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Statistics about Heroin use

494,000

MILLION

AMERICANS OVER THE AGE OF 12 ARE REGULAR HEROIN USERS.

81,000

DRUG OVERDOSE

DEATHS OCCURRED IN THE UNITED STATES IN THE 12 MONTHS ENDING IN MAY 2020, THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF OVERDOSE DEATHS EVER RECORDED IN A 12 MONTH PERIOD – PRIMARILY DRIVEN BY SYNTHETIC OPIOIDS LIKE HEROIN AND FENTANYL

25

PERCENT

OF PEOPLE WHO TRY HEROIN WILL BECOME ADDICTED.

5

Fast Facts about Heroin

1

Heroin is highly addictive and dangerous opioid drug.

2

Heroin disrupts the behavior of certain natural chemicals in the brain which causes these pathways to become dependent on the use of heroin to continue functioning.

3

Chronic heroin users experience various medical complications such as scarred veins, abscesses and bacterial infections of blood vessels.

4

Sharing injection equipment is how many heroin users become infected with severe illness like hepatitis b & c and HIV.

5

 Many chronic heroin users experience mental illness such as depression and antisocial personality disorder.

Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

Spending more time alone

Moodiness

Making irrational decisions

Lack of Motivation

Confusion

Disorientation

Extreme drowsiness

Short Term Effects
of Heroin Abuse

      • Inability to focus
      • Lapsing in and out of consciousness
      • Heart palpitations
      • Decreased respiration
      • Low blood pressure
      • Anxiety and depression
      • Dry mouth

Long Term Effects
of Heroin Abuse

      • Heart disease
      • Lung problems
      • Cognitive damage
      • Overdose potential

Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal

Heroin addiction results in severe physical dependence, and withdrawal
can occur within hours of the last use of the drug.

RESTLESSNESS

MUSCLE AND BONE PAIN

INSOMNIA

DIARRHEA

VOMITING

Symptoms of Heroin Overdose

The treatment for heroin overdose is a medicine called naloxone (brand name Narcan). It is an opioid receptor antagonist medication that can reverse a heroin overdose. Narcan can be used by both medical professionals as well as caregivers and family members and can be lifesaving.

UNCONSCIOUSNESS

SLOW, SHALLOW BREATHING

BLUISH OR GRAY SKIN, LIPS, OR FINGERNAILS

VOMITING

SLOW PULSE

Treatment for Heroin Addiction

If you’re struggling with heroin addiction, there is hope and help available. No matter how serious the addiction is, it is treatable, and recovery is possible.

1
Detoxification

Detox is the process of ridding the body of drugs. Medication is recommended during this stage to reduce cravings and physical withdrawal symptoms. Detox alone is not a treatment for heroin
addiction but must be followed by another form of behavioral or pharmacological treatment.

2
Behavioral Therapy

Therapies that are commonly used in heroin addiction treatment include contingency management and cognitive behavioral therapy.

  • Cognitive behavioral therapy– teaches patients in recovery to find connections between their thoughts, feelings and actions and increase awareness of how these factors impact recovery.
  • Contingency management– rewards patients for positive behavior change, such as negative drug tests. After treatment is complete, patients should consider their relapse prevention plan or an “aftercare” program. This can include continued counseling or participation in support groups.
3
Medications
    • Agonists, such as methadone, which activate opioid receptors, but produce a smaller response.
    • Partial agonists, such as buprenorphine, with relieves drug cravings without producing a high.
    • Antagonists, such as naltrexone, which blocks the action of opioids and is not addictive.

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