Author: vrcaguadulce

Why You Should Go to Inpatient Heroin Rehab

Heroin is a potent and highly addictive drug. Period. Full stop.

If a loved one is hooked on heroin, there’s a good chance that outpatient simply may not be enough to overcome the pull of the drug.

Every situation is unique but heroin falls into that infamous class of drugs known as opioids that have been tearing people and families apart for over 2 decades now.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lay it out plainly:

Nearly 841,000 people have died since 1999 from a drug overdose
Overdose deaths involving opioids, including prescription opioids, heroin, and synthetic opioids (like fentanyl), have increased over six times since 1999

Concerning heroin specifically, the CDC notes that “nearly 130,000 people died from overdoses related to heroin from 1999 to 2019”.

The scope of the issue remains enormous and while inpatient heroin rehab isn’t a silver bullet, it does increase the odds of a sustained recovery.

What Is Heroin?

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) defines it as “an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.”

It’s worth noting that heroin is an illegal opioid, the methods of ingestion of which are injection, snorting and smoking.

The emphasis on opioids here isn’t an accident, NIDA adds that “about 80 percent of people who used heroin first misused prescription opioids”.

In other words, when a person grows dependent on their prescription and that prescription runs out, they turn to buy heroin on the street as it has very similar effects.

Signs of a Heroin Addiction

To be able to do something to help an addict, you need to be able to recognize an addiction. The sooner the better.

The ability to hook people fast is a well-documented aspect of opioids and the signs of that look like this:

Taking more heroin and in larger doses than planned
Strong cravings
Building a tolerance and needing to take larger doses to get the same effect
Change in appearance
Lack of motivation, depression
Spending a lot of time getting, using and recovering from heroin
Can’t cut back
Secretive behavior
Drowsiness
Unable to meet expectations at work, home, and school
Dry mouth
Nausea
Using is causing significant interpersonal problems
Skipping events, activities or other things once loved in favor of using
Finding yourself in increasingly dangerous situations, i.e., sharing needles
Constipation
Collapsed veins
Using despite clear negative consequences
Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when not using

Heroin takes a toll and it takes it quickly. Left unchecked, these signs and symptoms of addiction will only get worse over time.

Knowing When It’s Time to Go to Inpatient Heroin Rehab

There’s not necessarily a line in the sand that you would cross that marks the exact appropriate time to enter rehab.

As the above signs compound though, it’ll become more and more clear.

The key thing to look out for is the loss of control or the point at which heroin becomes the priority in your life. Where any and all decisions are being made through the prism of using heroin.

For rehab to have the best chance of succeeding, it’s important that you or your loved one is actively deciding to get better and not being coerced into treatment under some false pretense. In some cases that might even be achieved through an intervention.

If you’re concerned for yourself or a loved one and want to know if now is the time for inpatient rehab, please don’t hesitate to give us a call and speak to one of our addiction specialists.

How to Safely Detox From Benzos

Making the conscious decision to get clean and actively working towards kicking benzos is already a huge mental hurdle to clear and deserves applause.

It’s the first in a series of hurdles with the next big one being detox.

The entire process of recovery is a lot of work, no bones about it, but the rewards are so worth the effort. Having control over your life again rather than being directed by benzos is priceless.

What Are Benzos?

Benzos, or benzodiazepines, fall into a class of drugs called sedatives.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds they’re “a class of medicines approved to treat generalized anxiety disorder, insomnia, seizures, social phobia, and panic disorder. Benzodiazepines are also used as premedication before some medical procedures.”

Given how common some of those conditions are, it’s no wonder that research found benzos were the “most widely prescribed pharmacologic agents in the United States (more than 112 million prescriptions in 2007)”.

With a drug that’s become so ubiquitous, you’ll easily recognize some of the most commonly prescribed ones:

Xanax
Valium
Ativan
Klonopin

What Are the Signs of a Benzo Addiction?

Understanding what a benzo addiction looks like is the only way to start solving the problem because if you can’t name it, you can’t fix it.

Addiction to benzodiazepines manifests in several ways, so keep an eye out for these:

Using benzos other than how prescribed
Doctor shopping or forging prescriptions to get more
Unable to cut back on them
Spending a lot of time getting, using, and recovering from benzos
Taking larger doses because you’ve built a tolerance
Having intense cravings
Work, school, and family obligations suffer

You’ll also begin to notice behavioral, psychological/cognitive, and physical issues arise:

Severe drowsiness
Confusion
Slurred speech
Difficulty breathing
Mood swings and irritability
Impaired thinking, poor judgment, and decision-making
Disorientation and poor coordination
Weakness
Headaches
Dizziness
Blurred or altered vision
Constipation
Tremors
Insomnia
Memory issues and inability to concentrate

Don’t let these signs and symptoms pile up, take action early.

How to Safely Detox From Benzos

Detox unfortunately comes with withdrawal. That’s just the way it works.

And withdrawal from benzos comes with physical and mental pain. In fact, withdrawal symptoms can become so severe that they can rise to the level of actually being life-threatening if you try to quit cold turkey.

So, how to safely detox from benzos then?

Easy. By going through it under the supervision of experts in the field. Trained professionals who can support you through those very low lows of withdrawal and guide you towards that light at the end of the tunnel. At Valley Recovery Center at Agua Dulce, we understand detox because it’s something we’ve been specializing in for years.

