Author: Addictions Learning Centre

The Most Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs in Canada

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date February 10, 2021
No Comments on The Most Commonly Abused Prescription Drugs in Canada

The concept of commonly abused prescription drugs may seem strange. After all, the drugs were prescribed in the first place. However, thanks to the unique properties of certain medications, it is possible to abuse prescription drugs. That’s the context this article aims to provide.

When you hear the word ‘abuse,’ the likes of heroin, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine come to mind. This is rightly so. The drug laws also have a resultant role to play in the level of drug usage in society. That’s a topic beyond the scope of this article.

From reading this article, your orientation needs to change. The usage of the term ‘abuse’ extends to prescription drugs in every sense of the word. Your defence may be that doctors approve prescription drugs for usage. However, what is currently alarming is the rate of use.

According to CCSA.ca, about 22% of Canadians over 15 years of age use psychoactive prescription drugs in some form. This statement refers to a study in 2017. Hence, you should expect the percentage to be higher today.

This raises one concern. The fact that over 22% of Canadians have a tendency, at least, to abuse prescription drugs. The abuse can occur consciously or subconsciously. The idea of abuse is simple. It simply refers to a – somewhat compulsory – dependence on a particular substance. With this breakdown, the notion of prescription drug addiction should be more plausible and real to you. Firstly, let’s take a more critical look at what the condition entails.

What is Prescription Drug Abuse?

As a background to the topic of commonly abused prescription drugs, defining the substance is essential. Simply put, prescription drugs are drugs your health professional (doctor) asks you to use. Whatever type of drug it may be, once the doctor asks you to use it for a particular ailment, it’s a prescription drug.

In Canada, the Food and Drugs Act regulates these medications, ensuring safety, quality, and effectiveness. When you use these drugs as the doctor instructs, you are within the safety profile. You’ll most likely see positive results. However, you can knowingly or unknowingly misuse the drug. There are several reasons for this abuse (misuse), which we’ll discuss later in this guide.

An unintentional misuse will probably see you make such a mistake once. However, when the misuse – abuse/overdose – is intentional, you need to beware. Several factors may be in play, which can lead to a dependence on the drug for stability. Prescription drug abuse is not only about the overdose of the drug.

Prescription drugs come in different forms, with plenty of them on the market. While the most common form is capsules, they also exist as syrups, skin patches, and liquids. In the following section, we will examine the significant chemical-types of commonly abused prescription drugs. These chemical-types come in any of the forms we mentioned earlier.

Types of Prescription Drugs

Most of the commonly abused prescription drugs fall into two main categories.

Opioids

You possibly only know the word opioids from the context of drug addiction. However, they are more than that. They are good for the body. Since the beginning of the last century, doctors commonly prescribe painkillers containing opioids to patients. Hence, while it identifies with widely abused prescription drugs in Canada, millions across the country use it to relieve pain. As you now understand, abuse is not about the substance but the degree of usage.

The common painkillers containing opioids are codeine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and morphine. The use of these substances is crucial for people with long-term pain.

When you take per instruction, these medicines help with pain management. When you use opioids under the strict supervision of a doctor, your chances of abuse gets slimmer. The same goes for using the substance for just a short period. However, unsupervised usage can lead to dependence – addiction.

At an extreme, opioid overdose is life-threatening. If the overdose is alongside medication for the central nervous system, you can experience difficulty in breathing.

Opioid, however, has a mild joyful feeling when you use it responsibly. This is why some people inject it to attain the feeling faster. However, this also opens you up to diseases like HIV and Hepatitis C.

Depressants

Central nervous system depressants are also quite common. The primary purpose of this drug is to reduce the activity of the brain. This then causes you to feel drowsy or fall asleep. The chemical it affects in the brain is called GABA – Gamma-aminobutyric acid.

The common depressants are Benzodiazepines and barbiturates. Benzodiazepines contain Ativan, valium, and Xanax. Generally, depressants are very useful in the treatment of anxiety and sleep disorders.

At the start, correct doses do the magic almost immediately. You feel calm and eventually fall asleep. However, the feeling wanes. It means your body is developing a tolerance. Hence, you are tempted to take in larger doses. This is how this type of prescription drug abuse starts.

With these depressants, you should be careful not to take them with alcohol. The combination can result in a slow heartbeat, slow breathing, and even death.

Besides, if you take the substance for too long and you suddenly stop, you’ll experience withdrawal symptoms. These include;

Seizures
Shakiness
Agitation
Insomnia
Anxiety
Overactive reflexes
Increase in heart rate, temperature, blood pressure.
Hallucination.

In the worst-case scenario, it can lead to death. Hence, you should be careful in dealing with these commonly abused prescription drugs.

Why Do People Abuse Prescription Drugs?

The commonly abused prescription drugs are easy to don in society. They are readily available, catering to one ailment or the other. While this in itself is not bad, excesses set in.

Unlike hard drugs where the usage is not necessary, prescription drugs are somewhat essential for many. However, it is uncontrolled use makes the various types of prescription drugs deadly. Below are some factors that may cause unchecked use (or abuse):

Fun

This is one of the most common factors that lead to drug addiction of whatever kind. Several persons, including adolescents, indulge in these substances just to feel good or get high. In the case of teens, peer pressure is a major factor to consider.

In a group of friends having ‘fun’ with prescriptions, it becomes difficult for one person to stay out of it. But, while these substances may get you high and happy for brief moments, the side effects are always adverse. You can lose bodily functions, and in the worst-case scenario, death.

Studying

This is an unbelievable reason. However, according to this Kidshealth.org publication, students may abuse what they call “study drugs.” This is rampant in schools where schedules are tight, and the pressure is high. For students to keep up with the demands, they tend to overwork themselves.

There is also a condition known as Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). This is a condition where the patient finds it very hard to focus. Doctors may prescribe drugs like Adderall and Ritalin for persons with ADHD.

However, students not suffering from the disease can also take advantage of the effects of the drug. They have the opinion that the substance will help them focus and study more. That’s where “study drug” gets its name. These drugs are stimulants.

They help you achieve better alertness. They also offer a burst of energy and can increase your heart and breathing rate. One thing you should know, as against the common myth, is that these drugs do not increase your learning or thinking capacity.

The two most common study drugs are amphetamines and methylphenidates. More often than not, people get these drugs from friends or family. This type of usage is an abuse of the substance, and if care is not taken can lead to dependence.

The risk factors of these drugs, like other prescriptions, are enormous. Abuse of the drug leaves the patient susceptible to high blood pressure, irregular heartbeat rate, seizures, heart failure, and even stroke. Behaviourally, it can lead to uncontrolled anger, paranoia, and some mental problems.

Weight Loss

Weight loss drugs are one of the commonly abused prescription drugs. When you use prescription drugs for your weight loss program, you should be careful. Weight loss does not happen overnight. Hence, you may get hung up on the substance, especially when you do not follow the prescribed dosage.

You see, trying to substitute exercise routines with drugs, for instance, can be the journey to addiction. Therefore, you should not start using a drug just because a friend on a weight loss program does the same. Prescription drugs are for those that have a doctor’s approval. Hence, it’s only safe to visit a doctor for the right prescription before starting your weight loss program.

Risk Factors of Prescription Drug Abuse

Addiction creeps in. It will feel as though it’s not happening, while indeed, it is. The conditions that come with it range from being mild to adverse. The unpredictability of the degree of effect makes it even scarier. For drugs like opioids, data shows that about 128 persons die daily in North America due to overdose.

Abuse of prescription drugs also has no age limit. However, it’s more rampant with the younger age group. Data shows that abuse of whatever substance is common within ages 18 to 25. This is worrying, considering the risk such young people expose themselves to.

Several factors can lead to a dependence on prescription drugs, making it somewhat beyond your control. For instance, people with previous addiction history may become prescription drug addicts easily. This is because the substances offer a similar feeling to street drugs but with a doctor’s permission.

Also, a family history of substance abuse opens you up to the possibility of prescription drug abuse. Pre-existing psychiatric conditions also makes you vulnerable. The ease of access to these drugs worsens the matter. You can easily lay your hands on them per time.

The most frightening factor here is knowledge. Because you got the drugs from a doctor, it’s easy to assume that they cannot have a negative effect. This is far from the truth. It can. Many people don’t know the negative effects of the commonly abused prescription drugs they indulge. It is essential to mitigate this knowledge gap.

As the various parts of this article have explained – adverse effects, it’s critical to treat these drugs with care.

Signs of Prescription Drug Abuse

With prescription drug abuse, the signs are always there. But, for persons with the underlying notion that nothing bad results from overusing these drugs, it may be hard to see the signs.

In the case where there is a legitimate need for the drug, it can be even harder to ignore its abuse. It can quickly turn into compulsive, ongoing, and destructive behaviour.

Either for yourself, a friend, or family members, here are the top signs you should watch out for to determine the possibility of prescription drug abuse or addiction.

You continue to use the drug even when the pain is gone.
You exaggerate issues to the doctor so that you can get more prescription drugs.
You don’t want to get other medical help options. You simply want the drug.
You exhibit mood changes and swings.
You start becoming secretive with the drug.
You use drugs that are meant for others.
You experience physical withdrawal symptoms when you don’t use the drug. Examples of these are; joint and muscle aches, insomnia, and night sweats.
You are hyperactive
You use more than the stated dosage.
You don’t frequently move with your friends anymore.
You begin to go out of your way just to get the drugs.
You start having a very poor decision-making ability.

Phases of Prescription Drug Addiction

Prescription drug addiction is a thing, and it doesn’t suddenly become a full-blown menace. Here is a breakdown to help you put the signs of prescription drug abuse in context.

Phase I: Non-medical Usage

Self-medication is tempting. The ease of it, as against having to first drive to a doctor’s office, is one of the greatest temptations. Moreover, getting these drugs over the counter is easy these days. However, this is the first step in the direction of addiction.

You may think you know what is wrong with you and the cure, but you don’t, except if you are a doctor yourself. Even then, you should let another doctor diagnose you. Data from Justice CA show that about 10 – 33% of non-medical prescription drug users may become dependent.

Phase II: Misuse

This is similar to the non-medical usage of prescription drugs. However, it is some steps further. If it happens once, you can pass it off as a non-medical usage (phase 1).

However, when you notice it happening over and over, and it feels as though you can’t stop, you are in phase II. This is a critical stage. At this stage, you build a tolerance to the commonly abused prescription drug you indulge in. Beyond this tolerance lies addiction.

Phase III: Abuse

When you take more drugs than you need, you abuse the substance beyond the doctor’s prescription. This may lead to issues in your relationship, work, and other responsibilities.

At this stage, you begin to crave what should be your medication. You get preoccupied with the drug. In some cases, you may even exhibit depression, instability, and fatigue. These are simply proof of your addiction and dependence.

Phase IV: Addiction

At this stage, you experience more than a physical dependence on the substance. Indeed, the problem has now worsened into a psychological dependence. This is the final stage of prescription drug addiction. Here, you experience a compulsive need to use the drug.

Here, the negative impacts of its usage are clear to you. However, you find it impossible to stop yourself. You then look to get more drugs from the doctor. You get aggressive if the doctor refuses. You may even resort to buying from illegal sources, which can be more damning.

How to Prevent Prescription Drug Abuse

Nipping prescription drug abuse in the bud before it even gets started is the best move. When you do this, you won’t need treatment for prescription drug addiction. While prescription drugs have functions they perform, the following steps will help you prevent dependence and abuse:

Making sure your medication is right

Getting the wrong drug for a particular ailment is an abuse of the drug upon purchase. Hence, you need to ensure you are as straightforward as possible to your doctor about your condition.

If you have any history of prescription drugs, you should also be transparent about them. Being honest with your doctor is the best thing to do for yourself. You should also query if there are alternate treatment options for drugs and pills.

Always visit your doctor

While this may seem like a hassle at first, the long-term benefit is essential. It keeps you in check. You take the right doses and get the right pills.

Follow instructions to the letter

You shouldn’t believe you know what you are doing with prescription drugs. You should use it as the doctor says. Follow all the instructions to the letter.

Know your medication

This is a good habit. You should know exactly what solution your particular drug offers. That way, you know what to expect. When you notice anything else, you should call your doctor immediately.

Don’t take other people’s medication

Even if you have a similar condition to your friend, don’t take their medication. Everyone has a unique biological makeup. Hence, you need a prescription that’s just for you. The dosage may be different, or you may be allergic to something, etc.

Don’t get prescription drugs online

While there are reputable pharmacies online, it’s best to consult with an in-person doctor. That way, they can easily conduct tests and diagnose what exactly is your health issue.

Prevention of prescription drug abuse in teens

The help teens need starts from their guardians and parents. Young persons are abusing prescription drugs more. Here are some things you can do;

Discuss the dangers with them. You need to help them understand the risks of abusing drugs. Beyond the thrill of the moment, health complications may occur.
Set rules for them: You should ensure they are aware of not sharing medications with others. You should also help them understand that they need to stick by the prescription dosage.
Keep your drugs away from them: As much as you can, keep your drugs away. As teens, they want to try things and listen to friends. You don’t want them anywhere near your drugs. It can be the start of a problem you won’t know about.
Ensure proper drug disposal: it’s best to flush medications down the drain. Either the drugs are unused or expired, you should dispose of them properly.

How to Treat Prescription Drug Abuse

Treatment for prescription drug addiction comes in two primary forms. You can employ a behavioural (therapeutic) approach like other addiction cases. You can also use medications to offer treatment.

The behavioural approach to treating this addiction can be a long process. It involves gradual shedding of habits and taking up new ones. It involves teaching the addict new ways to handle craving and avoid triggers.

Behavioural treatment needs a professional. It’s almost impossible for the addicts to achieve this themselves. Hence, you need to get the help of a professional. Beyond the professional, there is the need for family and friends’ support. This goes a long way in ensuring you stay on the path of recovery.

Medications also play a huge role in treating prescription drug addiction. Each commonly abused prescription drug has a counter-drug you can leverage. As you now know, you should only use any of these with the help of a doctor. Drugabuse.gov collates the following as potent medication treatments:

You can reverse an opioid overdose with Naloxone.

You can treat CNS depressant addiction with a medically supervised detoxification.

You can treat the opioid disorder with Naltrexone.

Beyond these, behavioural treatment is the way to go for prescription drug addiction.

Final Take

There are more cons than pros to the use of commonly abused prescription drugs. Hence, you need to be careful. While the pros may be that it gets you high and active, it can leave you low and dry in no time.

You need to be watchful of your behaviour and be extremely sincere with yourself. If you suspect possible prescription drug abuse or addiction, you should consult with our addiction treatment services. Here at 1000 Islands Rehab Centre, we have professional hands on deck ready to help you eliminate a prescription drug habit. Contact us today!

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Opioid Addiction

How To Intervene If You Love Someone Who Abuses Heroin and Is Addicted

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date February 8, 2021
No Comments on How To Intervene If You Love Someone Who Abuses Heroin and Is Addicted

A substance use problem starts small but usually snowballs into a significant problem. It is why you must intervene if your loved one abuses heroin and is already addicted.

In cases like this, it is not a moment too soon. There are many substances of addiction like alcohol, marijuana, and opioids. While all of them carry an inherent danger, heroin is peculiar.

Every time your loved one shoots up, snorts, or smokes heroin, they risk a potential overdose and subsequent death. Therefore, when dealing with such a situation, time is of the essence.

Now, you may want to help, but it is not unusual to not know where to begin. You may have worries about how your loved one will perceive your intervention. Beyond this, you may simply not know how to help someone who abuses heroin.

That is fine. We will be discussing how to intervene if someone you love abuses heroin. We will start from knowing how to recognize signs of such dependency, all the way to the possible options for treatment.

Recognizing Heroin Addiction: What to Look Out For

Heroin is a substance that has wide-ranging effects on anyone who consumes it. You can expect to see mental, behavioural, and physical changes in someone who has become addicted to the drug. The mind-altering properties of heroin have long been established. This makes the mental and the behavioural changes the most obvious and the most disturbing effects.

Most of these behaviours are seen as erratic. Heroin addicts are under a compulsion to want to use the drugs at all times. This means that depending on the severity, most of their actions are intended to get drugs. Being evasive and secretive is also quite common among heroin addicts.

The critical signs to look out for include:

Unwarranted change in behaviour
Wide mood swings
Abstaining from activities that were previously enjoyed
Glassy eyes and pinpoint pupils
Stuffy nose
Problems concentrating at work or school
Unpredictable bouts of anger
Lethargy
Disinterest in proper grooming
Changes in sleeping patterns
Impaired judgment and decision making
Unusual change in spending habits

Of course, seeing these signs in someone you love is not sure-fire proof they are abs using heroin. However, you may get more concerned if the person has a high risk of developing an addiction.

To know if anyone is prone to developing such a problem, you should look out for any of these:

A family member that has developed an addiction
Previous traumatic experiences such as abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional) or neglect
Mental health problems like depression
A history of using drugs

Anyone that fits into any of these categories is more likely to develop an addiction. A combination of these with the signs listed above may be a basis for a correct guess that heroin addiction is in play.

