Elaborate information about Heroin addiction

June 5, 2015

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction: What is heroin?

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction is very necessary for the proper administration of treatment

Have you ever imagine life free of any kind of substance abuse? The benefits of that will be overwhelmingly very healthy and productive. That is the kind of life that we are championing for you and your family as experts from AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury who is also the founder of the facility. In her over two decades of practice in medicine and in matters addiction in particular, doctor Akoury has over the years been a champion of addiction solutions to many victims globally. She says that for anyone to effectively deal with drug addiction, every individual needs to be well equipped with elaborate information about heroin addiction and all other substance of abuse including alcohol miss use. Because many people are suffering because of lack of knowledge doctor Akoury founded this facility and she has been using it as a plat form of creating awareness to the societies on matters relating to the protection of their health. In this article, our focus is going to be on the elaborate information about heroin addiction. Therefore what is this drug heroin?

In simple terms, heroin is an illegal and highly addictive drug. It is one of the most abused and also most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is typically sold as a white or brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known on the streets as “black tar heroin.” Doctor Akoury says that although these days purer heroin is becoming more common, most street heroin is “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. Street heroin can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Heroin also poses special problems because of the transmission of HIV and other diseases that can occur from sharing needles or other injection equipment.

It is believed that originally heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the Asian poppy plant. Heroin usually appears as a white or brown powder and it is associated with several street names including “smack”, “H”, “skag”, and “junk”. Other names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical area, such as “Mexican black tar”.

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction: What is the Scope of Heroin use in our societies?

The available statistics is worrying and according to the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which may actually underestimate illicit opiate (heroin) use, an estimated 2.4 million people use heroin at some time in their lives, and nearly 216,000 of them reported using it within the month preceding the survey. The survey report estimates that there were 141,000 new heroin users about two decades ago and that there has been an increasing trend in new heroin use since that time. A large proportion of these new users were smoking, snorting, or sniffing heroin with majority of them being under the age of 26. The report also indicated that the estimates of use for other age groups also increased, particularly among youths age 12 to 17 and the incidence of first-time heroin users among this age group also increased fourfold subsequently from the 1980s to 1995.

Yet in another study the 1996 Drug Abuse Warning Network (DAWN), which collected data on drug- related hospital emergency department (ED) episodes from 21 metropolitan areas, estimates that 14 percent of all drug-related ED episodes involved heroin. Even more alarming was the fact that between 1988 and 1994, heroin-related ED episodes increased by 64 percent that is from 39,063 to 64,013.

NIDA’s Community Epidemiology Work Group (CEWG), which provides information about the nature and patterns of drug use in 20 cities, reported in its December 1996 publication that heroin was the primary drug of abuse related to drug abuse treatment admissions in most cities including Newark, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston, and it ranked a close second to cocaine in New York and Seattle. These statistics clearly shows that heroin addiction is with us and it is time to step forward progressively to root it out from our systems says doctor Akoury. Before we get into how heroin is used, let us further look at another set of studies conducted by NHSDA for more clarity about heroin abuse.

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction: National Household Survey on Drug Abuse (NHSDA)

The 1996 NHSDA shows a significant increase from 1993 in the estimated number of current (once in the past month) heroin users. The estimates have risen from 68,000 in 1993 to whooping 216,000 in 1996. Among individuals who had ever used heroin in their lives, the proportion that had ever smoked sniffed or snorted heroin increased from 55 percent in 1994 to 82 percent in 1996. During the same period, the proportion of users who injected heroin remained about the same, at about 50 percent. With these data it is evident that the prevalence of heroin addiction cannot be ignored any longer. People are literally suffering both in public and in private and it is now time for action. We have able experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center who are well trained and are of high standards of experience to help you go through this problem of heroin addiction. Take that step of faith right now and schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury for the commencement of your addiction recovery treatment.

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction: How is Heroin Used?

Now in conclusion of this article let us consider some of the modes of usage of this drug heroin. There are three major ways of administering heroin which usually include injection, sniffing or snorting or through smoking. Typically, a heroin abuser may inject up to four times a day. Available facts indicate that intravenous injection provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of euphoria (7 to 8 seconds), while intramuscular injection produces a relatively slow onset of euphoria (5 to 8 minutes). However when heroin is sniffed or smoked, peak effects are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes. Although smoking and sniffing of heroin do not produce a “rush” as quickly or as intensely as intravenous injection, NIDA researchers have confirmed that all three forms of heroin administration are addictive.

From our observation at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center, it is becoming clearer that of the three administration applications, injection continues to be the predominant method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment not just from our facility but across the board globally. Nonetheless specific studies have also perceived a shift in heroin use patterns, from injection to sniffing and smoking. In fact, sniffing or snorting heroin is now a widely reported means of taking heroin among users admitted for drug treatment in most rehabilitation centers across the globe. Finally it may not matter which method is commonly used, the bottom line is that people are being addicted to the drug and lasting solution must be sought timely. If you are enclosed in this bracket of suffering, talk to us today and we will be more than willing to help you get your life back.

