New study shows promise in treating heroin addiction

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Black Tar Heroin

A new study reveals that there is new hope on the horizon for those suffering from heroin addiction. Formerly the usual treatment for addressing addiction to heroin was treatment with methadone or Subutex. These particular treatments mimic the effects a drug user might experience when using Morphine and are also addictive in their own right.

Many recovery programs in fact have been formulated to help the former heroin addict get off of the chemical dependance of methadone. With this risk involved, it was imperative and is imperative that ongoing effects be made to find alternative ways to treat drug addiction. Naltrexone implants are the latest effort in finding a new treatment for heroin dependance and early studies are showing some success.

The new treatment is intended to target those who need to overcome their heroin addiction without resorting to a treatment that has the potential to become addictive as well, (methadone). Naltrexone works completely different from traditional methadone treatments by completely blocking the effect heroin and morphine substances have on the addict. Naltrexone not only blocks the effects of heroin and morphine, but induces a sense of calm in the patient. The blocking effect of this new treatment lessens cravings and physical dependency as well.

To read more on the studies involving using this new treatment see: Promising Treatment for Heroin Dependency

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Questions from our readers: What are the statistics for overcoming Heroin addiction?

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Well there are many variable factors that must be taken into account when looking at someone's ability to overcome any addiction. There is a significant risk of relapse for addicts of Heroin and other substances if the following situations are in place:

1. Returning to the same lifestyle
   In almost every recovery process an addict has to make huge changes in their lifestyle. In some cases an addict has to make radical changes which may include disconnecting from old friends, changing jobs, and avoiding or cutting off ties with family members that regularly use drugs, and alcohol. Some addicts choose to move from their homes and/or their state in order to assure their continuing sobriety.
   
   
2. Maintaining friendships with users and dealers
   
   Addicts usually can not maintain friendships with anyone associated with their former life that were directly a part of their descent into addiction. This means friends, partners, dealers, family etc. Continuing connections with these individuals almost always results in a relapse with an addict.
   
   
3. Financial dependance on former enablers
   
   Enablers do almost as much damage as a drug dealer does to the addicts ability to stay clean. Enablers should stick to offering emotional support and encouragement only and can not get back into the enabling role where they support the addict financially. It is too easy for both addict and enabler to slip back into the old habits. Enablers often need counseling themselves to help them come to grips with their very specific reasons that they choose to continue helping an addict in their illness. Many times enablers lack the proper tools and understanding to be able to suddenly quit helping an addict. Enablers are often caught in some sort of addiction themselves to the addict and their lifestyle and cutting off from that addiction for the enabler is often very difficult as well. This is why addiction is referred to as a “family disease.”
   
   
4. Failing to continue with counseling and recovery programs
   
   Once an addict is released from treatment they return to life and leave the safety of a controlled setting. This is where the real challenge begins in their success story. Many addicts will not maintain their sobriety when they stop attending counseling and recovery programs. Add this to a lack of familial support, goals and lifestyle change and you have all the necessary components to assure relapse.
   
   
5. Exposure to old triggers
   The first six months in an addicts life are the most precarious. Returning to old haunts, passing by familiar stomping grounds, seeing the same friends they got high or drunk with are all known triggers for relapse. Triggers must be avoided at all costs especially early in the recovery. There may be circumstances that force an addict to still encounter certain triggers beyond their control. In these cases it is imperative that the addict have a strong support system and maintain contact and attend meetings and aftercare programs regularly to help them with this problem. 
    
   
6. Lack of strong support with family and friends
   
   It can't be said enough, recovering addicts need a strong support system for their success. This may mean a certain amount of sacrifice on everyone's part. Sacrifices may mean avoiding drinking or certain activities yourself that may affect an addicts ability to stay clean and sober. Family gatherings generally have to be alcohol-free, even if your addict has never been an alcoholic, many that relapse simply switch to a new substance to become addicted to.

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Oxycontin and why it can kill you

Oxycontin is one of the most popular abused substances currently being taken by users today. Once it arrived in the market place it became a fast growing, recreational drug. Its highly addictive nature alone causes extensive damage that must be addressed quickly to prevent the user from its deadly effects. Unfortunately, like many drugs that enter the marketplace that are supposed to be used to help people manage serious health problems, Oxycontin has become a popular drug to misuse.
What it is:
Street names include:
Killers, OC, OXY, Oxycotton
OxyContin (oxycodone HCI controlled-release) is the brand name for an opioid analgesic (pain reliever) called Oxycodone, which is a narcotic. It is available by prescription only and is used to treat moderate to severe pain when around-the-clock analgesic is needed for an extended period of time. When used in the correct way with medical monitoring, it is a safe pain management drug choice. However, when abused, it becomes a lethal game of Russian Roulette. Many people experiencing pain become addicted to Oxycontin unknowingly and without knowing the ramifications of using this drug in the  long term.

