the public are not really informed of the consequences of these drug abuses. And most worrying is that even if they are directly affected, it takes others to notice but the real victim is not even aware that he is addicted to heroin or any other drug. We want to use this forum to further create more awareness of the prevalence of heroin and the question we want to respond to is “how well do you know heroin drug?” to effectively respond to this, we have segmented the discussion in four question of great concern. We hope that this will help you understand better what heroin really is and how you can protect yourself from the scourge. The four questions of concerns include:

How Do I Know if I Have a Heroin Problem?
What is Heroin and how is it Used?
Effects of Heroin Use
Treatment for Heroin and Opiate Addiction

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It is not just the most abused drug but it is also the most rapidly acting of the opiates. These characteristics have put it to be the leading opiate abused in the global opiate market. With the help of the professionals at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, let us get to business of responding to these concerns.

How well do you know Heroin Drug: How Do I Know if I Have a Heroin Problem?

It is always said that knowledge is power and that luck of it is the basis of many problems we are facing today. Understanding that background, we want to be as informative as possible so that by the end of this article, you will be able to make informed decisions about substance abuse. Heroin Anonymous developed some questions which were tailored into helping individuals be on top of any possibility of heroin addiction. How you respond to the questions below will give a very strong indication about your position with heroin. Like for instance how would you respond to the following?

Do you isolate yourself when using heroin? In other wards you are avoiding people when using heroin, does that describe you?
Have you ever used more heroin than you planned? If you have records of usage it will be helpful however you can also evaluate this by auditing your spending on heroin. Has it been constant or has it been fluctuating?
Has your heroin usage interfered with your job or school? Take stock of how many times you have lied to be sick and stayed off duty or if you have not been meeting your assignment deadlines inconsideration.
Do you find yourself concealing your heroin usage from others? Interesting, are you proud of this habit?
Are you experiencing financial difficulties due to your heroin usage? You may not realize this if you have more than enough to spend but evaluate from your spending how much is going into heroin account, in other word has it become one of the item you spend on heavily?
Has your heroin usage caused problems with your partner/spouse or family? Take a closer look at your present and your past before you got into heroin, are you still faithful in that relationship? How often do you hide certain information from your family? Dig deep in your past and respond honestly.
Do you wish you could stop using heroin and find that you are unable to quit? Many times users are very frustrated with their habits and are struggling to quit but because they are deeply hooked they are unable. Does this describe your situation?
Have you experienced legal difficulties from your heroin usage and yet you continue to use? Of course heroin is illegal and the authorities will not let you go without being punished. You may have escaped once or twice but will you escape forever?
Do you consume the entire amount of heroin you have and then immediately desire to get more? And have you become extravagant all over sudden?
Have you failed to cut down or quit heroin entirely? You know this is an illegality and probably you have been making effort of quitting but you keep meeting resistance and challenges. Does this describe you?
Do you wish you had never taken that first hit, line, or injection of heroin? In your years of addiction, somewhere along the way have you had any regret however small?

How well do you know Heroin Drug: It is possible to Quit Heroin?

Before we continue with the remaining question, the focus of this article is to bring hope to all heroin addicts and not to condemn them. We started by asking how well do you know heroin drug? And up to that point I want to inform you that if all the answers you are giving are pointing to the wrong direction of heroin addiction, you are on the right track of making the right decision. A decision for health and good life and doctor Akoury and her team of experts are very much ready and willing to help you do through this difficulty. AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center team of experts are only waiting to hear from you primarily to help you in the recovery process. All you need to do is to schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury and that which you have not been able to solve alone, will be professionally addressed. As you consider making that good decision, let us continue highlighting the indicators of heroin addiction in their question forms.

Have you continued to use heroin even after you experienced an overdose?
Do you fear other people will find out about your heroin usage?
Are you preoccupied with getting heroin when you do not have it?
Do you have to use larger amounts of heroin to get the same high you once experienced?
Has anyone ever told you that you may have a problem?
Have you ever lied or misled those around you about how much or how often you use heroin?
Do you use heroin at work or in the bathroom in public facilities?
Have you ever hocked something in order to buy heroin?
Are you afraid that if you stop using heroin that you will not be able to function?
Do you find yourself doing things that you are ashamed of in order to purchase heroin?
Have you ever stolen drugs or money from family or friends in order to buy heroin?

Finally if your answer to any of these 22 questions is “Yes” then you need help. You don’t have to answer all of them yes; just one is enough to indicate the heroin problem. Like I have indicated talking to doctor Akoury will be the starting point and by the end of it your life will change for good leaving you to enjoy life without regrets. The remaining three concerns will be addressed in the next article, so stay on the link and get the best of health information.

How well do you know Heroin Drug: How do I know if I have Heroin Problem?

