Heroin is not a subtle drug. When someone snorts or injects it, the effects come on fast and strong — which is a significant part of the drug’s allure. The initial side effect of heroin use is an overpowering rush of euphoria, accompanied by several less appealing symptoms, including:
These effects persist for about three to five hours before dissipating. For some people, the off-putting symptoms are unpleasant enough to prevent them from using heroin again. But for others, the pleasurable effects lead to more and more use until the person becomes addicted. How do you know if someone is addicted to heroin? Look for these signs:
Addiction becomes apparent when the affected person starts to feel their drug use is out of control. Even if someone addicted to heroin won’t consciously admit it, their behavior will start pointing to a clear loss of control.
People addicted to heroin live in a constant state of fear. They worry about losing their jobs, ruining their relationships and degrading their health. With more heroin use, those fears may come to pass and leave one major question looming at all times: How will I get my next fix?
When someone’s life becomes dedicated to the pursuit of heroin, it’s time to consider a California heroin detox program. However, if you or someone you care about is experiencing any personality or life changes related to heroin use, it’s imperative to get early treatment that can head off the addiction before it spirals out of control.
While rehab is a unique experience for each person, there are several key reasons you should consider getting help with heroin in California at a treatment at a heroin detox center.
Contact UsOften, those with a substance use disorder hide the problem. Because heroin is an illicit substance, secrecy comes with the territory. As lies and concealment become the status quo, rehab may be the only way for people to start living their lives free from the need to hide.
Some people addicted to heroin can maintain their career, friendships and family responsibilities. These types of people are called high functioning addicts. While they may seem to have it all together, a life-changing event such as a DUI or overdose may be just around the corner.
Addiction becomes apparent when the affected person starts to feel their drug use is out of control. Even if someone addicted to heroin won’t consciously admit it, their behavior will start pointing to a clear loss of control. Detox programs can loosen addiction’s grasp so individuals can regain sobriety.
People addicted to heroin live in a constant state of fear. They worry about losing their jobs, ruining their relationships and degrading their health. With more heroin use, those fears may come to pass and leave one major question looming at all times: How will I get my next fix? At this point, an addicted individual may not care about what they lose or who they hurt. A treatment program is the only way to help them regain a healthy sense of balance.
Addiction is a disease, and like any other chronic illness, treatment is an essential part of getting better. Those struggling with heroin abuse don’t have to hit rock bottom to get the help they need.
Beating heroin addiction requires deep commitment and a structured treatment program designed by experts in the field of recovery. It’s hard work, and you can’t do it all by yourself. There are three points to keep at the forefront of your mind as you prepare for addiction treatment.
One of the cornerstones of addiction treatment is therapy or counseling. While safely removing heroin from your body through a detox program is a crucial first step, therapy is a necessary form of follow-through that will increase your chances of remaining sober and stable. Therapy addresses the underlying drivers of addiction and helps you identify some of the triggers that may lead to overwhelming heroin cravings. Some of these triggers include:
Once you’ve identified your triggers, you can then get to work on coping with them. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a form of therapy that focuses on changing ingrained behaviors. With strategies learned from CBT, you will have a strong array of methods to combat cravings and stay unwavering in your sobriety.
Art therapy is another form of counseling that makes a powerful supplement to CBT and traditional talk therapy. Not everyone is great at articulating their emotions and thought processes, so having the option to express yourself non-verbally is often quite liberating. The right combination of counseling types will fill out the toolkit you need to build strength in sobriety.
The formation of a strong support network is fundamental to maintaining recovery. Friends and family can be a good place to start, but the best support often comes from those who have been in your shoes. Support groups like Narcotics Anonymous and SMART Recovery bring together people who have wrestled with addiction and are committed to staying in recovery.
Support groups allow you to learn from others’ experiences, helping build a mental library of strategies that work while avoiding ones that don’t.
The essential thing to remember about recovery is that it’s a lifelong journey. Although you have gotten heroin out of your system, the process of becoming addicted changes your brain in some ways that are permanent. It will get easier over time, but you have to prepare yourself to work long and hard to maintain your sobriety. As long as you put the work in, you can live the healthy, happy and productive life you deserve.
Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs in existence. This powerful opioid can lead users into physical dependence within a matter of days, leading to addiction that grows in severity with each use of the drug. Heroin addiction can drastically alter lives, changing people into shadows of their former selves and destroying relationships in the process.
Thankfully, there is hope for those struggling with addiction to heroin. With appropriate treatment, you or your addicted loved one can turn the tables and claim sobriety. The first step is understanding the origins and effects of this addictive drug.
Contact UsHeroin is a human-made opioid, placing it in the category of drugs derived from the opium poppy. Scientists first synthesized the drug in 1874, and the Bayer Pharmaceutical Company started commercially producing it in 1898. The initial goal of heroin was to replace morphine. For a few years, heroin was an ingredient in many medications. You could once walk into a pharmacy and get a cough medicine with heroin as the main ingredient.
However, it quickly became apparent that heroin was highly addictive. The Harrison Narcotics Act banned the use of heroin in 1914. Since then, drug officials have been fighting a battle against heroin addiction that ebbs and flows with time.
Today, more people are addicted to heroin than ever. Pure heroin is a white powder predominantly manufactured in South America and sometimes southeast Asia. However, most heroin in the U.S. is “black tar” heroin, which is primarily produced in Mexico. Because of crude processing methods, this product contains many impurities and can be either sticky such as roofing tar or hard as coal.
Heroin dominates the U.S. drug markets east of the Mississippi River. Typically, it’s sold as a white or brownish powder that is “cut” or diluted with a cheap substance such as sugar, powdered milk, starch or quinine. While pure heroin can be snorted or smoked, cheaper heroin has to be dissolved, diluted and injected, either into the veins, under the skin or directly into muscles.
Whether pure or impure, heroin rapidly enters the brain where it binds to opioid receptors responsible for feelings of pain, pleasure and other bodily functions. After a hit of heroin, these chemical changes flood the brain, giving users a feeling of intense pleasure that’s especially desirable to those struggling with co-occurring mental health disorders such as anxiety or depression.
Heroin use in the United States has been steadily rising since 2007. In 2016, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health counted about 948,000 Americans as having used heroin within the past year. Because this survey relies on self-reporting, there’s a strong chance the actual number is much higher. The National Institute on Drug Abuse notes younger adults between the ages of 18 and 25 seem to be driving the trend.
The survey reveals the number of individuals who used heroin for the first time was astronomical in 2016, with 170,000 beginning heroin use that year. That’s almost double the 90,000 the survey recorded as first trying heroin in 2006.
When it comes to fully fledged addiction, the numbers highlight another troubling upward trend. In 2002, the number of people meeting the criteria for heroin dependence or use disorder outlined in the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was 214,000. In 2016, under the new DSM-V, the number of people addicted to heroin had ballooned to 626,000.
Heroin used to have a reputation as a problem drug that only affected people in big cities. With the spread of the opioid crisis, heroin’s popularity has skyrocketed even in suburban and rural communities. Anyone can become addicted to heroin, and it’s an intense struggle to stop that addiction in its tracks.
Heroin’s extreme potency has significant long-term effects on the body. It causes severe physical damage and can even lead to serious brain injury as well. Heroin’s grip on the central nervous system makes quitting cold turkey all but impossible. Within hours of taking your last dose, you’ll face withdrawal symptoms including:
While not usually life-threatening, the symptoms of heroin withdrawal are often excruciating. It’s enough to make anyone reach for the needle again. Medically assisted detoxification is the only way to safely eliminate heroin from your system.
Medical detox places you under the care of doctors and nurses who closely monitor your state to ensure you’re as comfortable as possible during the entire process. As symptoms arise, your medical team can minimize them with appropriate medication. Medical detox programs also help ensure you’re as healthy as possible at the start of your recovery by monitoring your hydration and nutrition.
A residential detox program is the best possible way to kickstart your journey to sobriety, but not all facilities are equal. Diamond House is the leading heroin detox clinic with private rooms, and the perfect heroin detox near you in Sacramento. Diamond House’s goal is to create a detoxification treatment in California that prioritizes your comfort for better sobriety outcomes.