What doe Oxycontin  it look like?
Oxycontin is available in tablet form in 5 doses: 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160mg.
How is it used?
As pain medication, Oxycontin is taken every 12 hours because the tablets contain a controlled, time-release formulation of the medication. Most pain medications must be taken every three to six hours. Oxycontin abusers remove the sustained-release coating to get a rapid release of the medication, causing a rush of euphoria similar to heroin. The typical way the exterior is removed from the capsule is by shaving it off with a small razor.
The initial short term side effects:
Abusers of this type of narcotic will have these experiences:
Respiratory depression, the most serious initially because it can slow down the heartbeat to a degree it stops beating and death results. Other common opioid side effects are constipation, nausea, sedation, dizziness, vomiting, headache, dry mouth, sweating, and weakness.

The more severe long term side effects:
Chronic use of opiates can result in tolerance for the drugs, which means that users must take higher doses to achieve the same initial effects. Long-term use also can lead to physical dependence and addiction -- the body adapts to the presence of the drug, and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced or stopped. The adaptation of the body to the effects of the drug is what makes is so addictive to the human body that uses the drug recreationally and not for real pain managed by medical professionals.
The addicted user of Oxycontin may resort to other methods of use to get a more intense high. This may include grounding up the pills and snorting them for a stronger "rush" effect. Because the drug itself has been abused by the wrong people for recreational purposes, it has made those with legitimate need of the drug have difficulties in obtaining it. Many pharmacies are even reluctant to store the drug for fear of being robbed of it. Long term use can also result in brain damage if the users breathing stops to the point they must be given respiratory assistance. The human brain is not equipped for extended bouts of oxygen deprivation.
Why this drug is so dangerous
Abusers of Oxycontin can suffer severe and deadly heart attacks, as well as having their breathing slow down to as little as ten beats a minute. The user will many times want to pass out or sleep which can be deadly and the user may not awaken. The chances of a fatality occurring with this drug are enormous.
Intervention is needed by professional interventionists. Many families attempt to have interventions on their own, and do so with out the resources needed for long term successful conclusions. A family that has attempted intervention in the past should reconsider one using professional help.
For more information and support visit: The Addicted Family
 
also visit: Drug Addiction Support

To discuss treatment for you or someone you love, call
1-877-398-4144

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Addiction to Klonopin

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Klonopin or k-pin is a benzodiazepine drug having anti convulsant, muscle relaxant, and anxiolytic properties. Clonazepam is classified as a high potency benzodiazepine and is sometimes used as a second-line treatment of epilepsy. Clonazepam, like other benzodiazepines, used primarily for treatment for acute seizures, is not suitable for the long-term treatment of seizures due to the patient developing a tolerance to the anti convulsant effects. Clonazepam is also used for the treatment of panic disorder. If you live in South Carolina and are suffering from addiction to Klonopin, see: Klonopin Addiction.

Those most prone to addiction to Klonopin tend to be the elderly. Those aged 65 years and older seem to become the most dependent on this drug. The elderly metabolize benzodiazepines at a vastly slower rate than younger individuals and are  more sensitive to the effects of benzodiazepines. Doses for the elderly are recommended to be about half of that which is given to younger adults and given for no longer 2 to 2 1/2 weeks at the most.
Klonopin  and the elderly
Long-acting benzodiazepines such as clonazepam are not generally recommended for the elderly because of the high risk of drug accumulation. Caution in the elderly: increased risk of impairments, falls and drug accumulation. Individuals and individuals with co morbid psychiatric disorders such as multiple personality disorders, etc are especially in danger of suffering the most ill side effects. Clonazepam is generally not recommended for use in elderly people for insomnia due to its high potency relative to other benzodiazepines. Particularly important especially among the elderly is the withdrawal effects that can be dangerous. Abrupt withdrawal from clonazepam may result in the development of the benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome causing psychosis characterized by dysphoric manifestations, irritability, aggressiveness, anxiety, and hallucinations. Sudden withdrawal may also induce the potentially life threatening condition status epilepticus. Anti epileptic drugs, benzodiazepines such as clonazepam in particular, should be reduced slowly and gradually before discontinuing the drug to reduce withdrawal effects. Carbamazepine has been used in the treatment of clonazepam withdrawal and has been found to be ineffective in preventing clonazepam withdrawal status epilepticus from occurring, which is important to take into consideration. psychotic manifestations, irritability, aggressiveness, anxiety, and hallucinations. Sudden withdrawal may also induce the potentially life threatening condition status epilepticus.

