Heroin Addiction: Understanding the Facts

If a severe problem strikes someone you love, you'll want to find the best treatment options for a heroin addiction. Finding the best form of treatment involves educating yourself on what heroin is, the effects it can create, and the methods of treating addiction. The side effects of heroin can be devastating, but a San Antonio center can also be helpful.

Do you need an Austin rehab center? Call us today at 866.957.7885 for more information on heroin addiction treatment options.

Understanding Heroin

Heroin is a potent opioid drug that causes an intense feeling of pleasure and euphoria. It's made from the powerful pain-relieving drug known as morphine.

It's usually sold as a white or brown powder, or in the form of a sticky black tar. Heroin is often mixed with other substances and can vary in strength and purity, making it difficult to gauge its potency. When taken, heroin produces intense feelings of pleasure, relaxation, and pain relief. It also causes drowsiness, nausea, and constipation. Long-term use of heroin can lead to a host of physical and mental health issues, including overdose, organ failure, depression, and addiction.

Heroin is a serious and deadly drug. Dealing with heroin addiction properly requires careful attention to obtaining the best treatment programs at a trustworthy facility.

The Damaging Side Effects of Heroin Use

If someone you love in Austin or San Antonio has been affected by heroin addiction, you'll also benefit from learning about the damaging effects this drug can create. The list below will cover common heroin effects:

• Slowed breathing and heart rate- Opioids act to suppress vital functions of the body. Therefore, the person abusing these drugs will find their breathing slows down, their pulse weakens, and they feel a heavy sensation throughout their body. If body systems slow down too much, the person can eventually fall into a coma.
• Itchy skin- The flush that occurs when a person abuses heroin can result in itchy skin. The person may be compelled to scratch it to the point of making it bleed.
• Nausea and vomiting- The suppressant effects of heroin also impact the digestive system. The normal appetite of an individual may begin to diminish. They may also deal with frequent stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting, or constipation.
• Memory problems- The effects of heroin on specific areas of the brain can result in poor memory performance. The person abusing heroin may have extreme difficulty recalling essential information.
• Drowsiness and confusion- Extreme drowsiness and a reduced ability to think clearly are common problems with heroin abuse. Cloudy thinking, poor judgment, and similar issues impact all areas of life.

This list doesn't cover all the possible side effects of heroin. If you do notice any of these signs, you should seek care from a heroin addiction center right away.

Common Elements for Treating a Heroin Addiction

A quality heroin addiction center may use a wide array of therapeutic interventions, starting with heroin detox. Treatment options can include group therapy, personal psychotherapy, community-based programs, family counseling, medication-assisted therapies, and cognitive-behavioral programs. A mixture of multiple treatments will likely be used to address your most pressing concerns. However, Texas residents find that a San Antonio rehab is what they need.

Throughout treatment, you'll develop relapse prevention skills, learn new coping mechanisms, and gain knowledge about drug use and its effects on physical health, mental health, social functioning, daily living skills, education, vocational training, and more. You can also expect to work through any underlying mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety, that may be contributing to your heroin use. In addition to traditional therapies, you may receive nutritional counseling and lifestyle coaching on how to manage stress, set healthy boundaries, practice mindfulness, and develop skills to maintain sobriety.

Examining Your Treatment Options

There may be many San Antonio drug rehab centers near you. How can you be confident in your choice of rehab? In looking at different drug rehab centers Austin offers, it might help you to make a list of essential questions. As you interview various facilities, you can ask about their best treatment programs, their rates of success, their rates of relapse, and other questions that pertain to your situation. Having a list of concerns ready before you meet with various centers may reduce your anxiety in making a selection.

When considering any San Antonio drug rehab center, it's important to consider the length of treatment. For many people, long-term treatment is most effective for recovery from heroin addiction. This means a commitment of at least 90 days and often longer. Of course, the best rehab will be tailored to your specific needs.

San Antonio Recovery Center

If you have a loved one suffering from the side effects of heroin addiction, finding the right kind of help is your priority. Take comfort in knowing many centers for addiction treatment are waiting to help your family.

The San Antonio Recovery Center is a devoted rehab facility that offers a unique 12-step philosophy to help address troubling addiction problems. All treatment programs take place in a compassionate setting that makes the rehab process more comfortable for all involved.

If you want to overcome your heroin addiction, you need the proper help. Contact the San Antonio Recovery Center right away at 866.957.7885 to find out how we can help you and your family.