Opiate Addiction Rehab
Opiates, including illegal drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers such as codeine, oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), and morphine (Kadian and Avinza can be highly addictive. Due to this, numerous people abuse opiates even when they know that the drugs can harm their health, family life, and career.
Some 750,000 to 1 million Americans are addicted to heroin, according to estimates. What's more, a recent report estimates that 30 million people have used prescription pain relievers like OxyContin and Vicodin for non-medical reasons. Those who become addicted experience powerful cravings that overtake their ability to stop using opiates on their own, even in the face of devastating consequences. Opiate addiction is recognized as a central nervous system disorder, caused by continuous opiate intake. After prolonged opiate use, the nerve cells in the brain, which would otherwise produce endogenous opiates (natural painkillers, or endorphins), cease to function normally. The body stops producing endorphins because it is receiving opiates instead. The degeneration of these nerve cells causes a physical dependency to an external supply of opiates.
The Need for Opiate Rehab
After repeatedly using heroin for a period of time, the long-term effects of the substance begin to appear in the user. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, and liver disease. Additionally, pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may also result in the user. One of the most significant effects of heroin use is addiction. With regular heroin use, tolerance to the drug develops. Once this happens, the abuser must use more heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect that they are seeking. As higher doses of the drug are used over time, physical dependence and addiction to the drug develop. In addition to the effects of the drug itself, users who inject heroin also put themselves at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and other infectious diseases. Approximately 70–80% of the new HCV infections in the U.S. each year are among injection drug users.
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