How to Intervene If Someone You Love Abuses Heroin

Upon realizing the problem, you have to talk to your loved one about the heroin addiction. This is usually the first option that is available to you.

However, you must not take such a discussion lightly. The outcome of the conversation may considerably colour any other effort you may make to provide help and support. So, you must proceed cautiously.

At this stage, a good idea is to consult an expert heroin addiction interventionist. This is a professional with experience and expertise in confronting people with addiction. Together with other loved ones, they can help addicts decide on getting treatment for their habit.

Confronting a drug addict can become a dicey situation, so it must be properly managed. Many times, close friends and family make costly mistakes if they decide to discuss the problems by themselves.

They may quickly resort to blame or get too emotional with the person, which leads to unwanted results. A professional can guide you on what to say and how to say it. They will also advise where and when the intervention will happen.

Whether you involve an interventionist or not, you must prepare to help your loved one get through their problem. You can do this in the following ways:

Learn about addiction: Many times, it is difficult to understand heroin addiction. Without experiencing it, you will easily be baffled as to why your loved one continues in a habit they know is harmful. With such a mentality, you are more likely to throw the blame on them. If you confront them with criticism, you will most likely get the wrong results.

By learning about what addiction does to a person, you will better understand what they are going through. You also get to know about the different drugs and how they affect people differently. Educating yourself also involves appreciating what caused them to turn to drugs in the first place. Of course, you will also learn how to intervene in your loved one’s heroin abuse problem.

This information prepares you to help the person. It also makes you more confident to face the problem, which is always necessary as addiction recovery is not easy – for both the addict and their loved ones.

Offer support and encouragement: When you have a conversation about the addiction, you must take a position of support. Heroin addiction often causes your loved one to withdraw from people they know. It can even strain their interpersonal relationships. This makes it easy for them to forget just how much you — and everyone else — cares for them.

When you talk to them, remind them you care for and support them, and wish them to be better. Encourage them to seek treatment. You may gently hint at how troubling the problem has become, using examples from previous events. Let them know you are there to support them throughout their journey to recovery

Your goal in the conversation is to help them realize the problem. On many occasions, they also know there is a problem but are unable to stop. You should then help them decide to get help. If the attempt to get them into heroin rehab is to be successful, they must decide themselves. But by offering your support and encouragement, they can go the long-haul.

Furthermore, the support does not stop once they check in to rehab. It is usually immensely beneficial for an addict to have their loved ones involved for the entirety of the process. Driving them to the center, participating in meetings and support groups are just a few ways to remain involved.

Look after yourself: Without a doubt, addiction recovery takes a toll on both the addict and the caregiver. The emotional turbulence you experience with your loved one’s changing behaviour can leave you drained. Having to pick up after them while also figuring out how to intervene in their heroin abuse can be a burden on you too.

Therefore, you have to take care of yourself too. You may also sign up for therapy if you need it. Taking self-imposed breaks to relax and refresh will be much beneficial. Great food, adequate sleep, and exercise are wellness activities to try. You need to be in the best state to render as much assistance as you possibly can.

Barriers To Intervening In Heroin Addiction Of A Loved One

Many times, you know of your loved one’s problem, but you are hesitant to make a move. There are possible reasons for this hesitation. Some of these are:

Choosing to protect yourself

For you to notice heroin use by a loved one, it must either be someone close or someone deeply loved. This means the loved one battling heroin addiction has a level of influence over you.

As such, trying to help a loved one struggling with heroin addiction can expose you to using this substance. This is even more crucial for anyone with an addiction history. As much as you are trying to intervene if someone you love is abusing heroin, it is not safe to jeopardize your health in the process.

Avoiding ruining the relationship

Anyone on heroin or any other drug is usually in denial of their present condition. The use of these substances leads to a reconditioning of their brains into believing they are doing the right things.

As much as you intend to help your loved one deal with a heroin addiction, it may not sit well with them. An addict may, due to the influence of heroin, think you are judgmental. They may equally guess you are trying to separate them from the heroin. Their reaction to your steps of heroin intervention can come as a form of retaliation.

The heroin addict may choose to sever ties with you because you are intervening. This can be sad and hurtful. Thus, many people, especially people with low emotional stability, are usually torn on how to intervene if someone they love is abusing heroin.

Fear of saying the wrong things

Approaching a loved one struggling with heroin addiction is a crucial step to take. The bone of contention usually lies on how to talk about the heroin abuse with them.

The next thought revolves around the choice of words that will be best to utter. Most people withdraw from helping a loved one because they do not know what to say.

Most importantly, they are scared of saying the wrong things that can make the conversation go south. The severity of the situation necessitates picking the right words. If you can’t have this, you may as well opt-out of intervening with the loved one that abuses heroin.

Pushing the help to someone else

In situations where you are not the closest person to the loved one, you may choose to take some steps back. This is simply an acknowledgment that there are other persons with a better and more intimate relationship with the addict.

This is a costly assumption, especially when the other persons may also be thinking you would intervene in your loved one’s heroin abuse.

If there appears to be a history of being shunned on very personal matters, this can happen. The person may rely on the past and decide to not intervene in issues as private as the heroin addiction.

Thus, you could walk up to other persons with closer relationships with the addict to report the observations. If you are a friend, it could be safe to tell the spouse, parents, or siblings. This can help ensure something is done despite not being actively involved.

Remaining in a state of denial of the addiction

The realization that a loved one is a heroin addict can be shocking and hurtful. In situations like this, some people often choose denial over acknowledgment. Even though it is evident the loved one is abusing heroin, they decide not to see, talk, hear or react to it.

This is a traumatic experience for most persons that is triggered by the shock. Often, the love they have for their loved ones can catch them off-guard. For others, it is the expectations. The level of expectation they had for the addict made the observation a shocking realization. This makes them remain in denial.

You can only proffer a solution when you see, understand, and accept a problem. Thus, denying the presence of an issue means no solution. It means there will be no heroin intervention.

Heroin Rehab and Intervention

Once you accept to help your loved one struggling with heroin addiction, the next step is getting treatment. This often happens by convincing the person to sign up for heroin rehab and treatments.

There are several practical steps in heroin intervention. These include detoxifying the addict, placing them on medications, engaging in therapy, and joining communities or a rehab center.

Detoxification

This is the first step to advise while trying to intervene if someone you love is abusing heroin. This process requires the presence of professionals who are skilled in the process. Usually, detox happens under the supervision of these professionals. This ensures their experience helps to decipher the peculiarities of each addict and treat them accordingly.

Also, considering the level of effect heroin has on the body and brain, an addict can take wrong steps without proper supervision. Their inability to reason logically can warrant a situation where they contravene the rules of detoxification.

This is why inpatient heroin detox comes more highly recommended compared to outpatient detox. However, in instances where the duration of consumption and the quantity consumed are minimal, an addict can opt for outpatient addiction treatment.

Since detoxification means depriving the addict of the drug, there is usually a resultant deep craving. Heroin addicts under detoxification can exploit any manipulative option to get the substance into their body.

Withdrawal symptoms start surfacing when detoxification commences. Typically, the severity of these symptoms varies amongst addicts. These symptoms include:

Difficulty sleeping
Diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting
Uncontrollable and intense craving for the drug
Cold flashes with chills
Extreme restlessness, irritability, and instability

While these symptoms start from being mild to being debilitating for most persons, it is not a hard and fast rule. Some people have more uncomfortable symptoms from the beginning compared to others.

Also, the period for withdrawal is not the same for everyone. While some people stop having these symptoms after a week, it could be more or less for others. Thus, the addict needs to go through it with the help of professionals.

Medications During Heroin Intervention

Detox is the most crucial step in heroin intervention, and it is quite unpleasant. Drug Abuse.gov report that some medications can be administered to make it more bearable. These drugs are:

Methadone: This drug has been in use for many years in the treatment of heroin addiction. It is also an opioid and works similarly on the same receptors as heroin. But it does not produce a high like heroin becomes its effects come on much slowly. It is used as a long-term treatment to reduce cravings for heroin and relieve withdrawal symptoms.
Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine is fast coming up as the drug to use in medication-assisted heroin treatment. It is a partial agonist of the receptor on which heroin works. This means it produces a heroin-like effect, but at a much lesser intensity. Like methadone, it is also used to reduce cravings and withdrawal symptoms during detox. It is not as strong as methadone but can be habit-forming too.
Naltrexone: This is a long-acting opioid antagonist. It is commonly used to reverse the effects of opioid poisoning. It does the same for heroin. By blocking the receptors, heroin is unable to act as it does, so no high. It does not cause physical dependence.
Suboxone: This is a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone, an opioid antagonist (like naltrexone). The mix is also used to help with withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

Therapy

You should know that after the detox, the addict will feel the urge to take heroin regularly. It takes perseverance, discipline, and self-control to not give in to the craving. This is what

therapy, rehab centers, and support groups teach an addict.

Cognitive behavioural therapy is a frequent treatment option for heroin addicts. It helps to understand the behavior patterns that encourage the addiction. It also makes an addict come up with ways to avoid the urge to use the drug.

Other methods used in therapy include giving out incentives for sustaining their abstinence to motivate them to continue. Some therapy sessions may also involve family or close friends to make them recognize how they contribute to the problem. Suggestions are also made to remove triggers and generally prevent a relapse.

FAQs on Heroin Addiction

Here we will answer questions you may have about addiction and how to intervene if your loved one abuses heroin.

How do I know if they have heroin addiction?

Heroin addiction often manifests in a way you will notice if you pay attention to your loved ones. You will see physical signs of a drug problem such as reddish or glassy eyes, flushed skin, dry mouth, and short breaths. They also are not able to try to keep a good appearance, so that’s another sign.

Addicts may also have altered mental status, so you may notice they are mostly anxious and irritable. They often have trouble speaking correctly, and their judgment is impaired. These signs are not easy to hide and may help to identify that they have a problem.

Should I conduct an intervention for my loved one who is an addict?

An intervention is a useful method to get your loved one into recovery. However, they must be done carefully for the best results. You should try to include an interventionist as they can bring their experience to bear.

You should know that interventions should not be aggressive. Also, you should not be surprised if your loved ones do not respond positively to your suggestion of rehab. You may have to conduct multiple interventions before they finally agree.

The earlier they start to receive treatment, the greater the chances of a smooth recovery. So you should organize the intervention as early as possible.

What do I do if my loved one asks for help?

Knowing how to intervene in your loved one’s heroin abuse is essential so that you can immediately provide help if they ask for it. It is usually best to act fast in such a situation because they can easily change their mind.

Here, you should look up certified health professionals they can talk to. Alternatively, you may take them to rehab facilities and get them checked in to treatment.

You should praise them for their courage in opening up to you and seeking help. You may also prepare them as the journey to recovery isn’t an easy one. Finally, you should reassure your loved one of your support during their healing.

Help Your Loved One Get Off Opioids Today

Intervening if someone you love abuses heroin may be the only way to save their life. If you have an addict around you, you should make haste to get them help.

Here at 1000 Islands Rehab Centre, we understand the delicacy of talking to a loved one about heroin rehab and recovery. As such, we can draw up an intervention plan that works. Contact us today to get started!

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Heroin Addiction

Is There Hope for Someone Dealing with Heroin Abuse?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date February 3, 2021
No Comments on Is There Hope for Someone Dealing with Heroin Abuse?

With the way the effects come at you, it is easy to lose hope in recovering from heroin abuse. However, like with any other addiction, you can get better.

A lot of effort must go into understanding your condition, right from knowing how it starts. Knowing how to manage heroin addiction also helps to be confident in your treatment options when you seek them.

In this article, we will show you that there is hope for heroin abuse. We will also discuss what to expect during treatment and how to get ready for it.

Heroin: Drug Fact Sheet

Below are the important details to know about heroin addiction:

What Is Heroin?

Heroin is part of a class of drugs called opioids or narcotics. It is an addictive processed drug made from morphine. Heroin can be said to be the most abused opiate drug.

It is produced from the seed pod of a plant called opium poppy. It may appear in a powder or sticky substance called black tar. Depending on how it is produced, the colour ranges from white, brown, rose gray, or black. It often includes particles of sugar, powdered milk, starch, or quinine.

Signs And Effects Of Heroin Addiction

The signs and symptoms of heroin addiction may differ as no two people have the same peculiarities. However, some generic signs exist for recognizing the consumption of heroin. These occur after the rush or euphoric feeling that comes from using heroin. They include:

Dryness of the mouth
Shortness of breath
Looking untidy and unkempt
Pupil dilation and rapid eye movement
Warm flushing of the skin
Twitchy body movements
Heavy feelings in your arms and legs
Facial twitching
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Frequent itching of the body
Pain in the heart and chest
Obsessively picking at the hair and skin, causing cuts and bruises
Lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping pattern
Consistent and intense headache

The behavioural pattern of a person consuming heroin may be affected. The signs of this include:

Incoherent, slurred, or garbled speech
Unclear and clouded mental judgment
Lack of motivation and decrease in productivity
Dressing in unusually long clothing to hide needle marks
Hyperactivity, higher energy, and restlessness
Decline in self-esteem and self-confidence
Anxiety, nervousness, irritable behaviour, and disability
Avoiding eye contact and withdrawing from favourite activities and relationships

Heroin also has long term effects on your body. Some of them include:

Disease of the liver and kidney
Insomnia
Complications with the lungs like pneumonia
Heart lining and valves infection
Mental illnesses like depression
Sexual dysfunction
Irregularity in menstruation
Contracting infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis, etc.

Considering the severity of these effects, it is easy to think there is no hope for heroin abuse. However, as we will highlight over the course of this article, heroin addiction treatment and recovery is very possible!

How Is Heroin Consumed?

Heroin is consumed through the process of injecting, sniffing, snorting, inhaling, or smoking. Of these methods, the most dangerous of all is the process of injecting heroin.

Heroin is often injected with a needle into the veins. This drug goes straight into the body and brain, leaving users prone to risks of overdose.

Another issue is the ability to get infected through the use of needles. Heroin abusers take little or no precaution when using. As such, they resort to using unhygienic practices. The practise of sharing needles also makes it easy to contract diseases.

How Long Does Heroin Stay In The System

The presence of heroin in the body begins instantaneously as soon as you take the drug. If it is injected into the veins, the euphoria starts from the seventh second. It takes two to five minutes if injected into the muscles.

On average, the euphoria sets in between 45 seconds and a few minutes. The high moments last from about ten to thirty minutes.

This is usually followed by lethargy, sleepiness, apathy, commonly known as sedation. This is a common effect accompanying the use of heroin, and it lasts longer.

Heroin can be detected in a drug test between one to three days. It will take an average of two to four days for the substance to leave the body and go undetected in a urine test. This is usually dependent on the quantity consumed and the peculiarity of the user.

Heroin And Addiction: Why All The Questions About Hope

Heroin addiction occurs when a person becomes physically and mentally dependent on the drug. This can arise from consuming the drug a few times.

You should know you cannot get addicted after just one dose. According to Drug Policy.org, an estimate of 80% who consume heroin do not become addicted to it.

There is an interaction between heroin and the opioid receptors in the brain. After administering, it moves from the blood to the blood-brain barrier, creating a reward sensation in the brain.

Once this happens, an artificial sensation occurs. This eventually reduces the ability of the brain to produce a natural feeling of pleasure. Repeated usage of heroin further worsens this process leaving an addict to rely on the drug before getting any rewarding feelings from the brain.

You see, the body gets conditioned to it over time. This leaves the user with little option as regards quitting the usage of the drug. Finally, addiction sets in, and the person becomes dependent, physically and mentally, on heroin.

This condition can be very detrimental to the brain leaving short and long-term mental effects on the brain. These effects include damage to the nervous system, coma, or complete brain damage. At such a point, it is only natural to wonder if there is hope for heroin abuse.

Is There Hope for Heroin Abuse: Recognizing a Heroin Addiction

It is hard to miss heroin addiction. The drug significantly alters your brain physically, thereby affecting eventual body function. Some of the specific signs you can expect to see are listed in this section.

Inability To Stop Using

A heroin addiction, as with any addiction, is difficult to stop. The more you use, the more your brain changes, reinforcing the need for the drug.

Heroin addicts are very aware of their addiction. They sometimes understand the dangerous extent of the drug. But it does not make it any easier for them to stop.

What is common among heroin addicts is they often attempt many times to put a halt to the habit. However, they are continuously unsuccessful. Some may even find it tougher to try to stop and so, refuse to make any attempt. This is a classic sign of a heroin addict.

Drug-crazed Behaviour

Heroin dependence happens fast. In only a few days after the first hit, users may start craving the drug. If they go without the next possible dose of heroin, they may begin to go into withdrawal.

On the severity scale, withdrawal symptoms can range from bearable to excruciating. Generally, those symptoms are hated and avoided at all costs.

The only solution seemingly available to the addict to avoid withdrawal is to get another fix. The compulsion to continue using the drugs, regardless of the condition, makes a heroin addict develop drug-seeking behaviour. As such, it is easy to lose hope in recovery from heroin abuse considering the intensity of the cravings.

