Heroin Addiction Treatment Options in Portland, ME (877) 804-1531

Heroin is an illegal drug known as an opioid because it works on opioid receptors in the brain. The substance is extracted from the seeds of the opium poppy plant. Although these plants are grown in areas of the world such as Asia, Mexico, and Colombia, the drugs make their way across the nation's borders and even into towns like Portland, Maine. Heroin is a highly addictive drug due to a number of opioid receptors that the drug works on. The result is a highly euphoric effect that the brain will start to crave again and again. Painkilling medications such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine work on the same receptors as heroin. However, this drug creates a much stronger, euphoric high in the body. If you or someone you love suffers from this highly addictive drug, there is help for addiction in Portland, Maine. Call Portland Alcohol Rehab Centers for treatment options at (877) 804-1531

How Is Heroin Used?

Heroin appears as a powder that is either white or brown. Sometimes drug dealers also sell a form known as black tar heroin, which is a black, sticky substance. When people use heroin, they will either snort, sniff, smoke, or inject it directly. Drug dealers will often "cut" or mix it with other substances. Sometimes, they will use drugs like fentanyl or crack cocaine, which can make the effects even stronger. Other times, they will add chemicals or other filler substances that make the heroin less potent so they can sell more. This is especially dangerous because a person could use heroin that contains components that are deadly to the user in addition to the effects that it use alone causes.

Heroin Addiction Signs and Symptoms

Heroin addiction in Portland causes short- and long-term effects, and can also cause an overdose. Short-term signs and symptoms that a person may be using heroin include:

  • Warm, flushed skin
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Itching
  • Heavy-appearing limbs
  • A person seems slowed-down
  • Dry mouth
  • Small pupils

Friends or family may also notice that a person starts neglecting their appearance or has marks on their arms and feet known as "track marks" where a person injects heroin. A person may also have drug paraphernalia around their home, such as small plastic bags, plastic bands that can be used as tourniquets, needles, and/or spoons.

Heroin abuse can lead to a number of long-term health effects. These include:

  • Deadly infections of the heart valves and lining known as endocarditis
  • Constipation that could lead to small bowel obstruction
  • Increased risk for liver and kidney disease
  • Increased risk for lung complications, such as pneumonia and other respiratory infections
  • Increased risk for mental illness, such as depression

A person can also overdose. When a person overdoses, the excess heroin in their system causes them to stop breathing. When they stop breathing, their brain cannot get enough oxygen. As a result, their brain cannot send signals to the rest of the body to breathe and perform other vital body functions. As a result, a person can die.

Heroin has and will continue to cause death and overdose in Portland and beyond. To avoid becoming a statistic, a person should seek addiction recovery.

Why Should I Enter an Addiction Rehab?

Because heroin addiction in Portland is so difficult for a person to overcome on their own, it is vital that a person seek treatment for their addiction. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved medications to help people stop taking heroin and use legal medications until they can break their addiction. A person can also take a medication called naltrexone, which is designed to block the euphoric effects from heroin use. However, a person must seek addiction recovery before they can be prescribed these sometimes life-saving medications.

In addition to the benefits of medication management in helping a person overcome addiction, an addiction rehab offers counseling and group therapies that help a person break the mental hold that heroin has over them. Many techniques have been proven to help a person with addiction treatment in Portland. These include motivational incentives, which are small rewards, such as gift certificate or other vouchers, that a person can earn as they progress in their recovery. A person may be rewarded for a negative drug test, excellent participation in group meetings, and more. Treatments for drug addiction in Portland, ME are individualized so a person can experience the greatest success possible for their unique needs and history of addiction.

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