Heroin Abuse Treatment Program Massachusetts

Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive drug. It comes from morphine – a prescription pain medication. Morphine occurs naturally and is extracted from the seeds of some poppy plants. Users inject, smoke, or snort heroin to experience its fast and potent effects. It's hard to predict what can happen to you when you use heroin, as every batch is made differently. This increases your risk of overdosing with each use.

If you’re struggling with an addiction to heroin, our heroin abuse treatment program in Massachusetts is highly effective. Our expert team at Baystate Recovery Center can create a tailored treatment plan that addresses your individual needs to increase your chances of a successful recovery.

Causes and Risk Factors

Heroin is used for its high. It gives users intense pleasure, including a rush. A rush is a burst of calm and warmth. Following this rush, you may experience a heavy sensation in your legs and arms. You’ll also feel confident, detached, and relaxed as you move in and out of consciousness.

The effects of heroin are felt fast and can last for a couple of hours, depending on how it's administered and the dosage. When smoked or injected, it’s quickly introduced into your bloodstream and causes an immediate rush of euphoria.

A combination of various factors creates an addiction to heroin, and they include:

Environmental

If you grew up in a home where people around you abused drugs, you might also learn to use substances to cope with difficulties in life.

Genetics

Experts believe that genetics make you more prone to developing a heroin addiction. If you have a member of your family struggling with a substance use disorder, you'll likely become dependent on a drug like heroin. You might also inherit personality traits that can increase your risk of addiction.

Physical

Abusing heroin results in long-lasting changes in the function and structure of your brain. When these changes occur, they can affect your ability to make rational decisions and can make you start to crave heroin.

Other risk factors of heroin addiction are:

• Negative life events
• Being male
• Peer pressure
• Lack of family involvement
• Underlying mental health disorders
• Lack of self-esteem
• Easy access to heroin

Signs of Heroin Addiction

The signs and symptoms of heroin abuse vary from individual to individual. The symptoms will also depend on the amount of heroin used, genetics, use of other substances, and length of abuse. That said, the common signs of heroin addiction are:

Physical

• Dry mouth
• Constipation
• Unintentional, considerable weight loss
• Bruises or scabs
• Constant runny nose
• Watery eyes
• Decreased respiration rate
• Lethargy and exhaustion
• Track marks on arms or legs
• Itchiness
• Pneumonia
• Persistent flu-like symptoms
• Hepatitis C
• Damage to the liver and kidneys
• Tuberculosis
• HIV/AIDS

Behavioral Signs

• Strained personal relationships
• Sleep problems
• Lying about drug use
• Putting on pants and long sleeves even when it’s extremely hot
• Being involved in illegal activities
• An unexpected and abrupt need for money
• Spending a lot of time alone
• Neglecting responsibilities like work and school

Get The Help You Need

At Baystate Recovery Center, we've helped many people stop their heroin addiction, and we can help you too. Our heroin abuse treatment program in Massachusetts is designed to put an end to your substance use disorder. Contact us today if you're ready to change your life: https://baystaterecoverycenter.com/contact/.