For most people using heroin, it automatically becomes their top priority. They start to channel all of their energy into finding and using the drug. This may lead them to engage in some untoward actions like:

Stealing, from friends and family, anywhere possible to fund the drug habit
Abandoning essential responsibilities to oneself, to friends, at work, and to family to obtain and then use the heroin
Visiting emergency rooms often, with the hopes of leaving with an opioids prescription
Secretly using from a loved one’s opioid prescriptions

Generally, you can expect to see the addict behave as they have never before. They can go to any length to get the drug!

Related Article: The Long Term Effects of Heroin Abuse

Poor Health

Of course, anyone snorting, smoking, or shooting up heroin will be fully exposed to its effects. A drug as potent as heroin has multiple negative outcomes that result from its use. Naturally, the results will depend on how much and for how long the drug has been used.

Some of these effects include pulmonary, skin and heart infections, collapsed blood vessels, and physical changes in the brain. Also common among heroin users are sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and hepatitis, chronic constipation, and depression. The possibility of an overdose, which can be fatal, also adds to this gory picture of health.

These peculiar conditions are highly debilitating, with some even fatal. With some of these conditions, the impact may stay for the rest of their lives

Furthermore, the focus on heroin by its users affords them little time to focus on their health. This only worsens the health status as they are unable to pay enough attention to themselves.

A Depressed Feel

Although heroin is said to produce a ‘high’, it actually works to generate a low. Heroin is a central nervous depressant. It essentially slows down your brain and body.

This implies that an addict will also experience slowness of their mental processes and physical function. If you are observing such a person, you will recognize a depressed feel in their behaviour.

These feelings occur most frequently and significantly while the person is under the influence. But you should not be surprised to see these effects while the person is not on the drug.

Signs of depressed feelings include:

Excessive sleepiness
Slow body movements
Slow reactions and reflexes
Nonchalant attitude
Reduced mental sharpness
Sleeping off mid-activity such as during conversations

All these effects combine to make a heroin addict seem like a shell of their former self.

Is There Hope For Heroin Abuse?

According to Drug Abuse.gov, no addiction, no matter how deep-seated it is, is unbeatable. Even people with severe and longstanding drug problems have overcome the problem and regained their lives.

If you want to get better, it starts with your mind.

You are already aware of your problem. Many heroin users are aware that the drugs are dangerous. While that is not in question, you must also recognize that the drugs are leading you down a horrible path.

Apart from greatly damaging your health, it is leading you to ruined relationships and financial insecurity. It is not uncommon for heroin addicts to lose their jobs and homes. These are not situations to aspire to. Therefore, as much as possible, you must have a determination to get better.

Once you can admit this to yourself, then you may well be on the way to recovery already.

Heroin addiction is not a fancy thing to ascribe to yourself. At the same time, it is not the end of the world. Therefore, while you have made a conscious decision to get better, you must have faith in the treatment options available to you.

Believe you can actively get better. You may read about your condition to learn more about it. Understand how you got into the habit. Also, when you read reports of studies evaluating success rates, it may help you feel more confident.

Even while reading about such, it may not seem like you can achieve this kind of success with recovery. However, you need to shore up confidence, and the best way you can do that is to see a professional. By enrolling at a heroin addiction treatment center, you’ll get the opportunity to speak to counsellors and experts.

Because it often leads to alienation, it is easy to feel there is no hope for heroin abuse. Times like these are the best to reach out to friends and family and start making amends. By coming clean about your addiction, they will be able to understand you and care for you.

The most likely thing is your loved ones will have noticed the changes in you. So, don’t be surprised when they react more calmly than you expect. But also, be sure of their love for you and their wish for you to get better.

As your addiction counsellor may tell you, going through recovery is not usually an easy process. The stronger the addiction, the more difficult the recovery. This is why it is better to seek help as early as you can.

With this, you need to have a strong commitment to it. During recovery, you may have a strong urge to use again. You may even relapse. Recovery is usually a life-long journey, so you should not get discouraged. As long as you keep recommitting to it, you will get better at it.

So yes, there is hope for heroin abuse. It does not come easy, but it is possible. We will discuss the actual treatment options available to you in the next section.

The Path to Recovery from Heroin Addiction

The path to recovery from heroin addiction involves professional help. It starts by going in to see an addiction counsellor or any other professional dealing with addiction treatment.

Generally, a whole addiction treatment cycle may span between thirty and ninety days. It can be longer depending on your need.

Regardless, all treatment programs start with a detox.

Detox

Detox is a process of removing all the heroin in your system. During heroin detox, you are not going to top up with another fix. As you can imagine, this means your body will start to go into withdrawal.

Although the timeline differs, you can expect to start feeling withdrawal symptoms within a few hours and up to a day. The withdrawal symptoms reach the peak after 48 to 72 hours and may continue for up to a week.

Withdrawal symptoms can be debilitating. You may expect to feel bone pain, muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Restlessness, insomnia, and depression are also usually seen during this period.

Furthermore, there are different methods of detox, depending on the presence or otherwise of medical personnel. Under the supervision of medical personnel, you will be given certain medications to help with symptoms.

Getting through the detox process infuses a lot of hope of recovery from heroin abuse. It’s proof that if you keep on the path, you can achieve long-term sobriety.

Medication-assisted Treatment

The hallmark of heroin treatment is the medication-assisted method. The idea is to reduce cravings for heroin as much as possible. The therapy also helps with the presence of withdrawal symptoms, staving them off as you go through detox.

There are specific drugs that are commonly prescribed for this purpose. They work using the same receptors in the body that heroin works through. But they are safer and less likely to produce the same effects as heroin.

Methadone

This drug has been in use in treating heroin abuse and providing hope for many decades. Interestingly, it is an opioid receptor agonist, like heroin, but acts slowly and does not produce a ‘high’. It is used to suppress the cravings for heroin and reduce withdrawal symptoms.

Ironically, methadone is habit-forming and must be used carefully when employed as a part of heroin addiction treatment. It is the go-to option when other medications are not as effective as expected. It is often used for long periods, making it easier to abstain from heroin.

Buprenorphine

Buprenorphine is a partial opioid receptor agonist. It produces similar effects to heroin but at an intensity that is considerably less. It is also less potent than methadone, though they share the principle of action. It reduces cravings and is particularly useful during withdrawal, even working to alleviate chronic pain.

The drug may be formulated alone but often comes with naloxone, an opioid receptor antagonist. Naloxone helps to prevent getting high by injecting heroin. Attempting to use heroin while on this drug is dangerous as you will need higher amounts of heroin for the same effects. This can eventually lead to an overdose.

Buprenorphine is also habit-forming, and its use must be carefully monitored.

Naltrexone

This is the third drug commonly used in medication-assisted treatment of heroin abuse. Naltrexone is an opioid receptor antagonist – it counters the effects of heroin. You will not feel the euphoric effects of the drug. This way, you will be able to abstain from the drug.

Naltrexone is non-addictive and non-sedating and does not result in physical dependence. It has been considerably successful, providing hope for recovery from heroin abuse.

Adjunct Treatment

After detoxification and medication, the other vital steps in heroin recovery involve behavioural therapy. Like with treating other addictions, the available options are cognitive behavioural therapy, contingency management interventions, and motivational incentives, among a host of methods.

The most common is counselling for heroin abuse. This may be done individually or in groups. The idea is to be able to open up and confront your drug problem. Typically, this can take many forms:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

This is a form of therapy with the eventual goal of modifying your behaviour and helping you recognize your drug triggers.

With it, you realize how you react to certain events, which make you resort to drugs. You are then able to abstain from such behaviour, and consequently, stay drug-free. This method anchors on providing hope for your heroin abuse and makes you realize that you can get better completely.

This method of cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most effective ones available. You can rest assured that you are well on your road to recovery.

Contingency Management Intervention

This is also another of the available options for treatment. It involves using incentives to encourage an addict to get treatment and continue staying away from drugs.

It is usually not used alone. You can expect to continue undergoing other forms of therapy in combination with contingency management sessions.

There is Hope for Heroin Abuse

There certainly is hope for someone dealing with heroin abuse. The path to recovery is usually winding, but the destination is reachable.

If you have decided to get help, you should contact 1000 Islands Therapy Centre for our world-class heroin addiction rehab services. Apart from having seasoned professionals, we have also created the right environment to help you begin your recovery journey. Reach us today!

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Heroin Addiction

How Do You Know if Someone you Love is Addicted to Heroin?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date February 2, 2021
No Comments on How Do You Know if Someone you Love is Addicted to Heroin?

How to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin is not as easy as it seems. Except you are an expert, knowing how to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin requires some quick study. If you don’t know the things to look out for, confusing moodiness as addiction can occur.

And it’s not a question of asking the person in question. They’ll get defensive and you’ll not be able to step in to help.

The signs of heroin addiction can be somewhat elusive. Understandably, you will be apprehensive when you suspect a loved one of using heroin. However, there is a lot more to consider before resigning to think the person is addicted.

Also, it’s not just about knowing how to recognize heroin addiction. There is a further need to know to be there for such a person. During their addiction period, your loved one needs you to do more than call out their faults. They need to experience support, especially when they decide to quit.

Owing to this, this guide answers the question of how to know if someone you love is addicted to heroin. But perhaps more importantly, we explore the steps to take if you find out a loved one is abusing heroin.

What is Heroin Addiction?

Heroin, as a substance always spoken of, in the context of addiction, actually comes from a flower. This flower is known as the opium poppy. This flower grows mainly in Mexico, Asia, and South America. Its addictive property is one of the major reasons its usage is illegal in the US, since 1924.

The appearance of heroin can either be white or brown powder. In several places where users indulge in, they call it different names. Some call it ‘horse, smack, junk or brown sugar’.

How Does Heroin Addiction Happen?

However illegal it is, heroin use in today’s world is common amongst young folks. There are several factors responsible for this. The most common of these influencing factors is peer pressure. In a bid to “fit in”, relieve stress, or have fun, individuals may abuse heroin.

It almost always starts with the person thinking they will use it just once. With the first use, all they want to do is to have that one-time fun. However, due to the addictive nature of the substance, it doesn’t stop there. The second use comes and then a third follows. It continues, and before you know it, dependence occurs.

Heroin addiction in plain terms is a situation where your loved one cannot do without frequent use of the substance. Heroin is an illicit drug, a very addictive one. According to HHS.gov, heroin belongs to a class of drugs referred to as Opioids.

Other substances in this class include; fentanyl and other pain relievers. Most of these pain relievers offer maximum benefit when you use them properly. However, if you misuse them, they can lead to symptoms of drug abuse.

DrugAbuse.gov defines addiction as a chronic, relapsing disorder, which possesses characteristics such as compulsive drug seeking and use. The user persists with this action despite the adverse consequences.

Scientifically, drug addiction is termed a disorder of the brain. This is because parts of the brain play an active role in its manifestations and process. Addiction to heroin alters and modifies the function of parts of the brain responsible for reward, stress, and self-control.

One thing you should know about drug addiction is that symptoms may persist, even if your loved one stops taking the substance. For instance, if your loved one is addicted to heroin, the constant abuse may affect specific organs. This leads to chronic health effects. If you don’t do anything about it, they may suffer from this throughout their lifetime. In the worst case scenario, it may lead to death.

The good news is, heroin addiction is preventable. With proper care and monitoring, it is also treatable. Prevention is the best option. But in the case where the person is already addicted, heroin addiction treatment is what you should pursue.

Why You Should Be Worried About Heroin Addiction

To be curious about how to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin, it shows your worry. To put your mind at ease, saying there is nothing to worry about may have been handy. However, it’s not the best advice for you.

You need to worry, and there are several reasons why you should. The damage resulting from long-term heroin addiction is intensive.

This damage ranges from short term effects to long (life-lasting) term effects. If the addict in question does not take heed, they can get to a level of irreversible damage. Continuous use of the substance changes the brain’s physical structure.

It goes further to change the physiological structure of the brain. This creates an imbalance in the neural and hormonal systems. Once these happen, it’s near impossible to effect a reversal.

Related Article: The Long Term Effects of Heroin Abuse

How Heroin Affects The Brain

It is possible for the white matter of the brain to deteriorate due to heroin use. When this takes place, your loved one will start to find it harder to make decisions. They also become unable to regulate their behaviours. It changes them from who you used to know them as. They become very incapable of handling stress, an element that characterizes everyone’s daily life.

Heroin abuse may occur in different forms. A classic way of using the drug is by injecting it. You can also snort, sniff, or smoke the substance. What determines how you use the substance is primarily the purity of it. There is also the factor of your preference.

Whichever way your loved one uses the substance, its trip to the brain occurs fast. This makes addiction to it very fast. You can get addicted after first use. Hence, if you can closely monitor your loved one — children, brother, spouse — ensure they don’t even experience the substance.

What Does Heroin Feel Like

Upon usage, heroin fills users with a rush of good feeling and happiness. The events that follow this are a slowed movement of everything around. It begins to seem as though the world is slowing down. Thinking happens slowly, the same as walking. A first-person recap of the experience states that it feels as though you are in a dream.

For the moment when the substance is in effect, your body loses the sense of pain. It slows down your heart rate and breathing. This surreal feeling is enough to cause your loved one to indulge the next time. This easy path to addiction is why heroin addiction treatment is one of the toughest to administer.

If the user doesn’t know to stop during a heroin abuse session, an overdose may occur. Overdosing on heroin stops the natural breathing process. If you don’t want this to be the fate of your loved one, you should step in.

If you step in proactively for someone who has bad company, you can save them from the risk of such addiction. Even in the early stages of heroin usage, your help can be a significant influence on their life. The longer it takes for an intervention, the harder it is to stop using heroin.

Additionally, there are varying reasons why your loved one may use heroin. The reasons behind this indulgence are always plausible. For some, it’s anxiety, worry, amongst other stressors.

But using heroin is not the best answer to these. It only provides temporary relief while leading your loved one on the highway to depression, ADHD, and bipolar disorder.

What are the Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal?

Getting rid of heroin addiction is important. But you should know you can’t achieve it in-house. You need medical monitoring and the input of a heroin addiction treatment expert. This is thanks to the possibility of heroin withdrawal symptoms.

The effect of heroin on your loved one may last five hours before they need another dose. However, in some persons, it can be ten hours. If they don’t indulge at the time they begin to crave again, they may begin to experience withdrawal symptoms.

WebMD lists the following as withdrawal symptoms of heroin.

Jitters
Chills
Pain in the muscles and bones
Insomnia
Cold flashes
Diarrhea and vomiting
Uncontrollable leg movements

How to Tell if Someone you Love is Addicted to Heroin

How to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin is not straightforward. For the most part, you can’t simply seat them down to have a conversation about it. They will never give you an answer that affirms their condition.

It is most probable for them to not have accepted that they are in such condition. That’s how it happens with almost all addicts. They may not accept their condition believing they can quit just whenever they want to. This is not true.

How then can you, a family member or a friend, be able to ascertain that your loved one is addicted to heroin? How do you know if someone is using heroin? There are more than enough signs and symptoms to look out for. These are categorized in the different aspects of life they fall in.

Physical signs of heroin use and addiction

Physical reactions are the fastest pointers that answer how to know if someone is on drugs. There are many of them, which vary from individual to individual. One major cause of this variation in physical symptoms is the mode of consumption. A person who injects heroin into the system may suffer from track marks on the part of the body they use frequently.

Here are some of the physical side effects you’ll notice in the short term:

Frequent sedation
Development of flu-like symptoms
Flushing of the skin
Suffer from drowsiness
Pinpoint pupils
Loss of weight
Limbs get heavy
Slow heart rate
Frequent itching
Incoherent speech
Loss of menstrual cycle (women)
Infections at the injection site

Emotional signs of heroin use and addiction

Emotional and psychological issues may occur if your loved one is abusing heroin. More often than not, it is possible to notice these emotional and behavioural indicators. The common symptoms include:

Disorientation
Mood swings
Cloudy thoughts
Quick irritation
Difficulty in making decisions
Memory loss
Loss of interest in activities that once delighted you
Uncontrollable craving
Paranoia
Lack of motivation
Euphoria

Behavioural signs of heroin use and addiction

The continuous use of heroin can lead to changes in how a person behaves. This is because the person begins to put heroin use first, above other things. This leads to;

Neglect of duties and responsibilities at home, workplace, with friends and family, etc.
Unstable financial life
Incessant borrowing from friends and family
Overly secretive
Lack of self-control
Impulsiveness
Change in lifestyle
Change of friends
Solitude
Use of long-sleeve dresses to hide injection marks
Hostility
Tardiness
Erratic behaviour
Legal problems
Loss of attention to hygiene and appearance

Beyond these signs and symptoms, it may also be necessary to know how the substance or its accessories look like. This will help your quest to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin. When you know what devices they use, or what the drug looks like, you’ll be on the lookout.

