The recent death of Philip Seymour Hoffman due to a heroin overdose has highlighted the heroin epidemic that is raging across this great nation. Law enforcement crackdowns on prescription painkiller abuse have only served to make the cheaper, more plentiful heroin more appealing to addicts who lack access to heroin addiction treatment. Potent heroin and heroin mixed with fentanyl have been to blame for a rash of overdose deaths that have claimed the lives of dozens in recent weeks.
But there’s a way to avoid all of these heroin-related overdose deaths – Suboxone addiction treatment.
Heroin Use Rates Have Doubled in Recent Years
Federal reports indicate that heroin abuse rates have doubled since 2007. 669,000 Americans are now using heroin. More than 100 people die from drug overdoses in this country every day.
Middle-class young people – adults in their 20s and 30s – are at the forefront of this addiction crisis. These are former prescription painkiller addicts who have moved on to heroin abuse now that prescription opiates are expensive and difficult to find.
As prescription painkiller abusers build tolerance for the drug, they need to use more and more to feel the same effects. Since these pills are harder to get on the black market than ever – and since Florida’s pill mills are a thing of the past and doctors are increasingly aware of the dangers of writing these prescriptions – heroin is the next best thing.
The jump from prescription painkiller use to heroin addiction can happen in a flash. Many addicts are hooked on opiates from the moment they first use them.
Heroin has the same effect on the brain as prescription painkillers. Both substances are opiate drugs; they work on the brain’s opiate receptors to stimulate euphoric feelings of pleasure and reward. Suboxone addiction treatment has been proven to be an effective treatment for opiate addictions across the board, whether they involve heroin or prescription painkillers.
Addicts Most Vulnerable to Overdose During Relapse, Experts Say
One reason why Suboxone addiction treatment is such a valuable tool to fight heroin addiction and prevent overdose deaths is that addicts are most likely to suffer a fatal overdose when they relapse after a period of abstinence. That’s because a recovering addict, who had been accustomed to using relatively high doses of heroin, will relapse after a period of abstinence and attempt to reprise the last dose he or she was accustomed to using.
After a few weeks or months of sobriety, however, the recovering addict no longer has the same high tolerance for the drug. The dose will invariably be too much. Overdose follows.
How does Suboxone addiction treatment help? Suboxone for opiate maintenance blocks the brain’s opioid receptors. It relieves opiate withdrawal symptoms, and prevents heroin or prescription painkillers from stimulating the receptors. Simply put, Suboxone stops heroin or other opiate drugs from working. The recovering addict can’t overdose – he or she can’t even get high.
For many recovering addicts, relapse is almost unavoidable. For an addict using Suboxone treatment, a slip fails to offer the same old familiar reward. That’s why recovering addicts using Suboxone for opiate rehab have fewer slip-ups and are more likely to maintain their recovery over the long term. Suboxone removes the motivation to use opiate drugs.
Suboxone Addiction Treatment Is the Best Option for Addicts
Suboxone treatment for opiate addiction protects recovering addicts from the risks of relapse, giving them a chance to truly recover and live full lives. For an addict who wants to get clean, Suboxone addiction treatment offers immediate relief from withdrawal symptoms and allows the addict to return to a normal lifestyle from the very first day of treatment. It’s a truly remarkable pharmaceutical intervention for opiate addiction.
Of course, Suboxone opiate maintenance is no substitute for addiction counseling. All addicts need substance abuse counseling to get to the root of their substance abuse issues and learn the coping skills necessary to bring about real long-term change. Opiate addicts are no exception; in fact, for them, counseling may be even more necessary because psychological cravings for opiate drugs can linger for years, even decades, after sobriety is achieved.
Heroin addiction is a deadly affliction, but Suboxone addiction treatment saves lives. If you or someone you love is using heroin or other opiate drugs, don’t wait any longer to seek help. Addiction kills without warning; don’t become another statistic. Call 888-699-5679 today.