Anti epileptic drugs, benzodiazepines such as clonazepam in particular, should be reduced slowly and gradually when discontinuing the drug to reduce withdrawal effects. Carbamazepine has been used in the treatment of clonazepam withdrawal and has been found to be somewhat ineffective in preventing clonazepam withdrawal  status epilepticus from occurring. Status epilepticus is a life-threatening condition in which the brain is in a state of persistent seizure. Typically it is defined as one continuous unremitting seizure lasting longer than 30 minutes. Medical attention must be sought immediately for this.

Least dangerous/benign side effects:

Dizziness

Drowsiness

Confusion

Loss of or impaired motor function

Lack of coordination and balance

These side effects are typically experienced when used in the short term.

Side effects when combined with other drugs:

Use of alcohol and other depressants intensifies the general effects of the drug.

Withdrawal dangers:

Klonopin use is especially dangerous when it is used of the drug is abruptly discontinued after long term use. Everyone who continually use Klonopin long term becomes what is known as low dose dependent. Side effects of the drug itself are generally benign, but sudden withdrawal after long-term use can cause severe, even fatal, symptoms.

Symptoms of withdrawal include:

Anxiety

Irritability

Insomnia

Panic Attacks

Tremors

DT’s (Delirium Tremens)

Long term use dangers:

Withdrawal from Klonopin can last from months to a life time. This occurs in those at high risk for dependency. This results because of brain damage which is usually irreversible. Some symptoms include:

Anxiety

Insomnia

Tinnitus

Tingling and numbness in limbs

Muscle pain and tension

Cramps

Weakness

Irritable bowel

Cognitive difficulties

If you suspect you are addicted to Klonopin, or any other drug, see: The Addicted Family for additional support and information.

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Morphine Abuse and Treatment

Morphine is an opiate drug used to treat severe pain. It is generally not prescribed to patients outside of a hospital setting because of the fact that, morphine is highly addictive, even in small doses. Morphine is used for the relief of both short-term and long-term pain, in a medical setting, morphine is used to treat:

• Extreme pain relief
• Pre-surgery anesthesia
• Severe cough relief
• Chronic diarrhea
• Shortness of breath

Morphine exists as white silky crystals, cubical masses of crystals or white crystalline powder. It is soluble in water and slightly soluble in alcohol. As with any addiction, if an addict wants morphine, there are a number of ways to get to it, most of them are illegal. Warning signs of that you or someone you care for may be abusing morphine are:

• Blurred vision
• Double vision
• Involuntary eye movement
• Slurred speech, fainting or uncoordinated muscle movements
• Tremors or seizures
• Memory loss
• Hallucinations, abnormal thinking or exaggerated sense of well being
• Extreme agitation

Although it may be difficult to think about what it would be like to confront a family member about addiction, it is even more difficult to bury that loved one: morphine addiction can kill any addict from the health risks involved. Morphine makes you a different person, and that person is not warm, funny or safe. While morphine can initially make you feel more pleasant, the effects quickly wear off. Besides the dangerous effects morphine has on your body, withdrawals or even high doses can make you anxious, irritable, angry, violent or even psychotic. Identifying morphine abuse is just the first step, the next step is getting treatment and to a safe place.

Questions to Ask a Morphine Rehabilitation Center

Most people who call with questions initially focus the services and therapy strategies offered by the morphine rehab center. The following are some questions on this topic to help get you started:

• Before I come to your center, do you conduct a preliminary assessment or evaluation to get a better understanding of my needs?
• Do you provide detox services, and are they medically supervised?
• Do you offer medication as part of treatment, if appropriate?
• Do you have a primary philosophy that you work with, such as 12-step or faith-based?
• What types of therapies do you offer, such motivational counseling and cognitive or behavioral therapies?
• How is the treatment plan developed?
• What does an average therapy day/week look like?
• Do you allocate time in the treatment plan for group and individual therapy, education sessions, opportunities for reflection and support groups?
• Do you provide services related to addiction, such as treatment for co-occurring mental illness or social, vocational or legal services?
• How often do you assess an individual’s treatment plan to ensure it meets changing needs?
• What are some of the ways that you encourage people to stay in treatment long enough to increase their chance for success?