More often than not, there is always the need for paraphernalia to get high. There are several of these including:

Injections
Needles
Pipes
Spoons
Lighters
Rubber tubing
Elastic bands.

Normally, some of these things seem regular. You probably have them in your home too. However, they serve different purposes with heroin addicts.

Also, heroin itself is a powdery, crumbly substance. It’s not purely white. Off-white will better categorize its colour. In some cases, it can be dark brown or black.

You should also know about black tar heroin. It gets its name from how it looks. It is black and very sticky. Different age groups of people take these substances.

One age group with an increasing number of heroin addiction cases is adolescence. It’s becoming alarming in countries like the United States and Canada. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states the symptoms of addiction at this level to be similar to normal adolescent behaviour.

For instance, adolescents tend toward being moody, even when not on drugs. This sign is also what you find in someone using heroin at that age. Hence, it’s easy to pass signs of heroin addiction as a general occurrence in the age group.

This calls for parents to take critical note of their children, especially their friends. At this age, the major cause of heroin addiction is peer pressure. Kids want to be like their ‘cool friends.’ Such children begin to miss classes; experience distortion in feeding and sleeping habits. As a parent, you’ll also notice such children addressing drug substances in slang.

Some of these symptoms may play out in a kid though not addicted to heroin. In any case, you should seek prompt help. You should reach out to a counsellor. If you are not sure of what exposure your child may currently have, visiting a physician is good advice.

Remember earlier in this article, we pointed out that painkillers may also contain artificial opioids. Hence, you should watch out for the kind of drugs your child takes. Abusing painkillers will get teenagers high, and exposes them to side effects. These side effects can be lethal in some persons, and not, in others. It depends on the physiological makeup of the child.

Early intervention is always critical. It increases the chance of bringing the loved one in question back to normalcy. The intervention process starts with friends and family. But it doesn’t end there.

How to Help someone suffering from Heroin Addiction?

It’s not enough to know how to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin. You need to take steps. More importantly, you should do something quickly. When you take steps later, it becomes very difficult.

Heroin addiction recovery can be a very heartbreaking journey. You may have to watch your loved ones struggle with addiction withdrawal symptoms. They may even suffer a relapse. It gets overwhelming, and you’ll be tempted to quit helping. You probably have personal issues to deal with too.

However, you should know that not solving the addiction problem is just you postponing doom day. The results can be detrimental to you, the person, and the whole family. It’s not the time to run, it’s the time to encourage such loved ones through the recovery journey. Here are some things you need to do:

Educate yourself about the problem

Just like you have started by scouring this page, there’s a lot more to do. You should brush up your knowledge about addiction; heroin specifically. The more knowledge you have about the concept of heroin addiction, the easier it becomes to deal with your loved one.

Show support

There are always plausible reasons for addicts to continue down the path. Hence, you need to help such a person better understand their situations. You need to let them know you understand. You need to relate with them, at their level. Where possible, you can help them navigate some of their daily struggles.

Encourage them to get professional help

Addicts find it hard to admit their situation and that they need help. Just like you will do for a loved one suffering heart disease, do the same for them. Be emphatic towards them. They technically have no control of the situation. They can’t help it. Don’t give up on them. Help them know they need help and should get one.

Once you know how to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin, don’t make them feel uneasy. Avoid making them feel ashamed of themselves. This becomes more important when they start with the recovery process. They can’t go through it alone. Be there for them, it helps their confidence.

Your Loved One can Achieve Sobriety

Knowing how to tell if someone you love is addicted to heroin doesn’t solve the problem. You will be met with denial when you confront them. You need to do all you can to get your loved one to commit to heroin addiction rehab.

Beyond taking care of them, you also need to take care of yourself. Supporting them effectively means supporting yourself. Be the confidence they need to seek recovery.

Here at 1000 Islands Rehab Centre, we can help you organize an intervention for your loved one. But it doesn’t stop there, here, we offer addiction treatment services that can be tailor-made for your loved one. Get in touch with us today!

Tags Addicted to Heroin

Heroin Addiction

What Is Heroin Addiction?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date January 30, 2021
No Comments on What Is Heroin Addiction?

Heroin is a class of opioids with origin from morphine. Its mode of consumption often includes sniffing, snorting, smoking, and injecting. Heroin addiction is a disorder that includes mental and behavioural changes as a result of excess heroin use.

Heroin is one of the swiftest acting and commonly abused substances of opiates. According to scientists, we can classify heroin as a semi-synthetic opioid derived from poppy plant extracts.

Often, heroin use starts with the casual misuse of a prescribed opioid. A person may then switch to heroin because of its lower cost, despite the greater danger of using it.

Someone who uses heroin regularly will end up needing more doses daily to attain the same effect. This is known as tolerance. Also, using this drug often means you’ll need more quantity for your body to function properly. This is known as physical dependence.

Heroin abuse can be difficult to talk about, even with a loved one. Individuals who experience addiction aren’t always honest about their drug abuse. Most may not be aware of how far things have gone out of control. Though it may be difficult, having a conversation about heroin addiction can potentially save your life.

If you or someone you care about is battling heroin addiction, pay close attention to their lifestyle, habits, and characteristics. This may help you uncover the truth and understand the depth of the problem.

Identifying the symptoms of heroin addiction is a significant first step toward a better healthy lifestyle. Here, we’ve put together everything you need to know about heroin addiction; the symptoms, and treatment options.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is an opioid drug made from naturally-occurring morphine taken from the seed pod of several opium poppy plants. These plants are often grown in areas like Southwest Asia, Southeast, Colombia and Mexico. Heroin can come in the form of a brown or white powder, or a black sticky form known as black tar heroin. Other popular names for heroin include smack, horse, hell dust, big H, etc.

Furthermore, pure heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste that widely originates in South America, and dominates the North American markets. It also extends to some extent, Southeast Asia and markets east of the Mississippi River. Highly pure heroin can be snorted or smoked and is typically more appealing to new users. This is because it alleviates the stigma relating to injection drug use.

Also, the Black tar heroin is considered sticky because it’s hard like coal and looks like the roofing tar. This type of heroin is popularly produced in Mexico and sold in the U.S. areas around the west of the Mississippi River.

The dark colour of black tar heroin results from its crude processing methods. As a result, it may contain impurities. Impure heroin is often dissolved, diluted, and injected into muscles, under the skin, or veins.

What does heroin look like?

In its pure form, heroin is a fine white powder that is bitter to taste and readily dissolves in water. In the streets, the colour of heroin varies according to the additives.

Substances like sugar and powdered milk are added to increase its street weight and boost retail sales. In recent times, fentanyl as an additive can increase heroin’s potency. According to the CDC, fentanyl is one hundred times more deadly than morphine.

How Does Heroin Make You Feel?

There are several ways to use heroin. Injections, for instance, offers a more immediate feeling, unlike other methods. Some of the other ways people use heroin include:

Injecting into a vein, muscle or under the skin
Snorting or sniffing
Smoking or inhaling through a straw (also known as chasing the dragon). This is a process of systematically heating the substance on an aluminum foil and inhaling the vapours through a tube.

However, the choice of how to use heroin depends mostly on the purity of the drug and the preferences of the user. When you consume heroin, it forces your brain to produce dopamine — the feel-good hormone. However, this forcefully generated dopamine also creates some general effects on the body.

Generally, when heroin enters your brain, it sticks to molecules on cells known as opioid receptors. These receptors are found in several parts of the body and brain. Most especially areas involved in the perception of pressure and pain. Also, this may include the part of the brain that regulates breathing.

If you’re a new user, you may experience the general heroin side effects like vomiting and nausea. However, the desired effects involve detachment from emotional and physical well-being, feelings and pains. Other effects consist of slow breathing, sweating, itchiness, and pinpoint pupils. Regular usage results in loss of libido and sexual interest missed or irregular periods in women, and constipation.

In general, the way heroin affects you usually depends on several factors, including:

How often you consume heroin and the quantity
Your age
Your environment
Whether or not you’re using it with other substances including alcohol
How long you’ve been using the drug
Your method of consumption

What Happens During Heroin Addiction?

Essentially, symptoms of heroin addiction can appear immediately after last use or between six 6 to 30 hours later. However, this may vary depending on how long you’ve been taking the drug. Furthermore, you may experience prolonged symptoms even after 72 hours of your last dose. These symptoms can extend up to a week, depending on your level of addiction.

Additionally, the symptoms you’ll experience often depend on the addiction level you’re experiencing. Also, several factors may dictate the timeline at which you’ll go through the heroin addiction symptoms. This is why everyone experiences addiction symptoms differently. Notwithstanding, there’s usually a timeline for work progression and symptoms.

The Physical Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

Early signs of heroin addiction usually start between the first 24 hours after quitting the usage. The symptoms include:

Dry mouth
Flushed skin
Constricted pupils
Slow breathing
Falling asleep suddenly
Vomiting
Itching
Loss of self-control
Nausea
Constipation
Slurred speech
Yawning often, etc.

Other Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

Other symptoms, which can be more intense, start after the first day or beyond. They include:

Behavioural changes, like sudden aggression or secrecy
Money issues, such as missing money or needing more and more money without any logical reason
Problems at school or work
Changes in appearance or decline in personal hygiene
Confused thinking or disorientation
Feelings of heaviness
Difficulty making decisions
Memory loss

Individuals who use heroin regularly usually need stool or laxatives softeners because the drug can cause constipation.

Related Article: The Long Term Effects of Heroin Abuse

Heroin Addiction: The Side Effects of Heroin

Heroin users have described the drug’s high as intense. When someone injects heroin, they often experience a “rush” from the drug reaching the brain so quickly.

The rush from intravenous heroin use lasts about two minutes. In terms of pleasure, intravenous users have likened the rush to an orgasm. As heroin travels through the bloodstream, the high lasts for four to five hours.

The effects of heroin can seem harmless to those who are experimenting with the drug. Although it may produce some dizziness and drowsiness, these effects feel enjoyable. Unlike substances such as alcohol or ecstasy, there generally isn’t a hangover or comedown from initial heroin use, which is an attractive benefit to new users.

What may seem like “harmless” or occasional heroin use often devolves into heroin addiction because tolerance builds quickly. Eventually, the user cannot feel normal without taking the drug because their brain cannot produce natural amounts of dopamine on its own.

As the user increases their doses, they are at a greater risk of a fatal heroin overdose. At this point, it’s best to undergo heroin detox and addiction treatment in a controlled, medical facility.

Short-term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction

Soon after injection or inhalation, heroin crosses the blood-brain barrier. In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation, a “rush.” The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to natural opioid receptors.

Heroin is particularly addictive because it enters the brain so rapidly. With heroin, the rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and a heavy feeling in the extremities, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe itching.

After the initial effects, abusers will be drowsy for several hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function may also slow.

Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. Heroin overdose is a particular risk on the street, where it is impossible to gauge the purity of the drug.

Long-term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction

If you indulge in using heroin over the long-term, you may develop a tolerance to it. Essentially, tolerance means you will always need to increase your doses to attain the necessary pain relief you want. These long-term effects are mostly harmful, especially at the point of extreme usage.

One of the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin is addiction itself. Addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use, and by neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain. Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse.

As with abusers of any addictive drug, heroin abusers gradually spend more time and energy obtaining, as well as, using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin abusers’ primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change the way you think.

Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the

body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last use.

Symptoms of withdrawal include:

Restlessness
Muscle
Bone pain
Insomnia
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Cold flashes with goosebumps (“cold turkey”)
Leg movements.

Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, it is also possible to experience persistent heroin withdrawal symptoms for many months. Heroin withdrawal is never fatal to otherwise healthy adults. However, it can cause death to the fetus of a pregnant addict.

At some point during continuous heroin use, a person can become addicted to the drug. Sometimes addicted individuals will endure many of the withdrawal symptoms to reduce their tolerance for the drug so they can again experience the rush.

Physical dependence and the emergence of withdrawal symptoms were once believed to be the key features of heroin addiction. We now know this may not be the case entirely, since craving and relapse can occur weeks and months after withdrawal symptoms are long gone.

We also know that patients with chronic pain who need opiates to function (sometimes over extended periods) have few if any problems leaving opiates after their pain is resolved by other means.

Some of the long-term side effects of heroin addiction include:

Insomnia
Skin infections like cellulitis and abscesses
Collapsed veins
A higher chance of getting Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV/AIDS.
Mental disorders
Kidney and liver disease
Lung diseases like pneumonia and tuberculosis
Menstrual problems and miscarriage, etc.

Heroin Addiction Treatment and Recovery

Generally, heroin addiction treatment includes altering deeply rooted behaviours. It involves therapy sessions to find out the behavioural triggers that lead up to heroin abuse.

There’s also the need for medical detox and treatment to help you back to full health. Depending on your unique heroin addiction treatment needs, your treatment expert may recommend any of the following:

In-patient treatment

In-patient therapy is a type of treatment where you reside at the treatment centre. In-patient treatment is often helpful for people suffering from severe addiction. Also, it’s useful for those who struggle with specific challenges of mental wellbeing.

Undertaking your recovery in a rehab centre helps you avoid influences and temptations that provoke daily heroin abuse. Typically, living in a serene environment will aid your recovery faster.

Licensed in-patient rehab facilities often provide 24-hour intensive care and support. They also combine 3 stages of recovery into their rehab programs, i.e. growth, reflection, and detox. In-patient facilities focus on teaching you how to adopt a substance-free lifestyle and maintain sobriety. This plan typically involves a step-down method to help your transition from in-patient care to group counselling or behavioural therapies.

Group therapy

Group therapy is a specific form of counselling used to treat psychological disorders, including heroin abuse and addiction. Typically, it involves regular sessions where therapists work with several individuals receiving treatment for the same health issue.

Individuals who participate in a therapy group usually take turns to share their feelings, struggles, goals, and experiences. Sometimes, therapy groups may focus solely on a specific recovery topic. Examples include recognizing and avoiding triggers, handling complicated family, peer, work, or other interpersonal relationships.

One of the most significant benefits of group therapy for addiction recovery is that groups give you the ability to bond with others. It also gives you an avenue to build a support system to connect with once you leave treatment.

Behavioural therapy

Several effective behavioural therapies for heroin addiction are available for both residential and outpatient settings. Typically, approaches such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and contingency management are effective treatments for heroin use disorder. Most especially when delivered simultaneously with medications.

Generally, CBT aims at helping patients modify their behaviours and expectations. Essentially, it alters everything relating to drug use and helps devise coping skills for different life stressors.

On the other hand, contingency management uses a point-based procedure in which patients earn certain “points” based on their negative drug tests. The points are usually exchangeable for items that encourage leading a healthy lifestyle. The reward also extends to other activities like attending and participating in addiction counselling sessions, or for taking your medications as prescribed.

Other behavioural therapies include:

Motivational Enhancement Therapy (MET) uses different approaches to make the most of your readiness to change your behaviour and enter treatment.
Family therapy helps individuals especially young people with drug use disorder, as well as their families. It’s a process of addressing the influence on drug use patterns and improving overall family functioning.

The Principles of Effective Treatment of Heroin Addiction

Research indicates that the first line of treatment for heroin or other opioids addiction is medication. Usually, the best way to perm ambient sobriety is combining medication with some form of counselling and behavioural therapy.

Furthermore, medication is hugely important for people going through drug detox. Though detoxification isn’t the same as addiction treatment, it helps set the pace for successful recovery. However, detoxification without continuing heroin addiction treatment often leads to the resumption of drug use.

How to Ensure The Successful Treatment of Heroin Addiction

Different forms of medications may be effective at different stages of treatment. However, maintaining sobriety and a healthy post-addiction treatment requires more. Some of these include; treating withdrawal, staying in treatment, and avoiding relapse.

Treating withdrawal

When patients first stop using drugs, they can experience various physical and emotional symptoms, including restlessness or sleeplessness, as well as depression, anxiety, and other mental health conditions. Certain treatment medications and devices reduce these symptoms, making it easier to stop drug use.

Staying in treatment

Some treatment medications are useful in helping your brain adapt gradually to the absence of the drug. These treatments act slowly to help prevent drug cravings and have a calming effect on your body. They can help patients focus on counselling and other psychotherapies related to their drug treatment.

Preventing relapse

Science has taught us that stress cues linked to drug use such as people, places, things, and moods, and contact with drugs are the most common triggers for relapse.

This is why behavioural therapy sessions are important. During these sessions, you can develop coping mechanisms to help you cope and manage relapse triggers.

That’s All You Need To Know About Heroin Addiction

If you’ve been following us till this moment, you’re welcome. By now, you should know more about heroin addiction than you did before this article. We tried to cover as many important details as possible without risking an information overload.

If there is any part of this article you need to pay close attention to, it’s the section on ‘what happens during heroin addiction” and “heroin addiction treatment and recovery.” Those sections are essential to staying sober and staying drug-free.

We are aware it’s not easy to stop using heroin on your own. This is why it’s hugely important to speak with a professional about heroin addiction. Here at 1000 Islands Rehab Centre, our heroin addiction experts will listen to you and develop a custom plan for your treatment. Contact us today!