Elaborate information about Heroin addiction: What is heroin?

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin

May 13, 2015

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin: What is Heroin and Opium?

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin. As a plant these drugs can be very appealing unto the eye but when processed for abuse they represent death and suffering

Before we can settle into the discussion of exposing the effects of opium and heroin, let us try to understand the proper definitions of the two. A lot has been said about heroin across the globe and one very important point is that heroin and generally all substance abuse has got nothing beneficial to human health. All that can be associated with them are poor health, suffering and even death to the extreme. So what really are these dangerous and devastating substances?

Heroin is derived from the morphine alkaloid found in opium and is roughly 2-3 times more potent. A highly addictive drug, heroin exhibits euphoric (“rush”), anxiolytic and analgesic central nervous system properties. Heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 and as such has no acceptable medical use in the United States. Pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Most illicit heroin is sold as a white or brownish powder and is usually “cut” with other drugs or with substances such as sugar, starch, powdered milk, or quinine. It can also be cut with strychnine or other poisons. Because heroin abusers do not know the actual strength of the drug or its true contents, they are at risk of overdose or death. Another form of heroin known as “black tar” may be sticky, like roofing tar, or hard, like coal. Its color may vary from dark brown to black. Heroin has some funny street names include smack, H, skag, junk, brown sugar, horse, and black tar.

This is the simplest definition for heroin nonetheless as for opium which is also a highly addictive narcotic drug it is normally acquired in the dried latex form from the opium poppy seed pod. Customarily the pods which have not ripened are slit open and their sap seeps out and dries on the outer surface of the pod. The product realized will be yellow-brown latex, which is then scraped off of the pod; it is bitter in taste and contains varying amounts of alkaloids such as morphine, codeine, thebaine and papaverine.

And now back to exposing the effects of opium and heroin in both the short-term and the long-term, can actually be overwhelming in a number of different ways. The high or euphoria experienced in the short-term can overtake the senses, making the patient incoherent, unresponsive and unable to focus. In the long-term, the health effects can erode major organ systems and cause infections that can be very life threatening. From the first use, heroin overdose is a risk as well, and once physical addiction has set in, withdrawal symptoms are a constant threat explains doctor Dalal Akoury.

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin: The Short Term Effects

The short-term effects of opium and heroin are generally the reason why people use opiates in the first place. This is when you experience the high or euphoric rush associated with the drug.

Less than 10 seconds after intravenous injection, opiate users will feel a rush while an intramuscular injection provides a high in less than 10 minutes.
For those who snort or smoke the drug, the euphoria takes up to 15 minutes.
Other short-term effects of heroin and opium include dry mouth, a warm feeling, and heavy arms and legs.
When heroin is cut with poisons or dangerous drugs like Fentanyl or when too much heroin is taken, a short-term effect of the drug can be overdose or death.

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin: The Long Term Effects of Using Heroin and Opium

Generally when considering the long-term effects of opium and heroin, ordinarily this will depend upon the methods with which the drug is administered into the body like for instance:

When the drug (heroin) is administered through an injection the direct effects would be that the veins will collapse veins quickly followed by a huge risk of infections in the heart lining and valves.

Abscesses are a problem as well and those occur whether you are shooting up heroin intravenously or intramuscularly.

One very fundamental point that needs to be appreciated is that, it may not matter how you go about doing heroin, whether the mode of administration is through injection, smoking or snorting or otherwise, the problems with liver and kidney disease as well as liver failure, pneumonia, and issues with the lungs and the brain will always be there. In other words so long as there are traces of heroin in your body system, there are health conditions that you will have to endure. It is also very important to appreciate that those who have an addiction to heroin are more likely to develop co-occurring medical conditions too, this is so because their defenses are weakened and they are more vulnerable to infection and disease.

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin: Opium and Heroin Addiction

According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center under the able leadership of doctor Dalal Akoury’s care, one of the most significant effects of heroin and opium use is their addictive nature and the fact that they are indiscriminative meaning that everyone is vulnerable and can be affected anywhere and anytime. With regular use and in a relatively short period of time (especially when needles are the chosen method of ingestion), heroin addiction develops quickly thereby weakening the body systems significantly. Opium use and addiction on the other hand is less common compared to heroin addiction. This point is supported by the fact that these days accessibility and cost of heroin is within rich for many. Experts are confirming that in each case, each of these drugs have certain common similarities, like for instance the frequency of abuse influences your desire for more and subsequently the more addictive they become on an individual. If this trend is allowed to thrive breaking the addiction will be very difficult and hence the more severe will be the experience with heroin withdrawal symptoms in the long run. Therefore to correct this situation, it is very necessary that you seek for help in good time from the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center. You can schedule for an appointment with doctor Dalal Akoury today for the most excellent and professional treatment and recovery program.

Exposing the Effects of Opium and Heroin: What is Heroin and Opium?

How does heroin work in the brain

May 12, 2015

How does heroin work in the brain: The truth about Heroin Addiction?

