Heroin is one of the most powerfully addictive drugs a family can face, and the dangers of overdose are real. A well-timed professional intervention can open the door to recovery.
Heroin, a highly addictive illegal drug typically used for its euphoric effect, comes in the form of a black tar, or a white or brown powder. Street names include "horse," "smack," "brown sugar" and "junk." Heroin as a drug has some of the same qualities as meth: the euphoria created by the first use of heroin will never be reached again, but a heroin addict will continue to chase the euphoria with more and more heroin. The dangers of overdose are real for the heroin addict.
Heroin can be smoked or snorted, but the drug is more typically injected into a vein in order to achieve the quickest high. Injection causes the greatest risk to users because heroin overdose can more easily occur, and because disease and infections can be spread by dirty needles. The intensity of the rush from heroin is what makes the drug so powerfully addictive. Heroin recovery can be hard for many to succeed in for a number of reasons.
If you have a loved one abusing heroin or struggling with heroin addiction, call our experienced team at (850) 563-9776 for compassionate help. We provide free consultations and advice to every caller.
Timing is everything in an intervention for heroin addiction. The intervention itself must occur within a tight window of time where your loved one is not using heroin, but is also not going through physical withdrawal symptoms. These withdrawal symptoms and withdrawal pain are what makes the heroin addict unreceptive to treatment or professional help due to the discomfort they are facing.
Although this may sound surprising to a family struggling with a heroin-addicted loved one, a successful heroin intervention is possible when done on a holistic basis. It is essential to let a professional interventionist plan the intervention, organize medical detox and a stay in treatment, and have everything ready to go immediately when your loved one agrees to get help. That is also why sober transport is built into our process, so the trip to detox happens right away, before the window closes.
Heroin has seen a rise in popularity and usage in the US. The nation's dependence on opioid medications (painkillers) and the resulting opioid addiction crisis have simply made heroin more popular because it is a less expensive, more readily available substitute.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports an increase in heroin use among young adults over the last few years. Heroin is often taken intravenously (IV, or using a hypodermic needle) which exposes the IV drug user to serious risk for diseases such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Heroin can also be smoked (a.k.a. "chasing the dragon") or snorted (a.k.a. insufflated, or inhaled). You can learn more about heroin from the CDC and the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Although the heroin withdrawal experience is similar to withdrawal from opiate-based prescription drugs, heroin users often suffer more pronounced, acute symptoms. Due to the severity of heroin withdrawal, it is known to be extremely difficult for a heroin addict to kick the habit without some type of recovery-oriented assistance, making drug rehab or treatment centers highly recommended.
One reality every family facing heroin needs to understand: much of the heroin sold today is mixed with fentanyl, a synthetic opioid far more potent than heroin itself. This means overdose can happen even to a long-time user who believes they know their tolerance. If your loved one overdoses, call 911 immediately; if naloxone (Narcan) is available, use it while help is on the way.
This elevated risk is exactly why we urge families not to wait. You do not need to wait for rock bottom; the role of a professional interventionist is to raise the bottom. Explore our full range of drug addiction interventions, or start the conversation today through our contact page.
One confidential conversation with a professional interventionist. No pressure, no obligation. We'll help you find the right next step for your family.