Meth Addiction

The Cost of Meth Addiction and Other Substance Abuse Rehab in Toronto

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date January 28, 2021
No Comments on The Cost of Meth Addiction and Other Substance Abuse Rehab in Toronto

The cost of meth addiction treatment is usually a vital determinant when trying to give up the addiction. Most likely, you may be a bit turned off as to how much you have to spend

This can easily lead to a weakening of your resolve to get help. However, that shouldn’t stop you once you decide to seek help for your addiction.

What you may not realize is that it is just as expensive to maintain a meth addiction. Any addiction costs you a lot of money spent on drugs, hospital fees for poor health, and even legal fees.

In this article, we lay it all bare for you. Here, we will examine the costs that go into getting treatment. We will also assess the general price of addiction treatment in Canada. This way, you can develop a financial plan that helps you achieve your addiction treatment and recovery goals. Let’s get in.

Cost of Meth Addiction: How Much Does a Meth Habit Cost?

Methamphetamine is otherwise referred to as crystal meth, meth, blue, ice, amongst others. This is a highly addictive, chemically produced drug that releases dopamine into the human brain.

Meth is cheap and easy to access. A meth addict can go into the production of meth and even start selling it. Generally, in Canada, Winnipeg is considered the cheapest place to buy meth. A hit of meth there costs $5 to $10 while a gram costs $50.

However, according to Statistica, meth consumption figures are not high in Toronto, so the drug is not as popular. As a result, the cost of meth is high, with each hit costing $15 and a gram costing $110.

Cost of addiction to Other Substances

According to a report of the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction, drug use costs Canada up to $46 billion yearly. This equates to a total of $1258 for every person in Canada, highlighting the level of drug consumption

The report focuses on the consumption and abuse of substances such as tobacco, cocaine, opioids, cannabis, and alcohol. The costs attributed to tobacco and alcohol only constitute 63% of the total cost leaving 27% to other substances.

The widespread consumption of tobacco and alcohol does great harm to the country. Out of all the documented 277,060 hospital admissions in the recent year, tobacco and alcohol caused 89%.

Furthermore, tobacco and alcohol contributed 76% of the 75,1356 years of life lost due to substances. Meanwhile, the social costs attributable to the consumption of these substances are:

Lost productivity accounts for 44% of the total cost, or $20 billion
Health care costs account for 28% of the total cost, or $13.1 billion
Criminal justice accounts for 20% of the total cost, or $9.2 billion
Direct cost accounts for the remaining 8% equaling $3.6 billion

Before we discuss the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada, it is important to get context. Context in this case is comparing the cost of maintaining a drug/alcohol habit with the price of rehab

Alcohol

Alcohol is legal in many countries including Canada. Therefore, most consumers of this liquid substance do not quickly consider the cost when they begin to dive into it.

Unlike other substances, alcohol, for most persons, is consumed in high amounts before it can be called an addiction. Taking a bottle or cup may not do much harm.

As the number of bottles starts increasing, with greater consumption frequency, you begin to tread the path of alcoholism.

The average cost of an alcoholic drink in Toronto is $16. Taking three drinks every week amounts to an average of $2496 yearly. This is even the least cost as prices of alcoholic beverages vary with brand, alcoholic content, and size.

For heavy alcohol consumers, the cost, of course, rises. Women take an average of 7 drinks per week while men consume 14 drinks. With an addiction, you take an average of 12 bottles every week amounts to $9984.

These persons, who are prone to alcohol use disorder, spend a lot of money on just alcohol. This is not to mention the health costs that accompany this habit and other similar fees that may arise.

Marijuana

Marijuana is legal in Canada for both medical and recreational purposes. This, alongside the legal age of purchase being 19 years, has influenced the rate of marijuana addiction in Toronto.

Marijuana remains one of the drugs with a high addiction tendency. Interestingly, anyone older than 19 can possess, consume or share as much as 30 grams of marijuana. Thirty grams makes an average of 60 to 75 pre-rolled joints, which costs an average of $160 to $400.

If you consume an average of 5 rolled joints per day, it amounts to an average of $5000 to $12000. Whoever consumes 30 grams within a week spends between $8000 to $20000.

Cocaine

Canada has once ranked to be the second-largest consumer of cocaine in the world. That year, Canadians consumed over three times the amount consumed in other places.

However, cocaine is relatively cheaper in Canada than in other places. In Canada, one gram costs an average of $85, as opposed to the $120 it will go for in other locations.

This gives room for more persons to consume, abuse, and get addicted to the drug. A gram of cocaine can last a few hours, days, or weeks, depending on how addicted you are. You may spend up to $5000 weekly and $30,000 yearly if you consume up to a gram of cocaine daily.

Opioids

Opioids are not commonly available, and getting them often depends on a doctor’s prescription. Therefore, the cost of an opioid addiction depends on the prescription, the availability, and the location of the addict.

The cost of opioid prescriptions may reduce with insurance. But this cannot be accessed by everyone.

Getting opioids on the street is a lot more expensive. However, this is the option most addicts resort to, leading to a high financial consequence. Opioids include several prescriptions such as tramadol, suboxone, oxycodone, Fentanyl, Norco, Oxycontin, and so on.

The street price is an average of 3 times that of the prescription. For instance, the prescription price of fentanyl is $9.4, and the street price is $40. An addict who takes opioids spends an average of $3500 yearly.

Heroine

Heroin is a widely produced drug. As a result of this, the cost of heroin drops continually because the supply is arguably more than the demand.

This drug has a high addiction tendency, and persons consuming heroin are prone to Heroin Use Disorder. A roll of heroin can be sold starting from as low as $5 up to $20.

As reported by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the average price of heroin in North America was $152 per gram. Thus, heavy consumers or hardcore addicts may spend as high as $150 to $200 or an average of $54000 annually.

Modes of Addiction Treatments and Associated Costs

When discussing the cost of meth addiction treatment in Toronto, it’s important to factor in the type of treatment program.

Generally, meth addiction treatment in Canada is done in tranches, the usual timespan being 30 days. Therefore, most payment information come on a 30-day basis, unless otherwise specified.

Detox

This is the first and non-negotiable step of most addiction treatments. During detox, your body removes the drugs and becomes clean. It is a safe method of undergoing and then overcoming withdrawal from the drugs alcohol.

On average, you may have to spend between $250 to $800 per day to undergo detox in many centers. Generally, many things affect the cost of meth addiction detox, one of which is the level of care. Detox with medical personnel present will involve more money.

Similarly, medication to counteract painful withdrawal symptoms come at a cost. You may also expect a difference if you undergo detox as an inpatient or an outpatient. Usually, detox is factored into the total cost of inpatient treatment.

Furthermore, you may have to pay close to the higher side of the spectrum, depending on the risks involved. Higher risks involve more dangerous detox and require much closer medical monitoring. Also, if it is an emergency detox, you will have to pay more.

Outpatient treatment

Outpatient care is not for everyone. For the most part, it is dependent on the intensity of meth addiction. The less severe your meth abuse habit, the more likely you can be successfully treated as an outpatient.

Outpatient care is also more likely to be recommended if you have a supportive home environment that encourages sobriety. It also takes into account your regular schedule, disrupting it as minimally as possible.

Outpatient care still retains the hallmarks of treatment. Your provider will initiate you to programs like behavioral therapy and multilevel family therapy. To motivate you to continue putting your best at getting over the addiction, incentives may also be in play.

In outpatient care, you will have to go to the center a few times each week, and for a specified time. The programs you will be attending may be individual or grouped. If there’s a need for medication, it will be provided under the strict attention of a trained medical professional.

On balance, outpatient meth addiction rehab is relatively cheaper than the alternative. There are several free programs offering outpatient care. However, you may expect to spend between $1000 and $10000 for treatment.

You will also see many offerings of $5000 for a three-month program. The amount you pay usually determines how often you go to the center and how long the sessions last.

Intensive Outpatient Treatment

This is outpatient care with more intensity. You will be required to go to the center for more days of the week and for longer hours. You may also have to be present for more therapy sessions.

Your provider may deem this the best for you based on the severity of your addiction. It may also be based on the center, possibly the inability to accommodate a fully residential treatment.

Regardless, the cost of meth addiction treatment should be between $3000 and $12000 for a 30-day intensive outpatient treatment.

Inpatient treatment

Here, you will be fully residential in the treatment center. This mode of treatment is usually reserved for those with the most severe addiction. Hence, they require the most critical, round-the-clock care and closest assessment and supervision.

Of course, the programs they will undertake are similar to other types of care. Your addiction treatment experts will use detox, cognitive behavioral therapy, contingency management interventions and motivational incentive as necessary.

Expectedly, inpatient care is the most expensive of all addiction treatment methods. Asides from the non-stop care, the center also provides room and board. More high-end centers, like those attended by celebrities, have more amenities provided. All of these will determine the final cost of meth rehab.

The cost of meth addiction treatment in most inpatient centers ranges between $2000 and $25000. More popular and high-end centers provide luxury programs and may charge more than $25000 for the same duration. Of course, if you require a 2-month or 3-month program, your bill is anywhere between $9000 and $60000.

Partial Hospitalisation

Partial hospitalization also provides the best of both sides. You will attend the clinic during the day for an intense treatment, and you can return home after, as long as it proves a stable environment.

The cost of meth rehab with partial hospitalisation ranges between $300 to $500 per day. But, it is worth it.

Medication-assisted Treatment

When calculating the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada, it’s important to consider the price of medication. Both detox and recovery processes may require you to take some drugs to make it easier.

Complications that may arise during detox also usually require that some medicines are taken. This will all affect the price tag of your treatment.

Medications usually come into play in opiate and alcohol addiction. Also, they can run into a few thousand dollars yearly. For example, the cost of using methadone to treat heroin addiction for a year racks up to between $5000 and $7000. A naltrexone treatment, in addition to drug administration and other services, costs up to $15000 for a year.

Factors That Affect the Cost of Meth Addiction Treatment

Meth addiction treatments are usually a comprehensive process, and it involves a lot of individual components. Each of these components has a say in how much you pay to get meth addiction treatment. They include:

Inpatient vs. outpatient

This means whether you get treatment as an inpatient or an outpatient. Generally, as you will have realised, inpatient services cost considerably more than outpatient basis.

This is due to housing, feeding and non-stop monitoring that happens if you are a resident. There are also admission fees that come with inpatient treatment that will be considered.

Location

The location of the center also determines how much you pay. This is usually dependent on the standard of living in the areas. Essentially, you can expect a facility in a rural area to charge considerably less than one in an urban center.

Length of care

The standard length of treatment for addiction is 30 days. However, you may spend more time than this. The severity of your condition adds to the cost of your meth addiction treatment. It usually leads to a longer treatment time.

You may also choose to stay for longer if having a sober environment for longer will be helpful. Regardless of your reason, the longer you stay at the rehab facility, the higher your bill climbs.

Treatments offered

Addiction recovery programs vary depending on the treatments that make up the aforementioned program. If there is more medical care involved, due to withdrawal symptoms during detox, the costs rise.

Also, the scope of professional counselling provided contributes to the cost of meth addiction treatment. The more services provided, the higher you have to pay.

Amenities

Treatment facilities for addiction differ in many ways, one of which is the amenities provided. There are luxury centers that offer top of the range amenities. These amenities may be massages, tennis courts, personal rooms, and excellent chefs.

These luxury centers usually charge higher fees than regular facilities. This also factors into the amount you have to pay to get better from addiction.

Aftercare

While treatment is essential, it is equally crucial to maintain the behaviour and habits imbibed after treatment. With this, you may have to take part in multi-step recovery programs.

Another option is sober living housing, which involves taking up residence in a community focused on staying without drugs. These programs also have their particular costs and add up to the overall price of getting better.

How to Finance Meth Addiction Treatment

The cost of meth addiction treatment is generally high, and is not easy to pay out-of-pocket. This means you have to look for ways to finance your treatment.

Health Insurance

Health insurance is one of the best ways to ensure healthcare amongst the citizens of any given country. The insurance plans vary as there are prepayments, post payments, and deductibles.

Thankfully, health insurance covers the treatment of mental illnesses, including disorders caused by consuming drugs. Thus, insurance can finance the cost of meth addiction treatment in Canada.

Health insurance can come from private companies or the government. Public health insurance in Canada is open to all and sundry, including the unemployed or the self-employed citizens.

Private health insurance often serves as a substitute or even as a supplement for public health insurance. Employers offer private insurance to their employees as one of the employment benefits.

Thus, you can turn to both the applicable public or private health insurance to cover the cost of your meth addiction treatment.

Paying out-of-pocket

Even when an individual has insurance, they may have to pay for some basic things included in the cost of meth addiction treatment from his pocket.

Also, some individuals choose not to use insurance and pay the cost from their pockets. This may occur because they do not have health insurance. They also may not wish to disclose their condition to employers.

However, this will cost an employee or a person a considerable amount of money compared to using insurance. While some healthcare plans allow for cash payment, others are strictly based on insurance.

These facilities charge cash depending on how intensive the treatment is. The cost of meth addiction treatment in cash ranges from $5000 to $50000.

Due to the high cost of addiction treatment in Canada, a person who intends to pay for meth addiction treatment by cash may need financing options such as:

Personal loan
Monthly scholarships
Available individual discounts
Paying with a credit card

State-funded rehab

The state provides a means of treatment for people who cannot pay the price of meth rehab treatment or are not entitled to health insurance. This benevolence entails the cost of addiction treatment in drug and alcohol rehab facilities.

Also, these facilities offer many services such as inpatient, outpatient, detox, and support services.

The only snag with state-funded rehab is the quality of service. Usually, the quality of treatment you will get depends on the source of the funding, the state policy on meth addiction treatment, and the type of treatment program

Look Past the Cost of Meth Rehab

The cost of meth addiction treatment in all cases is worth more than living with the habit. You should always look at the big picture when considering quitting meth and getting help.

More so, there are professional addiction treatment services that offered varied financing plans to make the cost easier on your bank account. 1000 Islands Rehab Centre is one such partner. Here, we offer comprehensive treatment plans that are flexible enough to cater to your particular needs. Speak to any of our meth addiction treatment experts today!

Methamphetamine Addiction

Is Your Loved One On Crystal Meth And How Can You Help?

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date January 26, 2021
No Comments on Is Your Loved One On Crystal Meth And How Can You Help?

Are you wondering how to help a loved one on crystal meth? You may find it particularly disturbing to resort to such. However, if your loved one is caught within the tendrils of crystal meth, you have to do something to help.

Many experts have revealed that helping anyone get out of drug addiction requires deliberate and systematic steps. It also involves getting all the information you can and then applying it directly.

That is what we are here to help you with. In this article, we will dig deep into what makes crystal meth special as a drug of addiction. We will then uncover ways you can help a loved one deal with crystal meth abuse, including interventions and rehab programs. Let’s get started.

What Is Crystal Meth And Why Is It So Unique?

Methamphetamine is otherwise referred to as crystal meth, meth, blue, or ice. It is a highly addictive chemically produced drug that releases dopamine into the human brain. This stimulant appears as a white coloured powder with no taste and dissolves rapidly in water and alcohol.

Dopamine is a chemical released when a person is doing something they love or enjoy. For example, singing your best song, watching your favourite television show, being with someone you love, eating your favourite meal, and so on.

When you take crystal meth, it releases ten to twelve times the normal amount of dopamine in the brain. You may wonder how a person will feel if they have ten times the usual amount of dopamine in their brain. The saying “I feel on top of the world”, is in no way close to describing how meth addicts feel.

Now, you will understand why meth is described as an extremely scary drug. Except in special circumstances, the immense pleasure derivable from meth will most likely make a person ask for more. It is termed to be a “once and forever” drug because it takes professional intervention to help a loved one on crystal meth.

Interestingly, meth is not a natural drug. It is derived from the combination of many other drugs and items. You can purchase the ingredients from a drug store and cook them together to produce meth. Producing meth leads to a very toxic product consumed by sniffing, snorting, or injecting.

Compared to other street drugs, meth has many “benefits” that make it highly consumable. For one, meth is cheap and easy to access. A meth addict can easily go into the production of meth and even start selling it. Of course, this will only help an addict ingrain the habit and even make fast money through it.

This illegal drug originated from the parent drug amphetamine in the early 20th century. The parent drug was originally dispensed for nasal decongestant and bronchial inhaling. However, meth is different from amphetamine in that it is stronger and has a more long-lasting effect on the brain.

Related Article: What is Meth Addiction?

Understanding Why Your Loved One is on crystal meth

Drugs are generally used as a way to escape negative feelings. Your loved one may have undergone some traumatic event that they cannot deal with properly. While this is no excuse to turn to drugs, it might help you understand your loved ones’ state of mind.

Crystal meth use is very common. In fact, according to the NCBI, it is the second most widely used illicit drug after marijuana. This fact implies it is easy to find and also particularly enjoyable to consume. So when you wonder why your loved one has taken solace in crystal meth, this may just be the reason.

