For compassionate and holistic heroin addiction treatment in Las Vegas, look no further than The Nestled Recovery Center. Our dedicated team of heroin rehab professionals will build a personalized treatment plan for you or your loved one. Heroin addiction is a powerful disease, but not an unstoppable one. By addressing the specific factors that drive your addiction, we can equip you with the tools and strategies you need to live a heroin-free life.
Receive the compassionate care you or your loved one need for heroin addiction. Contact The Nestled Recovery Center today.
What Is Heroin Addiction?
Heroin abuse is often the next step for people addicted to painkillers because it tends to be cheaper and you don’t need a prescription from a doctor to obtain it. Unfortunately, when an opioid/opiate addiction reaches the point of heroin use, addiction can happen rather quickly due to the potency of heroin. Heroin is made from opiates, which is the same ingredient found in many prescription painkillers. This potent drug produces a “high” almost immediately after taking it, which is part of what makes it so addictive. It is not unusual for someone to develop an addiction after only a few uses.
Treatment Strategy for Heroin Addiction
The first step of treating heroin addiction is detox. Detoxing from heroin can be extremely uncomfortable and even deadly if done without medical and clinical support. Our medical team can help alleviate some of the physical and psychological detoxing symptoms with use of Subutex tapers and other medications to aid with post-acute withdrawal symptoms. Once detox is complete, our clinical staff can aid in uncovering and teaching the patient how to cope with the underlying mental health, unprocessed trauma, or other reasons for using.
Side Effects and Symptoms Of Heroin Addiction
Heroin is not that different from morphine. When it enters the brain, it bonds to the body’s opioid receptors, creating a euphoric feeling that reduces anxiety and suppresses pain. The brain responds positively to these sensations and will create cravings for them when the effects start to wear off. This is partly why it’s so easy to develop a physical dependency on heroin.
The euphoria of heroin only lasts for a few minutes, followed by a 10 to 20-minute “rush”. The effects of heroin only last for up to an hour, and withdrawal symptoms can occur within six hours. Someone with a heroin addiction can find themselves taking it several times a day, resulting in some serious physical side effects.
Side effects of heroin abuse include:
- Nausea
- Difficulty breathing
- Abnormal heart rate
- Vision changes
- Dry mouth
- Nausea and vomiting
- Kidney disease
- Skin infections
- Seizures
- Pneumonia
- Irregular moods
- Feeling of being “tired” that is closer to falling unconscious than sleeping
Some of these problems come from long-term heroin use and are life-threatening. The good news is that no matter how long you or a loved one have been using heroin, you can significantly improve your health by making the decision to stop today.
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Common Signs of Heroin Addiction
If you suspect that someone you know may be addicted to heroin, pay attention to their home, their physical appearance, and changes in their lifestyle to identify certain telltale signs. Identifying the truth is the first step to helping your loved one overcome their heroin addiction and take the first step towards sobriety.
Signs of heroin addiction include:
- Needle marks (from injecting)
- Runny nose or nose sores (from snorting)
- Slurred speech
- Dilated or constricted pupils
- Hostile or unpredictable behavior
- Uncharacteristic reclusive behavior
- Significant weight loss
- Constant itching / scratching
- Agitation or drowsiness
- Memory loss
- Constipation
- Changes in appearance or personal hygiene
- Issues at school or work
- Missing money or suddenly needing more money without a logical reason
The Importance of Medical Detox
Heroin has a serious withdrawal period, and no one should cut themselves off completely without medical supervision. In medical detox at The Nestled Recovery Center, patients are closely monitored as they cleanse the drug from their system as well as prescribed tapers and other medications to help the body safely detox the drug and avoid going into shock.
Heroin withdrawal is usually the most intense within the first week. During this time, you might experience anxiety, diarrhea, cravings, nausea, vomiting, and suicidal thoughts. These symptoms are uncomfortable enough that many people relapse in this period. Don’t waste this important first step towards recovery. Make sure you or your loved one detox with experienced professionals who can help.
Personalized Heroin Treatment in Las Vegas Nevada
Getting through the withdrawal period is an impressive feat, but it is not enough to overcome an addiction. Without understanding the factors that led to the addiction or picking up skills that will help them deal with future temptations, a person recovering from heroin addiction has a risk of relapse. At The Nestled Recovery Center, we use psychotherapies and experiential therapies to create a holistic treatment experience. Through our residential program, patients receive personalized care for their specific needs so as to help them identify if/what is underlying their addiction. Sometimes there could be an underlying mental health disorder and/or an unprocessed trauma(s) that continues to trigger the addiction.
Painkillers To Avoid After Treatment for Heroin Abuse
Because painkillers include the same opioid ingredient as heroin, a recovering heroin addict should never take them. The opioids in painkillers are absorbed by the same receptors in the brain that respond to heroin. Taking a painkiller could reactivate old cravings and bring on a full-blown relapse.
The following are some pain medications you should avoid when recovering from a heroin addiction:
- Morphine
- Oxycodone
- Opium
- Soma
- Codeine
- Darvon
- Darvocet
- Percocet
- Ultram
- Hydromorphone
- Fioricet
- Fiorinal
This is not a comprehensive list. Be sure to discuss your history of addiction with all of your care providers. There are many medication-free pain management techniques you can explore to prevent the need for painkillers.
Final Thoughts On Heroin Addiction and Rehab
Heroin addiction is a serious problem that requires professional treatment. Signs of heroin abuse should not be ignored, and contact The Nestled Recovery to receive help for substance abuse.
For more information about heroin addiction treatment in Las Vegas, call The Nestled Recovery Center at (702) 299-6406.