How does heroin work in the brain? the brain must function normally at all cost and effects of heroin to it must be corrected timely

When you ask me this question how does heroin work in the brain? I will respond to help you not get confused as to whether heroin is good for your health or otherwise. You cannot gamble with your life and most importantly your health. For your information, this I the most valuable asset one can ever possess in life. When experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center say that your health is your health, it is not a gimmick. It is a confirmed fact and you can attest to it even as a layman. Heroin as a drug has nothing to offer in the protection to this most valuable yet priceless asset called health. And just to erase the confusion from your mind if any, doctor Dalal Akoury the MD and founder of AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center explains that, under normal circumstance the human body will naturally produce its own opiate-like substances and uses them as neurotransmitters. Allow me to repeat that in a different way, I have not said heroin but substances like opiate. Now listen and get some of the substances am alluding to. These substances may include endorphins, enkephalins and dynorphin and collectively they are commonly known as endogenous opioids. Endogenous opioids modulate our reactions to painful stimuli and this is where many go wrong and are attempting to associate heroin with proper functionality of the brain. That aside these endogenous also regulate vital functions such as hunger and thirst and are involved in mood control, immune response, and other processes.

And now as to the reason why opiates like heroin and morphine are affecting us so powerfully is that, these exogenous substances bind to the same receptors as our endogenous opioids. There are three kinds of receptors widely distributed throughout the brain including the mu, delta, and kappa receptors.
These receptors through the second messengers, influences the likelihood that ion channels will open, which in certain cases reduces the excitability of neurons. This reduced excitability is the likely source of the euphoric effect of opiates and appears to be mediated by the mu and delta receptors.

This euphoric effect also appears to involve another mechanism in which the GABA-inhibitory interneurons of the ventral tegmental area come into play. By attaching to their mu receptors, exogenous opioids reduce the amount of GABA released. Remember that in under normal circumstances, GABA reduces the amount of dopamine released in the nucleus accumbens. By inhibiting this inhibitor, the opiates ultimately increase the amount of dopamine produced and the amount of pleasure felt. Besides that doctor Akoury says that the chronic consumption of opiates inhibits the production of cAMP. However this inhibition will be offset in the long run by other cAMP production mechanisms. When no opiates are available, this increased cAMP production capacity comes to the fore and results in neural hyperactivity and the sensation of craving the drug.

How does heroin work in the brain: Heroin Effects on the Brain?

This is one great concern that many people are yearning to understand and for sure most people have realize that addictive drugs affect the body, but they always fail to realize that the effects of heroin on the brain can be very powerful and devastating. According to the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center this will all starts when the heroin users takes their first dose of heroin. This will put the roller coaster in motion and sets them up for long term addiction to heroin. Remember that the initial rush of euphoria is produced by a flood of powerful opiates being sent to the brain eventually becomes the new bar for feeling good. Over time, the brain comes to demand the same level of extra opiates in order to pass that communication to the body that everything is fine. Without the extra boost of opiates, the brain shifts into panic mode, and alerts the body that more opiates are needed in order to feel normal. Thus the addiction is propagated from the level of starving opiate receptors in the brain.

How does heroin work in the brain: How does Heroin Addiction Change the Brain?

It is very sad that we all want to live well yet we often don’t do what will make us live the life we all desire. Like for instance, the brain is one of the pillar organs of good health. When the brain is healthy the whole body is too however most addicts do not realize that consistent abuse of heroin figuratively changes the brain over time. This is one of the most profound effects heroin has on the brain, because it is essentially permanent if the heroin addict has abused the drug for several years. For a better understanding, doctor Akoury explains what will happen. She says that a normal person has a certain level of dopamine that is produced on a regular basis that is trickled out to their brain so that they can simply feel normal as they go about their business. For example, after and during vigorous exercise, the body is slowly releasing small bits of this natural dopamine to the brain, so that the person can feel a bit better in spite of their hard work which is also a basic, biological survival mechanism.

How does heroin work in the brain: The Dangers of Heroin Use on the Brain?

When an addict starts using heroin every single day, what that person’s brain is basically saying is that “hey just a minute here, and then the body communicates that it is being constantly flooded with extra opiates and dopamine, so there is no need for it to produce any more naturally by itself as it should normally. I am getting all that I need and more.” And so over time, if the heroin addict continues doing heroin for years and decades, they slowly train their own body to stop all natural dopamine production. Because heroin addiction is so dangerous and has so many risks involved with long term use, most heroin addicts never make it to this end stage where their body has ceased making natural dopamine. But those who do are stuck in a predicament where their body is always going to be a bit starved for natural opiates, just so that they can feel normal. In such cases, drug maintenance therapy with a synthetic opiate is usually recommended.

Finally this phenomenon should demonstrate the power that heroin use can have, as it is actually one of the physical effects of heroin on the brain. Other effects may also include craving and the fact that heroin can literally change the chemistry of the brain over time, and grip the addict ever deeper into the clutches of heroin drug addiction thereby necessitating the need for you to seek for help with the experts at AWAREmed Health and Wellness Resource Center.

How does heroin work in the brain: The truth about Heroin Addiction?

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

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