Understanding how they got into it will better help you know how to approach them on the subject. Regardless, a general rule for handling a case of addiction is to throw all judgment away. In the subsequent sections, we will discuss how you can do that.

Signs of Meth Addiction

Usually, if you’re considering that someone you love is using crystal meth, it’s because you have noticed a couple of things. Signs of meth addiction range from physical signs to behavioural signs. Like any other addictive drug, crystal meth harms the body and mind of an addict.

Visible physical signs include:

An untidy and unkempt look
Dilated pupils with rapid eye movements
Profuse sweating
Erratic or twitchy body movements
High body temperature
Dental issues like tooth decay (peculiar to meth users)
Facial twitching
Talking too constantly and rapidly
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Frequent itching of the body
Obsessively picking at the hair and skin
Lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping patterns
Sores on the face and skin
Intense headache

These signs may result from the use and abuse of other drugs, although their likelihood of them surfacing from using crystal meth is very high. They may also be due to other genuine underlying medical conditions.

While you may use these signs to suspect your loved ones of meth use, you should be careful. If they feel accused and wrongly at that, they may feel alienated. This then makes it even more difficult to get them help.

Psychological or behavioural signs are also crucial when considering if someone you love is using crystal meth. You will likely see a strong turn in a person’s behavioural pattern once they start using crystal meth. These signs include:

Anxiety, nervousness, irritable behaviour, and disability
Unpredictable aggression and violence
Anger or mood swings
Hallucination: Seeing, hearing, or believing in things that are aren’t there
Hyperactivity, higher energy, and restlessness
Psychotic behaviour, stress, and bipolar disorder

Whenever someone using meth becomes sober temporarily, he or she will experience symptoms such as:

Extreme fatigue
Uncontrollable and intense depression
Extreme irritability and instability

Consequences of Not Helping a Person on Crystal Meth

You must take steps to help a person with a meth addiction immediately you notice it. Meth is a particularly powerful drug. It has significant effects on the brain because it reshapes the structure of its user’s brain.

Experts have spoken of how crystal meth has the most significant effects on the brain than other illicit drugs. It markedly reduces the number of neurotransmitters in the brain.

This eventually manifests as problems with impulse control as well as focus. Beyond the physical and mental effects, the drug consequently affects social behaviour.

It is not uncommon for meth addicts to be unable to hold down their jobs. This gets compounded since they are compelled to use all their finances to get another fix. There is also potential legal trouble since meth use in Canada is illegal.

If your loved one is caught up in all of these, they may find themselves in a lot of trouble. Generally, the earlier you tackle the problem, the easier it is to solve it. So you should put out all the stops to find them all the meth addiction treatment they need.

How To Help A Loved One On Crystal Meth

Once you have identified your loved one’s problem, the next step is to provide help and support. However, if you do not know how to help them, your efforts may be more harmful than helpful to your loved one.

Research and learn about crystal meth

You cannot offer help to your loved one without knowing enough about their problem. Thus, the foremost step is to learn about crystal meth addiction. This will give a better insight into what your loved one is dealing with, how the person feels, and the reasons for the addiction.

Having gained an understanding of the problem, the next step is the solution. This entails knowing how to help a loved one on crystal meth during, before and after their treatment. On a personal note, this will help you know how much of your time, energy, and care the loved one will need.

Furthermore, discovering that someone you love is using crystal meth can be mentally draining and physically exhausting. The learning process will give you enough time to calm down and recover from your own pain to help the recovering addict.

Work with professionals

You will agree that getting the help of a professional in any task you embark upon can, in many ways, make things easier. The same goes for issues with crystal meth addiction. Talking to a professional is a very important step in helping a loved one on crystal meth.

Aside from the knowledge that can be easily acquired online, talking to a professional can help to get tailored solutions to your loved one. From experience, a professional can dissect the reasons and processes that led your loved one into becoming an addict. From this, you will get specific advice on how to help your loved one on crystal meth.

Also, as mentioned above, crystal meth addicts are prone to violence and aggression. Thus, be it a therapist, psychologist, psychologist, or interventionist, it is essential to speak to someone. This professional will give first-hand tips on how, when, and where to address the addict. It will protect the family and friends of the addict from any harm that can be indirectly caused by the addict.

Most importantly, a professional is a better person to teach you how to persuade the loved one on crystal meth to seek help. Once that is done, a huge part of the problem has been solved.

Talk with compassion — avoid confrontation

Talking to an addict about their addiction is a crucial and delicate step. To an addict, this seems like a form of attack or show of displeasure in their way of life. You have to tread softly, so the efforts don’t go south. A crystal meth addict can easily resort to violence and even severe ties with the persons confronting them.

Consequently, certain tips must be strictly adhered to when talking to a loved one on crystal meth. For one, don’t speak to a crystal meth addict whenever they are high on the drug.

As established, no one is in their right senses after using crystal meth. Thus, that is the worst time to speak to them. Target a time when the drug would have worn off and use that opportunity to address the person.

Also, avoid being confrontational in any way while trying to help a loved one on crystal meth. Confrontations usually lead people to become defensive and divulge little or no information. Speak to your loved one in the kindest possible way. Help them feel safe and comfortable talking to you.

You can achieve this by talking about something completely different for a start. Talk about their favourite television show, songs, food, so they can feel very comfortable.

You can also have discussions around the good memories that were created before they ventured into using meth. This will help them remember what their life looked like before the addiction.

Once this is done, you can proceed to tell them all you’ve noticed in the nicest possible way. Tell them how much you are bothered about them and the signs of meth addiction you’ve noticed. Talk about the particular things you’ve noticed, and remember to reiterate how much you care.

Remember that you are not expecting a response. You are simply trying to remind them of the person they were before the addiction. So, do not push the conversation for too long till a crystal meth addict becomes uncomfortable.

Be Patient and non-judgmental

Remember that it took more than just one sniff or consumption to become an addict. Yes, it starts with a trial, but addiction only happens after several instances of abuse. This is the same way just one conversation cannot change a crystal meth addict.

You must exercise patience while helping a loved one using crystal meth. Give enough intervals between discussions with an addict about their addiction and remain kind. Know that it will take some time before they can open up to you about it.

A crystal meth addict may exercise different emotions while talking to you about it. They may display anger, denial, or aggression. They may also pass a few remarks or grudgingly say a few words.

Whichever response your loved one displays, be patient, and don’t be judgmental. Helping a loved one out of crystal meth addiction requires lots of patience, which you must exercise.

Pay Enough Attention and Listen

Addictions generally occur when the addict is at their lowest and needs something to feel better. Often, knowing what led a person into the addiction can be enough of a trigger to snap them out of it. You have to pay attention to your loved one and listen to every word carefully to figure this out.

A loved one using crystal meth may not easily disclose the reasons behind their addiction or unwillingness to stop. But if you pay enough attention while showing you are willing to listen, the chances of an addict opening up increases.

Once a crystal meth addict starts to talk, you must listen. You must listen attentively and not interrupt them while talking. You should neither invalidate their feelings nor give unsolicited advice. Make eye contact and give genuine smiles to keep them talking. By listening, you will better understand your loved one’s special circumstances and how to help.

Self-care

It is important for a recovering meth addict to learn the importance of getting help with crystal meth addiction. This may not happen immediately because it usually takes a while before a meth addict can realize that something is wrong.

The process of recovering is what brings a meth addict to sobriety. But remaining sober is up to the person. It is a universal truth that no one can love someone more than oneself.

This saying comes to play here as no one can care for the addict as much as they can. A recovering addict should be interested in learning ways to deal with crystal meth abuse.

A recovering meth addict should be ready to put in all the work necessary to heal and recover completely. This requires discipline, perseverance, and self-care. This may mean losing relationships with friends or peers that introduced the person to the habit. It may help to change the environment, live with supportive persons, or join a support group.

In the process of recovering, your loved one can make a lot of progress through listening to the stories of persons who have had similar experiences. A support group offers that opportunity to a recovering addict. Here, a recovering addict feels safe enough to share their struggles, listen to others, and be more inspired to recover.

Thus, no matter how much you wish to help a loved one on crystal meth, this cannot happen without the person’s cooperation. Teaching them to see the need to fight this addiction will go a long way in dealing with crystal meth abuse.

Conducting a crystal meth addiction intervention

An intervention is a vital step in helping a meth addict. Because of how sensitive addicts are, you should make sure you have a professional on hand during the intervention.

You can expect to be in the intervention for many hours. So, you should make plans for a conducive setting. You must also properly consider the timing of the event.

If you can manage, get the family and loved ones together and hold a rehearsal. It may seem trivial, but emotions usually run high at interventions. This makes it easy to get off course.

With a rehearsal, everyone prepares what they will say and how they will say it. So the intervention becomes more effective.

It is also crucial to manage your expectations. You should not imagine a big change right after your intervention. It is even much safer to expect some resistance from your loved one. But you must be ready to try again until you are successful.

Related Article: How To Stop Meth Addiction

Treatment Options for Meth Addiction

We cannot discuss how to help a loved one on crystal meth without considering possible treatment options. Most effective options for treatment involve behavioural therapies.

A hybrid treatment exists, which encompasses individual counselling, family support, and behavioural therapy to counteract the addiction.

You may not see many drugs in use as a treatment. This is because there are no known drugs that can directly oppose methamphetamine or prolong abstinence. However, your loved one may be given drugs to help with the side effects of the drug.

Your Loved One Is Getting Treatment: What Next?

No guide on how to help a loved one on crystal meth goes on without emphasizing support. That is the most important thing in the whole spectrum, from talking to them to getting them into treatment.

Your loved one with an addiction needs to know you are there for them wholeheartedly. This doesn’t stop even after they have agreed to go for treatment.

You may offer to take them to their therapy session if they are on an outpatient basis. If they have to be in the rehab center to get better, you should make frequent visits and always reassure them.

Many recovery programs incorporate family and friends because of their importance in rehabilitating a crystal meth addict. You can take advantage of such arrangements to prove to your loved one that you support them.

However, as much as you provide support to your loved one, you should remember to take care of yourself. Dealing with someone with an addiction has its highs and lows.

So while you are providing support, take breaks as often as necessary. This is to make sure you are in the best position to be the best help to them.

Final Take

There is no doubt that recovery from crystal meth addiction is possible. All you need to know is how to help your loved one with the addiction. You must also psych yourself up and be determined to get them out of the habit.

If you are ready to begin your loved one’s recovery, you should check out our addiction treatment services. Here at 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre, we have an array of experts who will work round the clock to help get your loved one back into shape and live a drug-free life. Contact us today!

Methamphetamine Addiction

How Crystal Meth Ruins Your Life Unless You Seek Help

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date January 21, 2021
No Comments on How Crystal Meth Ruins Your Life Unless You Seek Help

There is no need to wonder how crystal meth addiction can ruin your life. There are many examples of it around, from entertainment celebrities to sports stars. You may also have seen a loved one coworker go down the dumps due to drug addiction.

While this is not to scare you, it reminds you that drug addiction is dangerous. But luckily, there are now new ways to get the better of it.

There are quickly evolving measures to help reduce the effects of crystal meth abuse. There are also new and effective treatment options available to you.

With this interesting read, we will show you the negative effects of meth addiction on your life. More importantly, we will provide a roadmap that can help you get freedom from crystal meth abuse.

Facts About Crystal Meth

Methamphetamine is the chemical name for the highly addictive and potent drug called crystal meth. Methamphetamine has several slang names, like crystal meth, meth, blue, and ice, amongst many others.

Meth often appears in the form of a crystalline white coloured powder and sometimes in chunks resembling ice. Over time, it has been observed to appear in other colours, including pink, yellowish gray, brown or orange. Crystal meth can equally be condensed and produced to appear in the form of a pill.

Crystal meth has a relatively strong odour. It is often perceived to have the smell of paint. At other times, it is a combination of many chemicals that gives the effect of the commonly known “hospital smell.” It can equally give the smell of ammonia or vinegar. Smoking crystal meth can reduce the effect and give a rather subtle odour.

How does crystal meth work?

Crystal meth, as a psychostimulant, releases dopamine into the human brain while giving no room for inhibitors. Crystal meth is not naturally produced as it is derived from the combination of several drugs and items.

These items can be purchased from a drug store and cooked together to produce meth. Methamphetamine addiction usually occurs by sniffing, snorting, injecting, swallowing or ingesting orally.

Crystal meth is also consumed by smoking directly through a glass pipe. These methods of administering crystal meth give it quick contact with the brain and bloodstream.

The chemical released by the brain after Amphetamine use is called dopamine. Usually, it occurs naturally when a person engages in a hobby or something they love. This chemical makes a person feel good about whatever they are doing.

However, when you use meth, your body goes above and beyond when releasing dopamine into the human body. Compared to the natural occurrence, crystal meth spurs the release of ten to twelve times more dopamine than normal. This drug leaves an immensely pleasurable feeling that occurs immediately and lasts 15 to 20 minutes.

It also explains how crystal meth can easily ruin your life as just a few intakes can keep you addicted to it “forever.” Meth has been described as an extremely scary drug as it often takes the intervention of a professional to keep it from ruining your life.

Origins of crystal meth

Despite the difficulty producing at that time, methamphetamine was first developed in Germany in the year 1887. A Japanese chemist reduced the major ingredient in methamphetamine called ephedrine in the process of crystallization. This produced a crystallized form that birthed crystal meth.

This stimulant was used in World War II by both sides to keep their soldiers awake. Many doses of the stimulants were prescribed to Kamikaze pilots before their mission.

However, it did not stop at that. The demand for crystal meth increased beyond the war. Such demand even rose after it had been banned in the United States in the year 1970.

The crystal meth consumed today came into existence in the 1980s. People on the streets started taking to laboratories or their houses for production.

This was done with white rocks or bluish crystals, adding twice the amount of ephedrine to make it more potent. Access to ephedrine and pseudoephedrine was easy at the time. They were found in many legalized drugs that can be purchased over the counter, like cough medicine.

Methamphetamine is a stimulant that has been legalized for use in medicine today. This is only to treat obesity or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Plus, it is available only on prescription by doctors.

Prevalence of crystal meth abuse

There are generally different reasons to be motivated to use crystal meth. For instance, anyone sinking into depression can easily use crystal meth because of its ability to enhance mood. You may also be attracted to the drug because of the increased libido and the sexual pleasure that comes with it.

Crystal meth is highly consumed in every part of the world. About half a million Americans used crystal meth every week. Interestingly, statistics from the NCBI show that an average of 12.3 million Americans claim they have consumed crystal meth at one point or the other.

Comparison with other kinds of drugs

Meth, unlike many other drugs, is cheap and easy to access. This also gives room for ease of production by an addict who is interested in producing the drug. Many times, meth addicts who go into production also become dealers.

Also, unlike many other drugs derived from natural plants like tobacco, crystal meth is relatively artificial. It is cooked with a mixture of several chemicals, which makes the effects of crystal meth stronger than most other drugs.

Signs that crystal meth is ruining someone’s life

The ways in which crystal meth will ruin your life is not subtle. It becomes easily apparent when a person is on the drug.

This is because certain physical and behavioural signs will be visible to people around a crystal meth addict. Visible physical signs include:

An untidy and unkempt look
Dilated pupils with rapid eye movements
Profuse sweating
Erratic or twitchy body movements
High body temperature
Dental issues like tooth decay (peculiar to meth users)
Facial twitching
Talking too constantly and rapidly
Loss of appetite and weight loss
Frequent itching of the body
Obsessively picking at the hair and skin
Lack of sleep and inconsistent sleeping patterns
Sores on the face and skin
Intense headache

While these physical signs may be the product of other health issues, the probability of these signs surfacing in a crystal meth addict’s life is very high.

Psychological or behavioural signs are also very important when considering how crystal meth can ruin your life. You will likely see a strong turn in a person’s behavioural pattern once they start using crystal meth. These signs include:

Anxiety, nervousness, irritable behaviour, and disability
Unpredictable aggression and violence
Anger or mood swings
Hallucination: Seeing, hearing, or believing in things aren’t there
Hyperactivity, higher energy, and restlessness
Psychotic behaviour, stress, and bipolar disorder

How Crystal Meth Can Ruin Your Life

The effects of using crystal meth are so grave that it can, in many ways, ruin the life of any person using it. There is no positive consequence accompanying the use of crystal meth.

There are immediate damages to the brain, body, skin while there are long term effects. If a meth addict is not careful, the use of crystal meth could lead to death.

Short term

Instant addiction: One of the most immediate effects of crystal meth is its ability to cause an instant addiction. As a result of the potency of the drug, just a few doses are needed to ask for more continually
Financial problems: Except for a person dealing in crystal meth, anyone consuming crystal meth will soon find him or herself in a state of bankruptcy. This is because of the financial impact that accompanies the regular high consumption of crystal meth.

Even for a dealer, the impaired judgement that comes with meth use leaves little space for good financial decisions. Before long, you may be without a home and food to eat.

Effect on personal relationships: A crystal meth addict will begin to show signs of withdrawing from those around. As time goes on, most personal relationships will be destroyed, leaving the person in a state of loneliness.