What To Do After You Detox From Benzos

It’s critically important to keep in mind that detox from benzos is not the end of the process but rather it’s the beginning. It’s the start of your recovery journey.

Detox is about overcoming physical addiction. That’s only part of the battle because addiction is mental. As the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) puts it, addiction is “considered a brain disorder, because it involves functional changes to brain circuits involved in reward, stress, and self-control. Those changes may last a long time after a person has stopped taking drugs.”

So after detox, it turns from the physical to the mental and that’s where treatment and rehab come in. For more severe addictions, residential inpatient care is often the best course of action. Even better is finding a facility that specializes in recovery from benzodiazepine addiction which is exactly what you’ll find at VRC at Agua Dulce.

To learn more about our program, give us a call or shoot a message over.

Addiction vs Dependence: What Is the Difference?

Drug Dependence The terms addiction and dependence are often used in reference to substance-use disorders. Although some people use these words interchangeably, they have different meanings. Dependence refers to the body’s physical adjustment to a drug, and addiction refers to compulsive drug use accompanied by behavioral and physical changes. If you’re ready to address your substance use, it’s important to understand the difference between addiction vs dependence.

Dependence Defined

Dependence refers to the physical adaptation that occurs when you use the same substance over a long period of time. When you first start using the substance, you don’t need much of it to achieve a high. Over time, however, your body doesn’t respond to the substance the same way, so you need higher doses to achieve the same effects. Once you develop a dependence, it’s difficult to stop using because many substances cause harsh physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms.

Dependence often develops in stages. The first stage is when you drink alcohol or use drugs infrequently. You may have a few drinks at a party or share some cannabis with friends, but you don’t “need” to use. Next, you may start using a substance on a regular basis. If you can’t access the substance, you may experience agitation or anxiety. The third stage is characterized by tolerance, which occurs when you no longer experience the same effects from taking the substance. Finally, you become dependent on the substance, which can cause both physical and psychological problems.

Addiction Defined

It’s possible to become dependent on a substance without being addicted to it. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health defines addiction as “problematic use of a substance” such as alcohol or an illicit drug. Addiction is typically characterized by the four Cs: craving, inability to control use, compulsion to use and continued use despite negative consequences. Therefore, the main difference between addiction vs dependence is that someone can be dependent on a substance without craving it, losing control over its use, feeling compelled to use the substance or continuing to use the substance even after experiencing negative consequences.

Signs and Symptoms of Dependence

Once you become dependent on a substance, you may notice that you don’t feel as good after taking a small dose. If you want to achieve the same high you usually do, you may have to take a larger dose of the substance. Some people take more frequent doses to experience the same pleasurable effects. If you’re dependent on a substance, you may also experience severe withdrawal symptoms if you try to stop using it. The effects vary based on the type of substance you use, but common withdrawal symptoms include nausea, vomiting, sweating, shaking, muscle aches and abdominal pain.

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Another key difference between addiction vs dependence is that addiction causes a wide variety of behavioral symptoms in addition to the physical symptoms. If you have developed an addiction to alcohol or another substance, you may experience cravings or feel unable to control your substance use. Some people sustain serious injuries while they are under the influence; still others experience blackouts after using.

Some of the behavioral signs of addiction may affect your romantic relationships, friendships and relationships with family members. One common sign of addiction is engaging in secretive behavior, especially if you’re working hard to hide your addiction from the people you love. It’s not unusual for someone with an addiction to alcohol or drugs to start spending more time alone to make it easier to hide the substance use.

Behavioral changes can also affect your performance at work or school. In a work setting, an addiction can make it difficult to keep track of your responsibilities. Once an addiction develops, you may have trouble making it to work on time, meeting deadlines or maintaining professional relationships with your colleagues, supervisors or clients. If you’re enrolled in classes, addiction can make it difficult to complete assignments on time. You may also find your grades slipping, especially if you frequently miss classes due to substance use.

Harmful Consequences of Addiction

Relationship problems aren’t the only negative consequence of addiction. Depending on what you use and when you use, you may find yourself in trouble with the law. For example, if you have an addiction to alcohol, you may be arrested for a drinking and driving offense. If convicted, you may have to pay fines or spend time in a local prison. Developing an addiction can also cause serious financial harm. If you’re spending a lot of money on alcohol or drugs, you may not have enough left to pay your bills. Addiction can also cause an individual to develop feelings of hopelessness, which can make it difficult to stay motivated enough to enter treatment.

Treatment Options

Although substance use can have serious consequences, you’re not alone. Treatment is available to help you overcome dependence or recover from addiction. If you have a drug or alcohol dependence, you may be able to take supportive medications to help you avoid some of the unpleasant symptoms associated with withdrawal. For example, medications are available to help control nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches and abdominal pain. In some cases, antidepressants and anti-anxiety medications are used to treat the psychological effects of withdrawal.

Addiction treatment often involves residential rehabilitation or participation in a day rehabilitation program (“dayhab”) staffed by experienced professionals. When you first enter a residential program, you may have the opportunity to go through medical detoxification. During this process, you’ll be monitored by medical professionals who can prescribe supportive medications or other treatments to increase your comfort. Residential programs and day treatment centers offer a variety of services, including one-on-one counseling and peer group meetings, to help you develop healthy habits and learn how to cope with stress without turning to substance use. If you need help recovering from a substance-use disorder, contact Valley Recovery Center to find out the next step.