These questions serve as a good start for your investigation of a morphine rehabilitation center. Learn more about morphine abuse at Morphine Addiction Help.

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Top 6 most dangerous drugs

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There are many dangerous drugs out there, this list is a partial at best but the top most lethal street drugs are included in this list. If you suffer from addiction and you live in South Carolina please see: Addiction Treatment Centers in South Carolina.

Heroin:
Heroin is one of the most addictive of all drugs and often is very difficult to quit. Many addicts fear the withdrawals symptoms of getting off of Heroin and many do not succeed on their own to gain control of this addiction.  What makes Heroin so dangerous is the long term effects of its abuse, which are collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration. Many well known celebrities have succumbed to heroin and many have died as a result. Heroin victims: River Phoenix, Jim Morrison, Billie Holiday, Hillel Slovak, John Belushi, Janis Joplin  to name a few.

Crystal Methamphetamine:
Crystal Methamphetamine, also known as Crystal Meth is one of the most lethal, addictive drugs today. It is extremely difficult to quit and many addicts relapse once they leave treatment. Addicts to Crystal meth  have to go into  treatment several times to save their life.

Problems that arise from the use of Crystal Meth include:
Paranoia
Anxiety
Confusion
Hallucinations
Insomnia & Violent behavior.

Psychotic symptoms may last for months, or possibly years, after someone has stopped using the drug! Overuse of the drug can bring on short term memory loss, wild rages and drastic mood swings, as well as the obvious damage to the immune system.
Users who inject the drug potentially expose themselves to HIV, hepatitis B and C and other viruses that pass through the blood from an infected needle.
Other issues that can arise from repeated injections of crystal meth include:

1. Infections of the heart lining and valves
2. Scarred or collapsed veins
3. Abscesses
4. Pneumonia
5. Tuberculosis
6. Liver disease
7. Kidney disease
8. Death

LSD (Lysergic Acid Diethylamide) :
 LSD is a  psychedelic drug, which is very addictive and dangerous. LSD is a odorless, colorless drug that tastes slightly bitter. Often LSD is added to absorbent paper and divided into small decorative squares many with cartoon images. Each square represents one dose.  Some LSD users experience flashbacks. A flashback occurs suddenly, often without warning, and may occur within a few days or more than a year after LSD use.  The physical effects include dilated pupils, higher body temperature, increased heart rate and blood pressure, sweating, loss of appetite, sleeplessness, dry mouth, and tremors. Sensations and feelings change much more dramatically than the physical signs. The user may feel several different emotions at once or swing rapidly from one emotion to another. If taken in a large enough dose, the drug produces delusions and visual hallucinations .The user's sense of time and self changes. Sensations may seem to "cross over," giving the user the feeling of hearing colors and seeing sounds. These changes can be frightening and can cause panic.

Cocaine/Crack :
Cocaine is an extremely powerful drug. The various ways of taking Cocaine are snorting, injecting and smoking. Smoking allows extremely high doses of Cocaine to reach the brain very quickly and results in an intense and immediate high. Cocaine effects are extremely detrimental on the body and the consequences related to cocaine effects can eventually lead to permanent damage, addiction and death. While each person who uses this drug reacts to it differently, there are two distinct categories of cocaine effects: short-term effects and long-term effects. Even if a person has only used cocaine once, he/she can experience short-term cocaine effects. Long-term cocaine effects appear after increased periods of use and are dependent upon the duration of time and amount of cocaine that has been consumed. Physical effects of Cocaine use include constricted peripheral blood vessels, dilated pupils, and increased body temperature, heart rate, and blood pressure. Some cocaine users report feelings of restlessness, irritability, and anxiety, both while using and between periods of use. High doses of Cocaine can cause paranoia. Combination of Cocaine and Alcohol is deadly. It creates a third substance called Cocaethylene, which intensifies the effect and can cause sudden death. Crack, Cocaine’s ugly cheaper cousin can have all of the effects of regular Cocaine at a cheaper price, it also can take only one “hit” on the pipe of crack to kill you regardless of the size of the dose.  Crack is highly addictive, cheaply made and many times can have impurities in the process that make it even more dangerous. People that get addicted to crack become so very quickly.