Meth abusers are generally violent, a behaviour unacceptable to loved ones. It may also get so bad as to lead them to untoward acts like child abuse and infidelity. This easily leaves such an addict quickly estranged from family and friends.

Sexual dysfunction: Though users of crystal meth claim to have a heightened and pleasurable experience while having sex, this is short-lived. A crystal meth addict is prone to experiencing sexual dysfunction.

Also, some studies have linked crystal meth use to impotence. This makes the drug of no benefit to anyone sexually.

Outward appearance: A person using crystal meth begins to care less about the kinds of clothes to put on and how to appear in public generally. People easily shun them as they generally look repulsive.

Meth users also tend to hallucinate meth mites. They constantly feel like insects are crawling on them. This leads them to scratch a lot, developing sores and scabs on their body. In the end, this only adds to the repulsion.

Loss of weight: Anyone on crystal meth consumes less food as time goes on because they have virtually no appetite for food. This leads to loss of weight, a skinny body and a weak immune system.

Long term

Effects on the Brain: Crystal meth has an instantaneous effect of releasing a lot more dopamine into the human brain than normal. However, this is the least of it all.

Crystal meth can ruin the life of an addict by subjecting him to brain damages. Diseases like dementia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and so on easily come on.

It can also lead to a major restructuring of the brain that affects a person’s emotional and cognitive behaviour. Long term use can equally destroy a person’s brain’s nerve terminals and white matter.

Effect on the body and skin: Ways by which crystal meth can ruin your life includes long term destruction on the skin. Crystal meth addicts can begin to look older and have sores over the body, possibly leading to infections.

Many times, they lose the elasticity of their skin, making it look haggard. This can also lead to the development of illnesses like fibrosis, fatty liver disease, coronary artery atherosclerosis, etc.

Effect on mental health: People using crystal meth experience mental health issues after the doses taken have worn off. This can lead to depression out of loneliness, inability to experience joy in their lives or other psychological problems.

This may be as a result of frustration, irritability, paranoia, nervousness and mood swings. Crystal meth usage can also lead to anxiety. This anxiety usually comes as a result of crystal meth intoxication and subsequent withdrawal.

Severe health implications: Using crystal meth can lead to severe health implications like high blood pressure, increased body temperature, failure of the heart, diarrhea, constant headache and migraine, insomnia and so on.
Legal trouble: Crystal meth is an illegal drug that has been banned in most parts of the world. Thus, anyone on crystal meth risks ruining their life by being caught by the authorities and possibly thrown into jail.
Prone to Sexually Transmitted Diseases: Crystal meth addicts are more likely to engage in risky sexual behaviour. Of course, it means their chances of catching a sexually transmitted disease increases.
Effect on dental health: Anyone using crystal meth is easily prone to tooth decay, gum disease, toothache, and so on. The condition is called “meth mouth” and is very specific to meth addicts. It may lead to losing teeth and destruction of the dental system in gravest cases.
Methamphetamine psychosis: Chronic usage of crystal meth can easily ruin the life of an addict by leading to psychotic episodes like schizophrenia.

Seeking Help For Meth Addiction

Many addicts don’t seek help until too late. The reason for this usually comes down to 3.

Denial: You may have been denying that you have a problem. Many times, drug use starts because of some other problem, a failed relationship for example.

By turning to drugs, you may get relief. However, you will not notice when the drugs begin to contribute and worsen the problem.

It becomes dangerous when you are unable to identify the impact of the drugs. Of course, since you don’t think it is a problem, you will not seek help for it.

Shame: You may have realized the problem. But you don’t seek help because of the stigma attached to addiction. You do not want to be labelled an addict.

If the shame gets too much, you may feel like you do not deserve any help. This then makes it difficult for you to ask for help.

Fear: There may also be a fear of what happens if you seek help. Rehab isn’t usually a pleasant experience and detoxing often comes with a lot of discomfort.

The fear of going through this may hold you back from seeking help. Furthermore, you may not want to relive some past painful experiences through therapy.

In contrast, you may have gone to rehab before and relapsed. All these add up to make you so scared to want to commit again.

Now that you have no doubts about how crystal meth can ruin your life, you should only do one thing. Seek help. You may not be as aware, but it is possible to make a full turnaround from your addiction.

It often seems like a myth. It may feel like one, too, with how hard your body craves the drug. But research reports are proving that recovery from addiction is possible. With expert methamphetamine addiction treatment, you increase the chances of making a full turnaround.

If you want to get better, it starts with you.

You must be convinced of how crystal meth has ruined your life, or at least almost has. In your non-high state, think back to how you were before you started.

Evaluate your relationships with your loved ones. Examine your productivity and work and your finances. Check how healthy you are.

If you can spot an obvious difference, which will likely be there, then your addiction is well on its way to affecting your life. So, you have to make a conscious choice to get better, as no one can be as convinced for you.

Believe that you can actively get better. You may read about your condition to learn more about it. Learn about what drove you there. Also, when you read reports of studies done to evaluate success rates, it may help you feel more confident.

Even while reading about such, you may not think it can happen to you. With that, you need to shore up confidence. The best way to do that is to go in to see a professional.

Addiction is generally serious business. This means you cannot do it alone. One of the first steps in how to seek help for crystal meth abuse is to get your loved ones involved.

The most likely thing is that your loved ones will have noticed the changes in you. So don’t be surprised when they react more calmly than you expect. But also be sure of their love for you and their wish for you to get better.

As your addiction counsellor may tell you, going through recovery is not usually an easy process. The stronger the addiction, the more difficult the recovery. This is why it is better to seek help as early as you can.

With this, you need to have a strong commitment to it. During recovery, you may have a strong urge to want to use again. You may even relapse. Recovery is usually a life-long journey, so you should not get discouraged. As long as you keep recommitting to it, you will get better.

Recovering From A Meth Addiction: Available options

One of the ways crystal meth can ruin your life is to leave you with a mental illness. This is apart from the regular bad effects of the drug. If you have a pre-existing mental illness, crystal meth abuse can make it significantly worse.

Because there is both a substance abuse disorder and possible mental involvement, the treatment options for meth addiction in Canada are different. A comprehensive treatment plan will include a mental assessment and treatment for it.

The options available to you are listed here.

Medical Detox

This is usually the first step when seeking treatment. It involves cleaning out the crystal meth of your body. The long-term use of the drug will have made your body dependent on it. So your professional will want to get the drugs cleared out.

Medical detox isn’t usually an easy process. Very likely, you will develop withdrawal symptoms, which are generally unpleasant. You may go through it, whether as an inpatient or an outpatient.

However, it is essential to have medical personnel present. It also leads to better success rates. Furthermore, having a professional around will make detoxing easier. They can prescribe medications to help your body adapt better without meth,

Counselling

This is often the next step after detoxing. Counsellors can help you understand the reasons why you got into the habit. They also make clearer how crystal meth can ruin your life if you continue to indulge.

Cognitive behavioural therapy

The focus of this method is to modify your behaviour to help you recognize your meth abuse triggers. With it, you realize how you react to certain things, making you resort to drugs. You are then able to leave such behaviour, and consequently, become and stay healthy.

This method of cognitive behavioural therapy is one of the most effective methods available. With it, you can rest assured that you are well on your road to recovery.

The Matrix Model

Another method that may be used is the Matrix Model. This model is a 4-month long treatment that uses behavioural therapy while involving your family by educating them properly.

It is usually a 12-step process that includes frequent drug testing. You are also encouraged to engage in activities unrelated to drug use.

Contingency Management Intervention

This is also another of the available options for treatment. It involves using incentives to encourage an addict to get treatment and continue staying away from drugs.

It is usually not used alone. You will expect to continue undergoing therapy. All these come together to help prevent crystal meth from ruining your life.

Get Freedom From Crystal Meth

Since you have read to this point, you know how crystal meth can ruin your life. But it is not all doom and gloom. You can get better and recover completely. The sooner you seek help for your addiction, the better your chances.

Our meth addiction treatment services are top-notch. We have a long line of experienced professionals who have helped many to recover.

More importantly, we can design custom meth addiction treatment programs to fit your unique needs. Contact us today to get started!

Cocaine Addiction

Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal On Your Own

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date January 8, 2021
No Comments on Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal On Your Own

The truth is, cocaine detox can occur in several settings. It can happen at home or in a professional medical detox spa. While it may be tempting to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, it may be risky to do it alone. In fact, in most cases, this simple act can be disastrous or even deadly.

Usually, the cocaine withdrawal process may not be physically painful; however, it often comes with preset challenges. Addiction to any drug, including cocaine, will get your system overly dependent on the drug’s effects. As your body tries to adjust to living without it, you’ll experience several different mental and physical effects.

The process where your body decides to adapt to proper functioning without cocaine is known as withdrawal. Your body begins the withdrawal process once there is no more intake substance. Typically, the timeline for cocaine withdrawal starts from a few hours after the last dose.

People who undergo cocaine detox and withdrawal may usually experience a more painful process and dangerous side effects. Most times, you may exhibit an intense slew of psychological and physical side effects. In the same vein, you will have to deal with the cravings that come with this period. So, if you attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, there’s a high chance of going back to using the substance again.

This is because you’re in your comfort zone with no supervision from a medical professional. As a result, you will find it easy to relapse in a bid to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Furthermore, people with accessory substance abuse disorders may start using other substances while trying to quit cocaine.

Additionally, most people may even abuse alcohol to reduce some of the withdrawal symptoms and side-effects. However, if you attempt to quit cocaine in a medical detox facility, these risks are significantly reduced.

This and many more are the reasons why you should not undergo cocaine withdrawal at home. That is the crux of our discussion in this blog. Here, we will discuss why self cocaine withdrawal is not safe. To further buttress home the point, we will also explore the dangers of self-detox at home.

What is Cocaine Withdrawal?

Generally, withdrawal from cocaine is a condition that starts the moment your drug-dependence ends or reduces drastically. You see, physical dependence increases as your body adapts to the cocaine in your system.

Through this adaptation, your brain will start asking for cocaine to function well and feel normal again. The moment it doesn’t get the substance at the desired level, withdrawal symptoms will commence.

So, cocaine withdrawal is simply a condition describing when a patient stops the use of the substance. At this stage, the production of dopamine often occurs in your brain due to the presence of cocaine. As a result, without cocaine, you will find it difficult to produce this feel-good hormone. This has a spiral effect that manifests in the form of different physical symptoms.

In general, withdrawal from cocaine isn’t as critical as that of alcohol or other drugs. Some substances cause perhaps more deadly effects during the withdrawal and detox process. As a result, we can say that cocaine withdrawal symptoms aren’t life-threatening.

However, physical health difficulties may show up if you used to abuse cocaine along with alcohol. Withdrawal after such a lifestyle may pose a risk to your heart. In some cases, it’s possible to experience seizures during cocaine withdrawal.

If alcohol isn’t a factor, you may develop some depression symptoms like low motivation, energy, or moods during cocaine withdrawal. In rare cases, people may suffer from suicidal ideations during cocaine withdrawal. These are the reasons why addicts going through cocaine withdrawal require support and monitoring during detox. Nearly half of the people who use cocaine suffer from depression. As a result, this side effect may become intense during withdrawal.

Why You Should Not Attempt Cocaine Withdrawal on Your Own

Lately, at-home cocaine withdrawal has been championed as a normal concept. Perhaps, this is due to the slight misrepresentation of the detox process in today’s media.

Detox is arguably one of the most popular topics in our society today. In fact, with all the daily adverts online, prints, and television, you may think detoxing is an easy-peasy process with no side-effects. This rampant notion is both wrong and misleading.

Firstly, the variety of detox products available in the market makes it seem like any form of detox is perfectly okay. However, the reverse is the case when it comes to real-life. For each person, the detox process is different. It is not like going on pills, liquid-formula or other regimen designed to remove the food toxins in the body.

You don’t just want to do a colon cleanse or a DIY procedure to drop excess water or body weight. It’s better for anyone who wants to be free of substance dependence to pursue detoxification through a professional detox facility. There, you’ll get quality detox procedures and 24/7 supervision by medical experts.

Why Self Cocaine Withdrawal is Not Safe

Several detox needs can only be addressed entirely under the care of medical professionals. This is the major reason why you should not attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own. A medical-grade level of supervision and support is crucial if you’re trying to avoid the adverse effects of cocaine withdrawal. As mentioned, relapse is likely, and it can result in overdose and death.

You may not be ready to face the intensity of the symptoms, which can extend into both mental and physical health. Beyond vomiting and nausea, withdrawal can trigger potentially life-threatening conditions, such as seizures, delirium tremens, and cardiovascular problems.

For instance, as many as 30% of people detoxing without sedatives will have a grand mal seizure. Also, there is no way to predict who will experience this side effect. This is because the human body reacts to external substances differently. For you, the cocaine withdrawal process may have been an easy ride. But for others, it may be far more difficult.

Trying to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own without proper treatment can also negatively affect your mental health, resulting in:

Irritability and anger
Hopelessness
Hallucinations
Suicidal thoughts and depression
Paranoia and delusional thinking
Anxiety

Some of these psychological health symptoms can be so severe that it may threaten you. Sometimes, it can cause potential harm to you or the people around you. This another factor that makes the DIY cocaine withdrawal method very problematic.

Again, the withdrawal symptoms depend on the severity of cocaine usage, as well as your mental and physical health. This is why it is crucial to get a professional evaluation before you attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

What to Expect During Cocaine Withdrawal

When you get high on cocaine, you’ll experience a feeling of euphoria and a boost in your mood. These feelings are created by norepinephrine and dopamine.

At this point, the cocaine will make your brain produce these chemicals in abundance. As addiction goes on, your body adapts to the new development and waits to get cocaine before producing these hormones every time. So, once you quit, your body will experience low energy, motivation, well-being, and low mood. This is known as a crash.

Since the brain is not receiving the cocaine as usual again, it tends to “cause havoc”. Hence, you may experience the following:

Anxiety
Intense cravings
Sleepiness
Irritability
Anhedonia etc.

Sometimes, you may become paranoid or suspicious during a crash. You may even suffer from depression or suicidal thoughts. All these are common cocaine withdrawal symptoms during this phase of cocaine withdrawal. However, long-term cocaine users are often at a higher risk of experiencing more severe symptoms.

These symptoms are why you should always go with professional cocaine detox and rehab services.

What Are Cocaine Withdrawal Symptoms?

Ultimately, we all have different experiences with drug withdrawal, including cocaine. However, some general symptoms are common with the withdrawal experience.

Here are some of them:

Fatigue

Tiredness or feeling very weak is a common symptom of cocaine withdrawal. Generally, you may feel exhausted naturally after the intoxicating effects of cocaine. Another factor that comes into play is your activities during the time you’re high on cocaine.

Cocaine can disguise the discomfort you often feel during hyperactive moments. However, this usually worsens the feelings of fatigue as the cocaine effects wear off.

Mood Swings

One of the most common symptoms of cocaine withdrawal is mood swings. This second, you’re feeling happy. The next moment, you’re sad and feeling angry unnecessarily. Also, some common symptoms of mood changes include:

Anxiety
Depression
Sensitivity

Even though these feelings are usually intense during withdrawal, they often stop once you pass the withdrawal stage.

Cravings

Most individuals withdrawing from cocaine often experience a strong urge to take more cocaine. If you feel this way, it means you’re experiencing cocaine cravings.

Also, cravings are stimulated by the desire to subdue cocaine withdrawal symptoms. Besides that, it’s also driven by the urge to experience cocaine’s high pleasure again.

These cravings can be intense. In fact, they are a big part of why you should not attempt cocaine withdrawal at home. Without professional monitoring, it will be easy to succumb to your cravings.

Problems With Sleep

One of the difficulties you-) experience during the cocaine withdrawal process is sleeping problems. Despite the fatigue, cocaine withdrawal usually causes sleep problems. Some of the issues you may experience with difficult sleep include:

Insomnia, i.e. having difficulty staying asleep or sleeping at all.
Hypersomnia, i.e. having too much sleep.

How Long Does Cocaine Withdrawal Take?

How long cocaine withdrawal takes vary depending on the individual’s:

Body chemistry
Tolerance level
Severity of addiction
The duration of the addiction.

Although intense, the effects of withdrawal aren’t permanent. The primary phase (crash) of cocaine withdrawal, can differ in intensity and time. Also, it can last from 24 hours to days.

However, like other drugs, cocaine cravings may persist for longer periods. Also, it can still come even after attaining sobriety. Notably, cocaine possesses nearly a short half-life, and cocaine withdrawal symptoms can start as early as 90 minutes after the last dose.

Typically, the cocaine withdrawal process can stretch for a long time. For some, it may only be a few weeks, while for others, it can go on for months. This timeline for cocaine withdrawal is divided into three stages:

Initial Phase

This is a very delicate phase. The time frame in this stage is a maximum of a couple of days. During this period, you may be suffering from intense cravings, weakness, pains and aches. This is one of the reasons why it’s not safe to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

With DIY cocaine withdrawal, you will be short of help, supervision or support. The situation gets worse when you live alone or around people with little knowledge about addiction

Second Phase

At this stage, you’ll feel more relaxed than in the first stage. This stage of addiction withdrawal can last for as many as ten weeks. However, the cravings that come with this phase can also be very intense, just as the body’s general weakness.

