How Heroin Addiction Starts

Heroin addiction sometimes follows prescription drug abuse. Other times, people begin to use heroin as a recreational drug and get hooked. It’s important to understand the side effects of using heroin and how quickly you can become addicted to this dangerous drug. At Coalition Recovery in Tampa, FL, we have a heroin rehab program for those who are ready to walk away from their heroin use disorder.

Prescription Opioid Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Addiction

Doctors sometimes prescribe opioids for pain relief. Although this is a legitimate medical use of these drugs, some people become dependent on prescription opioids. The most commonly abused prescription opioids include Vicodin, OxyContin, and Percocet. If you become addicted to prescription opioids, your doctor may refuse to provide a prescription. At this point, you may resort to deception or theft to obtain them, and you have crossed the line from use to abuse. Unfortunately, many people turn to heroin as a cheaper and readily available alternative to prescription drugs. Since heroin is highly addictive, it doesn’t take long to develop a full-blown heroin use disorder.

Gateway Drugs Play a Role in Heroin Addiction

Prescription painkillers are just one route to heroin addiction. You may have begun using gateway drugs such as marijuana and alcohol before progressing to more dangerous substances such as heroin or cocaine. If you have multiple substance use disorders, you may benefit from our dual diagnosis program, which can also help you overcome mental health challenges such as depression and anxiety.

Our serene addiction treatment facility in Tampa, FL, offers a supervised, structured environment to help you begin the journey to drug-free living.

How Heroin Addiction Affects Your Brain

Addiction starts in your brain. Heroin and other opioids change your brain chemistry. By binding to specific receptors, heroin triggers a release of dopamine. Your body releases dopamine naturally when you experience pleasure. However, the forced release of dopamine while using heroin often leads to addiction as your body continues to crave the pleasant experience.

Your brain will actively seek out an activity that releases dopamine. For example, if you eat something sweet, your body may release dopamine, causing you to seek out that food in the future. Similarly, when you use heroin, the brain releases dopamine and forms a memory of the pleasant experience. This eventually leads to an endless loop of cravings and addiction.

Using heroin once or a few times can trigger addiction due to the powerful effects of the drug on your brain. Once you become dependent on heroin, your body can no longer function without it. As a result, you may place yourself in danger by trying to quit without professional assistance. That’s why it’s important to participate in an effective heroin detox program where medical professionals and therapists oversee your mental and physical well-being.

The Side Effects of Heroin

Using heroin can produce the following physical side effects:

• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Flushed skin
• Severe itching
• Constricted pupils
• Nausea

The long-term consequences of heroin abuse include the following:

• Increased tolerance
• Constipation
• Changes in mood
• Insomnia
• Physical dependence and addiction
• Drug addiction
• Infections at the injection site
• Poor decision-making

At Coalition Recovery, we may use medically assisted treatment to ease the pain and discomfort of heroin withdrawal. Naloxone and other medication make it safer to get through heroin detox.

Coalition Recovery’s Heroin Rehab Program in Tampa, FL

At Coalition Recovery in Tampa, FL, you can attend a heroin rehab program that helps you overcome heroin side effects and withdrawal symptoms. Our medically assisted recovery program uses medication such as naloxone to ease the pain and discomfort that follow heroin addiction. Don’t wait for a heroin overdose to put your life at risk. Instead, contact us at 888.707.2873, or contact us online today to determine how you can begin the road to recovery.