Ketamine C:
Ketamine C is a powerful hallucinogenic also known as Special K.
Ketamine can cause vomiting. Eating or drinking before taking Ketamine increases the risk of choking on vomit. When taken in high amounts, Ketamine may depress the central nervous system. This leads to slower breathing, seizures, and coma and may result in death. Taking Ketamine with other central nervous system depressants such as alcohol is very dangerous and may result in death.
Short-term use of Ketamine can produce many other effects:
1. sleepiness
2. confusion
3.  loss of coordination
4.  blurred vision
5.  inability to speak
6.  fever
7.  nausea and vomiting
8.  increased blood pressure and heart rate
9.  memory loss
10. nose bleeds
11. unpleasant taste
12. decreased response to pain

In addition, a person could potentially experience:

 Temporary paralysis (inability to move)
 incoherent or semi-consciousness
 Respiratory depression, as well as a severe rise in blood pressure

 If you think that a person has overdosed, contact emergency services immediately.
For more information and help see: The Addicted Family, a website dedicated to providing information and support to addicts and their families.

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Tips on getting through to an addict

Image by NYCArthur via Flickr First and foremost, getting through to an addict probably will take more than just your efforts alone to accomplish. An addict can not be reasoned with , and there is no way to “win” an argument with a full blown addict either. Their reasoning is skewed by their addictions, and your reasoning will fall on deaf ears.
This is why so many arguments with an addict yield little benefit to either party. If anything it could spark violence which is another side effect of the disease.

1. There’s strength in numbers- there is a reason professionally assisted interventions work, and that is because an addict has to visually see the impact and pain they have caused, and in some instances there are very important things an addict needs to hear. It may be phrases like “I’m sorry” or “I love you.” Having a professional there to help guide the family and keep everyone focused on the ultimate goal is where the success lies. Get help with your intervention, many family interventions fail because emotions cloud the process and many times the addict will gain the upper hand by using emotional manipulation.

2. Stick to your consequences- Don’t say what you wont or will do as a consequence to an addict unless you mean it. They can see and sense the lack of conviction you have and if you have to have firm resolve. If you make idle threats they will fall on deaf ears. If you’ve made threats in the past and failed to carry them through then don’t expect them to suddenly work now. Words are lost on an addict, real firm consequences that you make stick will say it all.

3. Know the reality of your situation- You aren’t doing yourself or your addicted loved one any favors by staying in a constant state of denial or downplaying their significance and grave danger they are in. Every day that you give support, food, shelter, or money to an addict is a day that you are escorting them to their grave. With addiction, there IS NO TOMORROW. Tomorrow could mean the end. Drugs like Heroin , Cocaine, and Meth can kill an addict at any given time with out warning, addicts do not build up a tolerance to death. That means get help now. Today may be your last chance to save their life and tomorrow may be robbed from you in an instant. If love would be the single factor in getting an addict to quit, there’d be no addicts. Your love can’t make them stop, nor can their love for you make them stop. Sadly an addict becomes blind to love, as their need to feed the addiction grows, their craving for the drugs or alcohol is the most powerful motivating factor. The sober loved one is buried deep within, and is trapped inside begging for sobriety, your love has to be in the actions you take, not in affection or words or financial help.

4. Regain control- Many times you find yourself losing the grasp of the situation with an addicted loved one. Just when you think you’ve made a difference you discover that you have been made a fool of. Gain control of the situation by making sure you are not contributing to the problem. Make sure you do not fall for the manipulations that will be thrown your way. Addicts use guilt, past mistakes, pity and even physical intimidation to get you to succumb to their wants. If your addicted loved one is doing this, it is time to make your move. Contact your local drug rehab programs and get the guidance and help you need. If you have to call the police. A night in jail is a lot better than a night in the morgue. At least you get out of jail.

5. Stop blaming yourself- The longer you blame yourself the more time you waste in making the right decisions for yourself or your loved one. Blame is best overcome when you take positive action in getting the addict off of the drugs and substances that are killing them. We can’t go back and change the past, all we can do is move forward, onward, and upward. No matter what you blame yourself for, it will pale in comparison to the guilt you feel when it is too late.

6. Be prepared to walk away- Sometimes the only way to survive an addicted loved one is when you have to say this is it. This means handing the problem back to the addict and you walking away. It may seem like something you could never do, but there are support groups out there to turn to that can give you the tools and strength you need to stand again and be happy, whether the addict gets sober or not. Two lives can’t perish because of one. That is the ultimate success of addiction, to take as many lives down as possible. Now when it is a child, we can’t “walk away” but we can keep placing them into treatment, and making sure they face the consequences for their actions. If it means jail time, do it. Drug use, buying and selling are all illegal activities. If all else fails, contact your local police department for some advisement in this area. Some police departments have their own “scared straight “ programs that may be just the wake up call your minor may need to snap them into reality.

