Health

How Long Does It Take to Become Addicted to Heroin?

What starts as a fun activity ends up in a rehabilitation center. Many people try heroin just for fun or maybe to look “cool” at a party. The first time is okay; heroin won’t make you an addict in a single use. Your body can handle it perfectly fine. But that’s where you must stop – the first time, that is. Never try it again, and you are fine. 

If you try it the second time, you are already on the path of doom. This is because, according to Washington drug rehab experts, it is the desire to try again that leads people to addiction. 

If you believe you are strong enough (in mind) to try heroin just once and then never try it again in life, then yes, go ahead. 

But is this really possible? 

Can you truly stay away from a drug like heroin once you get a ‘taste’ of it?

As a doctor from the rehab team puts it, “All the trouble lies in the fact that people want to use heroin again once they try it. This desire is so strong. If all the people in the world used heroin only once, there wouldn’t be the need for rehabs.”

Why can’t you stop in a single use?

It is observed that most first-time users begin by smoking or snorting heroin. They feel blissful. A warm, euphoric sensation envelopes them. They forget all their life’s worries, tensions, and pain. 

Here are a few statements by heroin users:

“It’s awesome!”

“One of the most pleasurable feelings I ever experienced.”

“It feels heavenly!”

They often use words like “happy,” “fantastic,” “heavenly,” “peaceful,” and so on. 

Humans usually crave happiness, peace, bliss, pleasure, and things that give a heavenly feel. So, if heroin can give them that, it naturally becomes a thing to try. 

Sounds good.

But the glitch is:

Heroin can make you an addict and, later on, destroy you. 

Becoming an addict

According to experts, heroin addiction does not happen the first time you consume this drug. Yet, you hardly realize when you became an addict. Reports show that about a quarter of first-time users ended up becoming an addict. First-time use can be the beginning of a compulsive cycle that quickly turns into an addiction and inflicts damage to all aspects of your life and health. 

Consequences

The frequency of usage plays an important role, just like the amount of dose. Frequent usage can make your nervous system adjust quicker to the chemical changes that this drug causes in the brain. Prolonged use of this drug can cause a permanent alteration of brain chemistry, leading to a whole set of changes in personality and behavior. At the same time, it severely affects physical health. 

With every use of heroin, you put your physical and mental health in danger. You are on the road to dependency, which can lead to complications in the future. 

One of the risks includes contracting deadly sexually transmitted diseases like HIV. This is particularly true for people who share needles during drug use. Also, the influence of heroin makes you indulge in risky behaviors, such as having unprotected sex or engaging in sexual activities with strangers. This exposes you to the danger of many horrible diseases transmitted through sexual contact. 

Expert verdict:

Heroin is a powerful drug that creates a compelling urge to use it repeatedly. This can open doors to a whole new set of troubles – medical, emotional, social, professional, and whatnot. 

Although it is not impossible to get out of addiction to this drug, it is hard, very hard. 

Also, it depends on how fast you get help. Rehab is an effective way to “clean the mess” that you create in your life through heroin abuse. 

Please do not attempt to de-addict on your own (at home). 

  • First, you can’t.
  • Second, you may experience such terrible withdrawal symptoms that you have no choice but to come back to heroin.

It is better to enroll in a rehabilitation program. 

Benefits of rehabilitation program 

Some of the most reputable rehab centers, such as the center for drug rehab in Washington, feature a comprehensive program that includes detox, therapy, and lots more. This helps the person recover in all aspects – physical, mental, and emotional. It also helps the person revive their confidence and boost their morale and self-esteem so that they can restart their personal and professional lives. 

During de-addiction, patients suffer from withdrawal symptoms. It is important to deal with these symptoms as, at times, they can be very uncomfortable. 

Detox is a vital part of a rehabilitation program, as it helps to remove the drug from the body system. A team of doctors attends to the patient. They administer medications like buprenorphine and methadone to appease symptoms of withdrawal and to reduce drug cravings. During detox and the entire recovery program, the patient is not allowed to use the drug even once. 

A little about heroin’s effects

Heroin is an opiate and a powerful one. Made from morphine, this drug can be easily injected, smoked, or snorted. Some people combine heroin with crack (cocaine). 

Heroin is famous for giving a high, but it produces several side effects such as:

  • Fogged mind
  • Heaviness in arms and legs
  • The typical “nodding,” indicating the person being in and out of consciousness. 

Long-term use of heroin can cause:

  • kidney disease
  • Liver problems
  • Sexual dysfunction, and other health issues

Enrolling in a drug rehab treatment center can save you from further complications that arise due to addiction to heroin. It’s okay if you cannot stop using heroin. Being a highly addictive drug, this is normal. However, you mustn’t let the drug destroy your life. Seek help. 

Remember, what you lose through heroin abuse is far more precious than the high you get for a few minutes. 

If you or anybody around you is addicted to heroin, please seek help as fast as possible. The more you delay, the deeper you or your loved one goes into addiction. 

Please visit www.daylightdetox.com for more information. 

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