Final Phase

Also known as the extinction phase, this final phase is a phase of increased vulnerability. The risk of relapse is high at this stage, especially when there is an exposure to triggers. At this stage, you need more support to keep going on.

However, most of these support systems are available at a professional cocaine detox facility. So, if you’re trying to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own, then think about the challenges ahead.

Benefits of Choosing Medical Detox for Cocaine Withdrawal

Medical detox can help you safely withdraw from substances with minimal risk of complications. Symptoms like dehydration, increased blood pressure, and seizures can all be life-threatening if the withdrawal occurs outside of a controlled medical environment.

Medical cocaine detox allows you to recover from drug dependence while receiving medical care and supervision. Sometimes, it involves using medication that can relieve and reduce symptoms.

There are several benefits to choosing a medical detox program over attempting cocaine withdrawal on your own. Each one contributes to your sobriety goal and the eventual possibility of quitting cocaine forever.

Here are a few benefits of choosing a medical detox:

It Prevents Relapse

Relapse is a general concern among people recovering from addiction. Not only can it trigger medical and mental health problems. It can also lead to a cocaine overdose.

Going back to what you’ve stopped using, in this case — cocaine, can be risky. Most especially at a time when your body is vulnerable due to detox. In most cases, it can translate into potentially fatal medical problems.

Family Support

One of the topmost benefits of choosing a medical detox is “family support”. Well, it’s no news that getting positive support from loved ones — family and friends during recovery helps boost sobriety. It gives you the necessary positive mindset to stay focused and avoid situations that can trigger a relapse.

Also, your family or loved ones will benefit from the support of a professional detox program. They will learn what to do, what not to do, and how to be your stable support system during cocaine withdrawal. They can also learn about the nature of the addiction, what to expect, how the detox and recovery process works, etc.

Medical Stabilization

When you stop depending on cocaine or crack, usually, you will experience several withdrawal symptoms. In most cases, these withdrawal symptoms can be more difficult if you have underlying mental or physical health conditions. Also, severe and life-threatening acute life-threatening issues that require immediate medical attention may develop.

A professional medical detox program will be able to provide this crucial stabilization. Not just that, the process will also provide ongoing medical monitoring to ensure that you are safe at all times.

Furthermore, the detox centre can also provide medical regulation and changes, medical emergency care, treatment of underlying issues that may increase your safety risk, etc. All of these are reasons why it’s not ideal to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own. For your overall safety, it’s better to choose medical detox today.

Peer Support

Other residents at a cocaine addiction treatment program can also provide a unique level of support. You don’t have to feel lonely or isolated. Going through your detox procedure at a professional detox centre gives you access to more people like you. People who are going through the same process you’re going through.

Hearing stories, learning from their mistakes and successes, and having someone to talk to when times get rough are all benefits of a professional cocaine detox centre. These people will understand you, hear you out, and you can form a good bond with friends you make there.

Aftercare

Cocaine withdrawal treatment programs often provide aftercare support and referrals. This ensures that you continue to have the ongoing recovery assistance you need to stay sober even after returning home.

For most people, this step in the recovery process is one of the most critical processes. Aftercare provides room for a successful beginning in sobriety to turn into a permanent future.

Make The Right Choice for Detox

Well, the severity of your cocaine addiction, as well as the type of substance used, will determine what type of detox is most appropriate for you. However, the many benefits of professional medical detox show that it’s a better option than to attempt cocaine withdrawal on your own.

Ultimately, detox is invaluable. However, it’s only regarded as the first element of substance abuse treatment. With proper medical detox, you’re opening the door to a thorough recovery journey and full sobriety with little or no faults at all.

Crack cocaine as well as cocaine are dangerous substances and highly addictive. They can destroy your physical and emotional health. Also, the lingering effects of cocaine abuse can increase your risk of suicide, self-harm, and depression. Don’t stop after detoxification and withdrawal — seek help today for cocaine addiction and abuse. Call 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

Related article: The Harmful Effects Of Cocaine

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Addiction Treatment

Best Winter Home Exercises To Maintain Your Addiction Treatment

Post author By Addictions Learning Centre
Post date December 30, 2020
No Comments on Best Winter Home Exercises To Maintain Your Addiction Treatment

Are you finding it difficult to continue your exercise routine because of winter? Or you’re wondering how to maintain sobriety in winter? Learning about winter home exercises for addiction treatment can help you during this period.

It’s no news that daily exercise and physical activity is beneficial to your wellbeing. However, it offers more than just a way to help you stay active. For a person in the middle of addiction recovery, it can boost the recovery process.

The positive effects of exercise are fundamental in impacting both your mental and physical wellbeing. What if a regular workout can get you a natural high similar to the one you get from drugs and alcohol? The positive effect of a consistent workout routine is powerful.

Millions of people around the world and even Canadians are beating addictions with it. Exercise gives positive feelings, boosts your mood, and strengthens you for the challenge of addiction recovery.

Aside from the positive feelings you can expect to get from daily workouts, exercise can soothe numerous withdrawal and relapse symptoms. This includes relieving possible depression and anxiety, and providing an excellent escape from cravings.

While trying to beat addiction, your body and mind often crave the exact substance you’ve been taking. This is because the substance is responsible for producing endorphins, which your system uses to feel high. Aside from this, daily life stress and other life issues can cause you to crave a usual escape in the form of the substance.

The good thing about exercise during the winter period is that it can help you create these endorphins. With a steady stream of endorphins, it becomes easier to prevent relapse during the winter season.

This is where we come in. As one of the leading providers of holistic addiction treatment in Canada, we have a better understanding of how exercises can be useful for addiction treatment, especially during the winter season. With that in mind, we have put together a list of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment. Keep reading to develop the tools you need to scale through winter without a relapse!

What Are the Benefits of Exercise on Addiction Treatment?

Where addiction treatment is concerned, there are a few things to ask? What is the connection between addiction, recovery, and exercise? What does lifting weights, going on a brisk walk, or playing a game of 90-minutes soccer have to do with staying sober? Well, exercise does more than you might think.

As your body recalibrates and adjusts itself to a life without drugs and alcohol, it will undergo several changes. These changes may seem unbearable and challenging at the initial, but in the long term, they are effective.

Typically, poor sleep, anxiety, depression, intensify stress, and low energy may follow you into recovery. This is where exercise comes in as a useful tool to deal with all these symptoms.

Here are a few benefits of winter exercises for your addiction treatment:

Exercise Relieves Stress

When you cross the line into drug or alcohol use, it all starts as a nice stress-escape. Perhaps it’s a glass of beer or wine after work. But, it all adds up. Over time, more drugs or alcohol will be consumed in a race to relieve stress. However, relief from stress (with these drugs) will become more slippery and ultimately disappear completely. When this happens, drug or alcohol use will become the main source of stress in the long-run.

So what happens when you decide to go to alcohol or drug rehab? Does the stress mentioned above disappear too? We all wish it were that simple. Fortunately, reducing stress is achievable through almost every physical activity that raises the heart rate.

With exercise, you can release endorphins that will boost your mood and keep you in a state of zero stress. This is why winter home exercises are effective at helping you maintain addiction treatment.

Exercise Improves Sleep

Issues relating to problematic sleep are typical, most especially during the days of early recovery. Firstly, the withdrawal process can significantly affect your sleep pattern.

You may find it difficult to fall asleep, stay asleep, or want to sleep in the middle of the day. Most times, this may result in making you feel tired or sluggish.

Winter home exercises can help you improve sleep both via the number of hours and quality of sleep. It can as well help to counter the impulse to nap in the middle of the day. Consequently, as sleep improves, so does wakefulness. With better sleep routines, you’ll feel more alert and able to tackle the demands of life.

One way winter exercises serve to improve sleep is by altering the body’s temperature. Body temperature is highest during and after long periods of exercise. It is also lowest during times of sleep. Hours after exercise, your body will begin to cool at a faster rate. Consequently, this accelerated cooling process allows you to sleep easily.

Researchers warn that noticeable improvements in sleep may take weeks or occasionally months for effects to become pronounced in relation to exercise. Therefore, do not become discouraged. Remember, your body is adjusting to life without alcohol or drugs in every way imaginable, and your sleep patterns are not immune.

Boosts Your Energy

There is a saying in many addiction recovery circles that says, “You have to give it away to keep it.” Winter home exercises that can help you maintain addiction treatment work in pretty much the same way. To get energy, you must give it.

During your home exercises, blood will be pushed more aggressively through the heart, and oxygen levels within the body will increase. With regular exercise, the boost in oxygen levels serves to improve your overall energy. Furthermore, as your body becomes more cardiovascular and physically fit, daily living activities will become more comfortable to perform.

Furthermore, it will be easier to complete tasks more efficiently. This is precisely the reason many individuals choose to exercise early in the morning — the energy expended early in the morning returns as fuel for the remainder of the day.

For those in early recovery, it is easy to forget how demanding life can be without the use of alcohol or drugs. Therefore, incorporating an exercise routine during winter can go a long way to helping newly clean and sober individuals as they begin to manage daily life demands.

Enhances Your Mood

Generally, mood changes can occur rationally during the detoxification process from drugs or alcohol. Even after detoxification, you may experience mood swings, especially in early recovery. One minute, you’re feeling on top of the world, and the next minute, you’re feeling down, sad or lonely.

Again, it means your body is adjusting to life without alcohol or drugs, and these feelings are normal. How then can exercise serve to improve the mood of someone in recovery? Endorphins are one of the chemicals released by the body during exercise. Research shows that endorphins produce positive feelings, such as happiness and euphoria. Remember, this craving for happiness and euphoria is why drug or alcohol dependence gets worse.

Generally, engaging your body in 30 minutes of exercise per day is enough to help you see changes. With a steady stream of endorphins in your system, you can reduce the frequency of drastic mood changes.

Best Winter Home Exercises for Addiction Treatment

The best part about winter home exercises for addiction treatment is you don’t need any special equipment. All you need is your body, strength, determination, and perhaps, a workout mat. Once you have that, you are good to go.

To put things in a clearer perspective, we will divide your home exercises into three main parts:

Physical Strength Exercises
Cardio Remedies
Mind-Body Exercise

The Physical Strength Exercises

These winter home exercises for addiction treatment mainly take advantage of your body weight. Basically, they involve engaging your muscles by working against your body weight. Here are physical strength exercises that help with addiction recovery.

Push-ups

Push-ups are one of the most prevalent physical strength exercises you can practice anywhere. Asides from the several benefits this home exercise offer for addiction treatment; it will also help you stay fit and active all through the winter season. Its primary focus is on your arms and chest muscles.

Here is the correct procedure for doing push-ups:

Lie flat on the ground, then lift a bit while putting all weight on your chest and arms.
Straighten your legs and arms. Place your hands about shoulder-width apart and your feet nearly together.
Next, lower your body gradually until your chest almost touches the ground.
Suspend your body a bit, then push right back up.
Repeat this motion and maintain correct suspension as many times as possible.

Squats

This is another one of the top winter home exercises for addiction treatment. Squatting can help get your heart pumping and your body all sweaty.

Also, the exercise is capable of imprinting an effect that keeps your mind busy and away from drugs. Let’s walk you through the process of achieving a proper squat:

Get a foot stance that is comfortable for you.
Stand tall, look straight, and tense your abs.
Then, bend towards your hip and knee while sticking out your butt like you’re sitting on a chair.
Keep your chest high and your back straight while squatting as low as you can.
Next, pop back up to a standing position. That’s one squat. You can do as many as possible to strengthen yourself.

Lunges

If you need an excellent workout without stepping outside your home, lunges are among the top winter home exercises for addiction treatment. This exercise focuses on building your legs and hips to stay physically fit.

Here is the procedure:

Stand tall while your feet stay apart about the width of your hip and ensure you engage your core.
Then, take a wide step forward with your right leg. Tilt forward a bit while shifting your weight, so your heel touches the ground first.
Next, lower your body part until your right thigh stays parallel to the floor and your shin nearly vertical to the position.
Push yourself back to the starting point and press into your right heel, then repeat with the other leg.

Cardio Workout

Cardio is one of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment. It’s an excellent way to enhance emotions while working out. Typically, cardio exercises will leave you feeling positive and in a better mood.

To maintain addiction treatment, you need a positive mindset. Cardio exercises can provide you with that.

More importantly, you can do them alone, and you don’t need a lot of space. Here are a few ways to carry out simple cardio workouts:

Dancing

This is a common type of cardio, as it doesn’t really feel like an exercise. Dancing is a no-brainer. Turn up your stereo and move left-right-front-back — Tada! You’re already dancing.

There are several styles you can choose from. If you prefer to have a dance challenge or learn to dance better, you can get dance tutorials online and groove to them.

Climbing Stairs Repeatedly

Climbing the staircase up and down continuously is another form of cardio exercise that offers effective results. So, if you want to maintain sobriety and keep your mind in check during the drab winter season, hit those stairs immediately. One thing, please take caution while doing so.

Running Several Laps Around your House

Running around your house during winter in a bid to keep your mind distracted is always advisable. You can do this as many times as possible.

Additionally, you can change pace at intervals to slow down or speed up. This makes the exercise more exciting and enjoyable. If you have a dog at home, that’s a perfect exercise partner to compete and have fun with.

Mind-Body Exercise

When you think about activities or best exercises for addiction treatment, strength, and cardio routines are probably the first ones you will consider. However, staying sober requires more than cardio and strength. You also need your feelings, thoughts, and emotions to be in check.

The connection between your physical strength, cardio activities, and addiction is the mind-body connection. This exercise strengthens the relationship between your physical strength, body, and soul.

Luckily, mind-body exercise is one of the less strenuous alternatives for exercise during winter. Here are the two top mind-body practices that help with addiction recovery:

The Breathing Practice

One of our top winter home exercises for addiction treatment is the “Breath Work.” Breathing exercise is a crucial tool in keeping fit and staying healthy. It goes down to boosting your physical fitness, anxiety control, and mental health. In a way, mastering breath-work can help you stay in control of your actions and reactions.

Belly breathing aids the stimulation of the vagus nerve, thus shifting your body into a more relaxing state. It triggers a relaxation response that can dampen feelings of anxiety.

Also, breath-work influences digestion and slow breathing as an excellent step towards maintaining control. Anything that can trigger relapse can quickly be sorted out with excellent breath-work.

Here is the process of practicing breath-work:

Start with 1 to 1 breathing. This involves breathing in and out through the nose at the same pace.
You can build up your strength by starting with three seconds in, three seconds out. Once the breathing gets more comfortable, increase the count up to 3:3, 4:4, 5:5, etc.
When you hit a difficult to count stage, you can drop two counts back and maintain the pace for about five to ten minutes.

By the end of this session, you’ll probably feel an improvement in your relaxation and sense of calm.

Yoga

Yoga can be a powerful tool to aid addiction recovery. It’s a training ground for your mind and body. Remember, a healthy mind is a necessity for anyone that wants to win the battle against addiction. This is why yoga is an effective home exercise to help you maintain addiction recovery.

Yoga is considered by many as a natural form of medical treatment. It is essentially using body postures to connect the mind and body and using the breath to gain self-awareness and inward-focused attention. Yoga supports addiction treatment and can also help manage drug cravings and relapse triggers.

Recovering from drug or alcohol addiction is a delicate time for the mind. Strengthening your mind with Yoga will help you better control your psyche and increase your chances of winning the struggle with addiction.

Furthermore, it also gives a massive boost to your positive mental energy, which will help you stay focused on your addiction recovery. Yoga works for both outdoor and indoor exercise lovers. You don’t have to worry about having to go outside to exercise when you can practise Yoga inside. All these and more are why Yoga is one of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment and recovery.

Conclusion

If used correctly, exercise can be an essential part of addiction recovery and earning long-term sobriety. However, working out alone can be challenging, particularly if you don’t know what to do or how to do it. This is why we have put together some of the best winter home exercises for addiction treatment. Still, knowing all these exercises is never enough unless you add consistency to it.

Regular exercise possesses excellent unexplored potential as an additional treatment for addictions. Its beneficial effects on withdrawal symptoms and mood make it a good fit for people recovering from addiction. Addiction can help you avoid relapse, stay healthy, and help repair any neurological damages caused by substance use.

Attaining sobriety and physical fitness isn’t a comfortable ride. In fact, it is one that requires consistency. Keep your body and mind focused on the end goal and engage only in activities that enhance your chances of achieving a full recovery.

Remember, exercise is just one very small part of addiction treatment and rehab. Exercise won’t help you recognize triggers, provide answers to maintaining sobriety in winter, or why you became addicted. Though it may help improve your mental and emotional state, exercise should not take the place of a professional therapist. Call 1000 Islands Addiction Rehab & Treatment Centre for addiction treatment programs.

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