The average detox center is not a fun place to be. Most facilities feel strangely sterile and don’t encourage you to get comfortable and enjoy your experience. At Diamond House Detox, we designed our heroin addiction treatment in California to change all that, and make detoxing from drugs or alcohol an experience you’ll remember positively.
As a heroin detox center with private rooms, Diamond House respects your privacy as a patient and a guest. With only six rooms in each of our heroin detox centers in Northern California, you can count on truly individualized attention in an unmatched setting. You will be able to socialize with other guests and participate in medical treatments and therapy, but you’ll also be able to retreat to your private room for rest and reflection.
One of Diamond House’s unique features is the focus on mind-body connection and addressing it through meals. Chef Bob Birnschein serves guests gourmet dishes that nourish physically and spiritually, creating a one-of-a-kind experience that will change your relationship to food for the better.
Diamond House staff are experienced, educated and compassionate about addiction. There is no judgment here, only support. With the expertise of our medical staff and counselors, you’ll receive the help you need to build a strong foundation for sobriety going forward.
Going through heroin detox is a trying process, but the resulting sobriety is worth it. Holding onto your long-term sobriety requires you to implement a variety of strategies to make your new life easier to maintain. Here are a few tips to help you envision what maintaining sobriety looks like.
Addiction is the result of unhealthy habits, routines and hangouts. In many cases, you’ll need to develop a completely new routine to fill up all the time you used to spend finding and using heroin. Obviously, you’ll need to break contact with people you did drugs with or got drugs from, but you may also need to avoid certain places that can trigger cravings. Incorporating more time with friends and family into your schedule will help keep you out of triggering situations.
Heroin can devastate the body. One of your first priorities in recovery is to pick up new, healthy habits that will benefit your body and thereby your mind. For example, regular exercise can help reduce depression and anxiety — both common conditions to experience in the early days of recovery. Proper nutrition also bolsters mental health, while helping your body recuperate from weeks, months or years of drug use.
Addiction makes it feel like getting high is the only thing to live for, and it can be difficult to replace that feeling with something else. One of the most challenging aspects of recovery is finding activities that promote true fulfillment. If you’re lucky, you may derive this satisfaction from your job. If not, you’ll need to experiment with different hobbies or activities to find one that works for you. Volunteering with local organizations is an excellent place to get started.
A strong support network will see you through those tough days when things feel bleak and recovery seems impossible. Seek out new friendships or solidify healthy old friendships to ensure you are surrounded by those who will walk by your side throughout your addiction treatment program.
Addiction is a disease characterized by being off-balance, with extreme highs followed by extreme lows. Obsessing over heroin leaves you little time for things such as family or work. While using, you can protect yourself from pain and numb bad sensations and feelings. Once you begin your recovery journey, finding balance is crucial. Running from your feelings is no longer an option — no one can avoid painful feelings or memories. However, discovering a sense of balance helps you appreciate the little things in life as you learn to deal with life’s struggles without heroin.
Choosing to acknowledge your addiction and get appropriate heroin detox in California is one of the bravest things a person can do. Choosing the right partner for detox and treatment is one of the smartest. If you’re looking for a heroin detox treatment center in Sacramento or elsewhere in Northern California, Diamond House offers the premier facility in the area.
Guests from around the country are also welcome to enjoy medical Suboxone detox from heroin in Sacramento, as Diamond House is happy to offer services to get you to and from the airport with ease. Diamond House offers short-term detox treatments of seven to 10 days, as well as residential recovery of up to 30 days, and outpatient treatment. The cost of treatment depends on the length of your stay and the extent of your care needs, so we offer you flexibility with available financing.
You deserve the best heroin addiction detox in California experience possible, and Diamond House can deliver it. If you’re ready to break free from the grip of heroin addiction, don’t wait a day longer. Call Diamond House any time at 800-205-6107 for confidential help, or reach out to us online via our contact form. Our caring representatives are available 24/7 to answer your pressing questions and put your mind at ease about the admissions, insurance and any other concerns you have about taking your first steps toward a life free from heroin addiction.
