Heroin, or diamorphine, its scientific name, is derived from an extract of the opium poppy (Papaver somniferum). It is not a natural element in poppies but rather is synthesized from morphine, which is a naturally occurring opiate. Of all the opiates, it is the most addictive. The heroin rehab group counseling can contribute to a multi-faceted approach to drug rehabilitation.
Affects
After the initial euphoria, followed by feeling calm and relaxed, diamorphine makes the user feel drowsy. Their pupils constrict, speech becomes slurred, attention is impaired and the user feels detached. It may also result in headache, vomiting and mood disturbances. This is a Class A drug, meaning that even possessing it is illegal and may lead to a prison sentence. Being illegal, it is manufactured in less than controlled conditions and cut with any number of obnoxious agents in varying proportions. It is impossible to predict what strength is being supplied and it is easy to overdose.
Short Lived
The initial high does not last long. This means that several doses are required to reproduce the initial buzz. Tolerance builds up rapidly, leading to larger and larger doses. Soon, increasing amounts are required just to avoid experiencing the unpleasant and seriously painful withdrawal symptoms. Soon, the body becomes so severely gripped by the drug that bigger and bigger doses are needed not to feel euphoric, but just to feel an approximation of what the user remembers as ‘normal’.
Bodily Damage
Ironically, despite the fact that the body craves the drug in order to feel normal, it is fraught with harmful effects. One of the most serious is damage to blood vessels, which can progress to thrombosis and abscesses. An abscess may lead to the development of gangrene. Not only can this necessitate the removal of a limb but gangrene may spread to the heart, the brain and bones. According to a prominent British medical journal, heroin stands out as the single most harmful recreational drug, both in physical terms and in its potential for addiction.
Withdrawal
Users who don’t die from an overdose or from one of the other serious complications of using the drug may decide they have had enough and to clean up their life. Stopping on their own can be next to impossible because of the painful effects of withdrawal. Common symptoms include headache, vomiting, shakes, sweats and severe muscular pains.
Medication
Some users find it very helpful to visit a detox center to get help with getting the drug out of their system. Here, they may be prescribed drugs like methadone to wean themselves off of diamorphine. Others elect to go ‘cold turkey’ and simply stop using without the benefit of medical support.
Life After Detox
Having done the heroin addiction detoxification, their next step is exploring life without drugs. One of the major benefits of opting for a residential center is the ability to remove themselves from the physical and environmental conditions that promoted their former drug using lifestyle. Here, they can also learn how to function alongside non-users of drugs.