Heroin is a highly addictive drug that creates feelings of euphoria and strong cravings after stopping use. Without proper intervention, heroin can affect your brain, heart, fertility, liver, and digestive system. The effects of heroin can also lead to life-threatening consequences such as overdose and death.
However, heroin addiction treatment can make a difference. Professionals, friends, and family support and care are essential to long-term sobriety. Call Woodland Recovery Center today at 662.222.2989 to get the help you or a loved one needs to overcome addiction.
The Health Effects of Heroin on the Body
Heroin can have several short- and long-term effects on your body. Even after just one use, you may develop cravings or have trouble thinking straight. Some of the most common effects of heroin include:
1. Suppressed Mental Function
Shortly after heroin use, a person experiences a suppression of the central nervous system. This creates mental cloudiness. It’s hard to respond to people and make decisions in this state. This suppressed mental function has a short-term effect. It eventually passes as heroin leaves the system.
However, when a person experiences intense cravings for heroin, their impaired mental function can make it temporarily difficult to resist these urges. Over time, heroin causes permanent changes to the physiology of the brain.
2. Cardiovascular Disease
Because it is often injected, heroin affects the cardiovascular system as well. Intravenous heroin use can cause collapsed or scarred veins near the injection site. Bacterial infections of the heart valves and blood vessels are also common. Lack of sterile injection technique is the most common reason for these complications.
A careful injection cannot eliminate the associated risks, as the drug itself affects the overall health of blood vessels and the heart. Certain types of heroin may also include additives that can obstruct blood vessels. If these additives block vessels leading to the lungs, kidneys, brain, or liver, there is a potential risk of stroke and organ failure.
3. Liver Disease
Hepatitis C is directly connected to liver disease. If not treated, it causes cirrhosis of the liver, a chronic and potentially fatal liver disease. It can also lead to liver cancer. Heroin injection increases the risk of hepatitis C infections spreading. Shared needles and drug preparation equipment expose people to bodily fluids that contain the virus.
4. Chronic Constipation
Long-term effects of heroin administered in any form, including injection or snorting, can lead to chronic constipation. Chronic constipation can cause blockages in the colon or rectum. Straining to have a bowel movement can lead to tears in the anal tissue. If left untreated, chronic constipation increases the risk of colon cancer or intestinal blockage. Other abdominal organs that press on the colon are at higher risk for cancer when someone suffers from chronic constipation. It also increases the risk of rectal cancer.
5. Infertility and Pregnancy Complications in Women
Women who use heroin are at higher risk for infertility and menstrual cycle disruption. Disruptions in menstruation can make it more difficult to become pregnant later, even after stopping use. In addition, some studies have found that pregnant women who choose to use heroin are at high risk of having a spontaneous miscarriage.
If a pregnant woman continues to use heroin and the baby is not miscarried, the mother has an increased risk of premature delivery. Babies born to people addicted to heroin are often at low birth weight and may suffer from withdrawal symptoms at birth.
How to Overcome the Effects of Heroin Addiction
There is hope for people addicted to heroin. Although the drug causes permanent changes in the brain, treatment can help people learn how to live without it. The most effective approach to treatment is a combination of therapy, support groups, and medication.
A few of the therapies often used in heroin addiction treatment include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy – This type of therapy helps people addicted to heroin identify and change the thoughts and behaviors that contribute to their addiction.
- Family therapy – Through sessions with a therapist, people in addiction treatment and their loved ones can work through the challenges that come with having a family member addicted to drugs.
- Group therapy – This type of therapy provides support and guidance from people facing similar challenges.
- Individual therapy – In individual therapy sessions, people in addiction treatment can work one-on-one with a therapist to address the underlying causes of their addiction.
These therapies and other treatments offered at addiction treatment centers can help people overcome the effects of heroin addiction and achieve long-term sobriety. With the proper support and care, recovery is possible.
How Can Heroin Addiction Treatment Help with the Effects of Heroin Use?
Heroin addiction treatment plays a crucial role in helping individuals recover from the damaging effects of heroin use. By addressing both the physical and psychological aspects of addiction, treatment provides a comprehensive approach to healing. It fosters an environment of understanding and support, empowering people to regain control of their lives.
Treatment can help diminish cravings, restore mental clarity, and improve overall health. Here are key ways in which heroin addiction treatment can aid recovery:
- Detoxification – Supervised detox helps manage withdrawal symptoms safely, allowing the body to adjust to life without heroin.
- Therapeutic support – Various therapeutic methods help individuals explore their emotions and develop coping strategies to deal with triggers.
- Medical interventions – Medication-assisted treatment can reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms, making sobriety more attainable.
- Education – Programs educate individuals about the risks of heroin use and the importance of recovery, fostering informed decision-making.
- Community connection – Support groups create a sense of belonging and connection, reminding individuals they are not alone in their journey towards recovery.
With dedication and the proper support, individuals can overcome the debilitating effects of heroin use and build a healthier, more fulfilling life.
Call Woodland Recovery Center and Begin Healing with Our Heroin Addiction Treatment in Mississippi
The long-term health effects of heroin use have serious consequences. If you or someone you love is battling heroin addiction, you need to get help to avoid these concerns. Our professional heroin addiction treatment uses evidence-based programming to focus on healing and lasting change.
Woodland Recovery Center is here to help and support you toward recovery. Contact us online with any questions or call us today at 662.222.2989 to learn about our process for participating in addiction treatment.
