Addiction is a disease that affects a person’s entire being. The drug itself negatively impacts the entire central nervous system, and the associated lifestyle creates adverse and often irreversible damage to the addict’s life. When the abuse of heroin has progressed to the point of physical and psychological dependence, that individual is addicted.
When a heroin addict stops using the drug, even for a few periods of time after their previous high, a painful set of withdrawal symptoms begins to set in. These symptoms of addiction nearly invariably result in the addict returning to heroin use, even when the addict is attempting to cease using the drug.
Components of Addiction
- Loss of control over heroin use
- Obsession over the use of heroin
- Continued use despite adverse life consequences
- Denial that there is a problem with heroin
- A powerful tendency to relapse
To put it another way, when heroin use has progressed from use to abuse, and then onto physical and psychological dependence, the addict has lost all control over heroin use, lives with an obsession for the drug’s use, continues to use heroin despite negative life consequences, denies that there is a problem with heroin, and operates with a powerful likelihood of relapse when the use of heroin is stopped.
Consequences of Addiction
People suffering from heroin addiction are often unable to see clearly because the drug has altered brain chemistry. A person who was once responsible, honest, and compassionate begins disregarding responsibilities, lying, and stealing from loved ones to feed the heroin addiction. The only thing a heroin addict sees clearly is the need for more heroin. The thought of going through even another five minutes without the drug, in some cases, scares addicts to the point where they will go to any length to get high again.
When heroin takes precedence over everything else in a person’s life, other responsibilities fall by the wayside. Relationships fail, marriages are dissolved, people lose their jobs, their entire financial situations deteriorate, they drop out of school, and they face life-altering legal penalties, not to mention that their physical and mental health can be irreparably affected.
When heroin takes precedence over everything else in a person’s life, other responsibilities fall by the wayside. Relationships are severed, marriages are dissolved, jobs are lost, entire financial circumstances are obliterated, students are expelled from schools, and individuals face life-altering legal penalties; in addition, an individual’s physical and mental health may suffer irreparable harm.
Heroin addiction tears apart families and causes despair where there was once happiness. The professional treatment centers are dedicated to helping families and individuals put their lives back together. Through our comprehensive list of treatment programs, all people suffering from heroin addiction and addiction to other drugs can undergo the rigorous but rewarding process of starting a new life. If you, or someone you love, need help, drug treatment is the next step. Contact consultation services today for treatment options, so a new life is just a phone call away.