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• Infant dies due to mother's Morphine laden breast milk
• Morphine mom denied bond
• Information on Morphine addiction and withdrawal
• Dealing with more than one addiction
• Understanding and helping an addict -
• When your love isn't enough, how to deal with an addict

Chris Farley, a talent lost to addiction

Chris Farley was best known as the loveable and large funny man on Saturday Night Live. However, many were unaware of the addictions that he struggled with and many tabloids focused a great deal of attention on the funnyman's weight instead of the most dire problems he had with addiction.

Sadly, Chris Farley succumbed to his addictions and was found dead in his Chicago apartment on December 18, 1997. An autopsy revealed that Farley had died of an accidental overdose of cocaine and heroin . For those wondering how big of a dose of cocaine or heroin does it take to cause death, the answer is simple, the next dose you take.

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New show on A&E television: Relapse

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AETV has recently introduced their newest addiction/reality show “Relapse”. RELAPSE is the new docu-reality series on A&E that follows sober coaches as they work to save the lives of addicts who have relapsed on drugs and alcohol. “Sober coaching” is a last resort for addicts who have tried other methods to get sober and have failed. South Carolina also has a vast number of resources for addiction as well. If you are currently suffering from addiction and live in Orangeburg, South Carolina, please see: The William J. McCord Center for help today. For more information about the specific services offered, or to make a referral or schedule an individual appointment, please call (803) 534-2328.

If you would like to participate in the new show “Relapse” you can do so by filling out this form at the official AETV site. This form may be filled out by either a loved one or the addict themselves. Please fill out as many fields as possible, as it will aid the producers of the show in selecting candidates.
Meet the coaches involved with the show “Relapse”.

SoberChampion.com
Doug Caine was a good kid - he went to school, got decent grades and made friends. He played music, made some recordings and toured nationwide. But Doug continually befriended the wrong people, entered the wrong environments, ended up shooting heroin; living a toxic lifestyle. Read more here

GwenCasellaSoberCoach.com

During her last time in prison, she was sent to a drug program called "Forever Free," where she met a counselor (her eskimo) who would profoundly impact her life. For the first time, says Gwen, she thought maybe there was a different way to live. She was 27 when she got clean and sober in 1997. Her daughter, who was three at the time, is now 17. Read more here.

pattypowersnyc.com
In 1972, 12-year-old Patty Powers was an Honor Student on psychedelics. By 15 she had dropped out of high-school and began working at a prestigious hair salon. In no time she had her own apartment, a brand new car, and had traveled alone to Europe where, in London, she discovered punk rock. It was 1977. The consequences of drugs were minor in comparison with the lifestyle she was living. Read more here.

thesobercoach.com
Seth Jaffe grew up in Queens, New York in a working class neighborhood. As a youth Seth was attracted to the kids who broke the rules, didn't listen to their teachers, cut classes and basically lived an antisocial life. This antisocial road that Seth took led him to drugs at an early age. Seth's early years were filled with heroin addiction, criminality, and incarceration. He has broken both arms and legs, and has been shot over a drug deal gone bad, as a result of his addiction. Read more here.

If you or a loved one needs additional information on drug abuse, support and addiction, see: .
The Addicted Family

Can using Heroin once cause addiction?

Image via WikipediaAnswer: Yes, Heroin is highly addictive and powerful and can be addictive after just one use. Add to that the fact that there are certain people that are predisposed to addiction to begin with and you will most assured become addicted to Heroin. If you have family members that are addicts or alcoholics there is a very good chance you could be predisposed to becoming an addict as well. It doesn't matter what type of addiction it is, if it is prevalent in your family your odds of becoming an addict to any addictive substances is higher.

Also  Read:

Can using Heroin once kill you?

Are Heroin and Cocaine in the same family?

Image via WikipediaHeroin is a depressant drug, with the chemical name, (diacetylmorphine), also known as diamorphine, is a semi-synthetic opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. As with other opioids, diacetylmorphine is used as both an analgesic and a recreational drug. Frequent and regular administration is associated with tolerance and physical dependence, which may develop into addiction.