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options

April 23, 2015

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: Why do people Abuse Drugs

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options goes beyond creating awareness. The rate of addiction and usage is escalating at an alarming rate

While addressing the importance of prevention of heroin overdose in the societies from our previous article which you can make reference to, we indicated that we will discuss with you some points you need to know about the impact of heroin overdose in our societies. This is what we want to focus on in this section primarily looking at the heroin and drug abuse management options available for us in the fight a against drug abuse. Doctor Dalal Akoury is going to educate us on what we need to know about this problem and the following are some of the points we want to discuss:

Majority of new users get to heroin as a result of addiction to prescription drugs.
Quitting heroin is the easy part the hard part is staying off.
The users trying to quit for good run the greatest risk of overdose.
We could stop people from dying of overdose, except we can’t find them.

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: Majority of new users get to heroin as a result of addiction to prescription drugs

Heroin users like any other drug abuser are not really copying this practice from their favorite rock musicians. Currently the available statistics is estimating that about 80% of new heroin users are lured into the drug after becoming addicted to the prescription pain medication. Due to a new medical focus on treating pain alongside false advertising by pharmaceutical companies, opiate painkiller prescriptions exploded from 76 million in 1991 to 219 million in 2011. The translation of this is that almost one for every American adult. This necessitated the authorities to begin responding to the growing addiction and overdose by cracking down on prescription excess and fraudulent pill mills. With the intervention of the authorities, those patients who found themselves addicted when their prescriptions ran out of supply, resorted for the cheap accessible pills on the street. Many switched from $50 Oxycontin pills to $10 doses of heroin. That is why in my introduction I indicated that, it is essential that government agencies and medical professionals keep working together to reduce our reliance on opiate painkillers. Nevertheless since more opiate-addicted patients are cut off from their legal supply, many more will turn to heroin. It is time to address our society’s heroin problem.

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: Quitting heroin is easy the hard part is staying off

A serious heroin user who misses a dose or two suffers the painful withdrawal like that of the story in our last article where the young boy had to be jailed. Worse than the physical symptoms are the debilitating depression and the knowledge that just one dose would make all the pains go away. In a few days, withdrawal ends but the cravings do not. Long-term heroin use causes users to hunger for heroin just in the same way we often hunger for food. Most users today have been through treatment multiple times, and only five to fifteen percent stay off for good. It is not a question of low self-control, cravings never ends, it may not show for a while but when triggered, it may not matter how long you have been off the drugs you are still able to relapse. Realistically people can relapse due to the loss of their jobs, problems with relationships. Besides these your success can also be a trigger for relapse. For instance if you have made great achievement in your business or profession, you may want to reward yourself with a single celebration that can lead to total relapse.

The society is not helping either. We often feel adamant in accepting the rehabilitated addicts or those who have served their jail terms. Take for example many organizations are not willing to absorb former convicts in job positions. Actually very few if will hire someone with a criminal record, especially for heroin. Just when users need help rebuilding a stable life, their criminal records cripple their job applications and bar them from college loans, assistance programs and professional licenses.

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: The users trying to quit for good run the greatest risk of overdose.

Regular heroin users know how much of the drug their bodies can take. They increase their habit slowly, building up a high opiate tolerance. But when they quit, their bodies rapidly lose this tolerance. If they stay clean for a few weeks and then inject their usual dose, the dose may be fatal. If you followed the story of the young boy who only after two weeks of freedom from jail term, borrowing his friend’s car, his tolerance dropped enough that the usual dose killed him.

Others die from taking heroin with cocaine and alcohol, or from bad batches that the dealer mixed poorly or blended with toxic substances. Bad batches are par for the course, since the dealer’s only qualification as a pharmacist is his willingness to risk his life and the lives of others. But the most common reason for overdose is relapse use. In fact, studies show that people who die of heroin overdose actually have on average lower levels of heroin in their bodies than living users. This means that it is the people trying hardest to quit who are at the greatest risk of dying.

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: We could stop people from dying of overdose, except we can’t find them

Many are surprised to learn that heroin overdose deaths are entirely preventable. Naloxone which is administered by injection or nasal spray reverses overdose within seconds by dislodging the drug from the brain’s opiate receptor sites. Naloxone is available in hospitals and carried by paramedics and some police officers. In a small number of cities, community-based overdose programs train users, family and friends to administer naloxone. Now the question that begs for an answer is “if we can stop heroin overdoses, why do they still claim the lives of our people daily?” this is possibly because users inject alone and in hiding. Any heroin user who attempted to ensure his or her safety by injecting in a hospital or near a policeman would be arrested. Even when users overdose around others, fellow users often hesitate to call 911. In 29 states, if a user calls 911 to save a friend from overdose, police can arrest those at the scene for drug possession. Naloxone has great potential to save lives, but the fear of arrest prevents it from realizing this potential.

Heroin and Drug Abuse Management Options: Why do people Abuse Drugs

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