Cocaine is a stimulant drug, with the chemical name, (benzoylmethylecgonine) which  is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant.The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic. Specifically, it is a serotonin–norepinephrine–dopamine re-uptake inhibitor, which mediates functionality of these neurotransmitters as an exogenous catecholamine transporter ligand. Because of the way it affects the mesolimbic reward pathway, cocaine is addictive.

Drugs that are depressant in nature like Heroin, usually have a sedative type of effect, while drugs that are stimulants like Cocaine, cause rapid heartbeat, and hyperactivity. Both of these drugs are derived in part from natural plant sources, which just goes to show that just because something is "natural" does not mean it is safe. Some of the most deadly chemical compositions occur naturally.

Top 5 addiction questions answered

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1. Has Heroin caused more deaths than auto accidents?

Answer:  Well that depends on how this question was intended, if  you mean do more people die from automobile accidents than Heroin, the answer is probably yes. However, to put this into proper perspective first consider this, a greater majority of the population drive cars, so the odds of there being more deaths due to automobile accidents would naturally be higher especially if you take into account also that it is rare that there are ever just one vehicle involved in vehicular accidents resulting in death. However, if there were the same number of Heroin users as there are car drivers, those numbers would probably sky rocket. That doesn't even factor in how many vehicular accidents that may have occurred from someone being high on Heroin.

2. Can using Heroin once kill you?
Answer:  Yes it can, especially if you overdose, which is not uncommon. Heroin can also cause a number of other health/side effects that can have a fatal attack on your system.
For instance, some people have underlying hidden heart problems they are unaware of that using Heroin, even once could cause death.

3. How can you get an addict help if they refuse?
Answer:  If you can not get an addict to accept help, The one thing you can do is refuse to enable their addiction any longer. This means cutting them off financially. No more rides, no more money, zip - zilch. If you find this particular action too hard to do, then you would need to get support for yourself so that you can learn to cut the ties of co dependency. There are various support groups that are specifically formed to deal with the family members of those who are addicted. They offer guidance, and support to help family members make the best decisions and start living for themselves again, whether the addict in their life is there or not. You can not always save an addict, but at some point  you certainly need to save yourself from the grip  they have on your life.

4. Can smoking crack cocaine put you at risk for HIV?
Answer:  People who smoke crack cocaine are at increased risk of becoming infected with HIV — a finding that highlights the need to adopt and to evaluate the use of safe inhalation rooms and safer crack kits, B.C. researchers say.  Some of the reasons for this risk is the users impaired ability to rationally make safe decisions, as well as participating in risky behavior to obtain money for their habit, such as engaging in sexual conduct.

5. Can you get Hepatitis from smoking crack cocaine?

Answer:  Smoking crack can lead to open sores, burns or cuts on the lips, which can transfer blood to a crack pipe. If the pipe is shared, even a speck of infected blood can transmit hepatitis C. Sharing means anything like borrowing, lending, passing on, buying, selling, reusing, receiving or taking any equipment that was used by someone else. Some people do not identify risk with the word “sharing” or when reusing involves a close sexual partner (like a boyfriend or girlfriend).

If you have questions, and need answers visit: The Addicted Family, a website devoted to supportive information and help for addicts and their loved ones.

Has Heroin caused more deaths than auto accidents?

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Well that depends on how this question was intended, if  you mean do more people die from automobile accidents than Heroin, the answer is probably yes.
Image via Wikipedia However, to put this into proper perspective first consider this, a greater majority of the population drive cars, so the odds of there being more deaths due to automobile accidents would naturally be higher especially if you take into account also that it is rare that there are ever just one vehicle involved in vehicular accidents resulting in death. However, if there were the same number of Heroin users as there are car drivers, those numbers would probably sky rocket. That doesn't even factor in how many vehicular accidents that may have occured from someone being high on Heroin.

Can using Heroin once kill you?

Answer: Yes it can, especially if you overdose, which is not uncommon. Heroin can also cause a number of other health/side effects that can have a fatal attack on your system.
For instance, some people have underlying hidden heart problems they are unaware of that using Heroin, even once could cause death. Read: Heroin Information and Heroin statistics for more information.

Heroin Statistics

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The negative impact of pure Heroin alone can cause a multitude of problems for anyone addicted, however, in its street form, it can have many more impurities mixed into the drug that do not dissolve into the blood stream. These impurities can cause blockages in the circulatory system that can cause many internal organs to shut down.
A Heroin user pays anywhere from $150.00 and up daily to support their addiction.

51 percent of all accidents reported in hospital emergency rooms as far back as 1999 was attributed to Heroin and Morphine abuse, it has increased significantly since then.
 
3.8 million people (1.5 percent of the population above 12) say they have tried heroin at least once in their lifetimes.

560,000 people used heroin last year. Current estimates suggest that nearly 600,000 people need treatment for heroin addiction.

338,000 people used heroin last month.

The rate of heroin lifetime heroin use is higher among those in prison (23.4 percent for State and 17.9 percent for Federal).

 In the 25 to 49 age group, illicit drug overdose is the fourth leading cause of death, about the same number as motor vehicle crashes.
Children as young as 13 have been found involved in heroin abuse. According to statistics in 1999 heroin overdose has caused more deaths than traffic accidents.
The 1999 National Household Survey on drug abuse (NHSDA) estimated that there were 149,000 new heroin users in 1998 and that nearly 80 percent were under the age of 26.
Of approximately 1.2 million "sometime" heroin users in the US, about 208,000 use it habitually.
 Last year, there were approximately 84,000 visits to emergency rooms in the US due to heroin.
 Over 80% of heroin users inject with a partner, yet 80% of overdose victims found by paramedics are alone.
 The dependent person use between 150 - 250 milligrams per day. Divide into 3 doses.
 The heroin addict spends between $150 to $200 per day to maintain a heroin addiction.
In 1998. 65% of the heroin seized in the United States originated in South America, and 17% came from Mexico.
Slang terms for heroin include: smack, mud, dope, horse, junk, brown sugar, big H, and black tar.
Street names associated with heroin include "smack," "H," "skag," and "junk." Other names may refer to types of heroin produced in a specific geographical area, such as "Mexican black tar."
Good news about teens and heroin substance abuse
Amongst young adults and college students, heroin use is not seeing the decline it has in teenagers. Perhaps this older age group feels the risks are acceptable. A slight increase in heroin users in college students is seen - from 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent. Additionally, in young adults, those reporting that they have used heroin at least once in their lifetimes has increased from 1.7 percent in 2005 to 1.9 percent. It is a small increase, and one that shows that heroin substance abuse among young adults is stable, and perhaps growing slightly.
First time heroin users
According to NSDUH information, in the last year about 91,000 persons over the age of 12 used heroin for the first time. Amongst recent first time heroin users, aged 12 to 49, the average age was 20.7. This indicates that many heroin users wait until they leave their teenagers years to begin using the drug.

What is Heroin, and why it can kill you

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Heroin is a member of the opiate family. Since Heroin is derived from Morphine, once it enters into the users brain it is changed back into Morphine. Heroin is particularly lethal because of its ability to enter the brain more quickly than Morphine. Addicts prefer Heroin over Morphine for this reason alone. Heroin is often seen as a white powder, that is usually dissolved in saline and injected into the bloodstream. It is also smoked and snorted as well.
What Heroin does to you
Once Heroin has been introduced into the user's body, the abuser  experiences what is called a "rush". The intensity of this "rush" varies according to the amount of the drug used and how it is introduced into the body. The "rush" is described predominately as a warm flushing sensation of the skin, while extremities feel heavy or weighted down. There have been reports of vomiting, extreme nausea and even an itching sensation.
Heroin has a powerful effect on the users' nervous system. Mental functioning becomes severely impaired, breathing is greatly slowed to the point the user becomes unconscious and dies due to the cardiac functions Image via Wikipediabreaking down. Because it is difficult to know how pure the Heroin may be at the time of purchase, overdose is a constant threat to the user.
Treatment for Heroin addiction involves initially detoxification of the users body. Detoxification rids the body of the drug and once this occurs the patient adjusts to their body being drug free. This is the first short term treatment but the long term treatment is to use various methods, such as using drugs that block the effects of the Heroin and eliminates the withdrawal symptoms experienced by the user. Studies show the most effective treatment involving Heroin addiction is by using a combination of treatments, including pharmacological treatment with behavioral therapies.
Long term damages
Using Heroin over a long period of time will render the user not only an addict but also very unwell health wise. The user will have scarred and collapsed veins,cardiac infections, bacterial infections, abscesses, soft tissue infections, HIV, AIDS, Hepatitis C, and  Hepatitis B (sharing needles), liver disease, kidney disease, lung diseases like Tuberculosis and Pneumonia. Street Heroin poses additional risks as the additives found in street Heroin often clog blood vessels that have the ability to severely compromise lungs, heart, liver and brain.
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