Heroin Abuse: 7 Important Facts

Heroin abuse has effectively derailed every campaign meant to curtail its rampage in Madison, Wisconsin. The real uptick in heroin abuse began in 2011 when the crackdown on prescription medication such as OxyContin made them pricier and harder to get. According to the FBI, they conducted a yearlong analysis on the surge in heroin abuse and overdose deaths in Wisconsin. Based on this investigation, they say heroin abuse will continue because it is abundant, hard to track and much cheaper than prescription opiates.

Madison police and emergency personnel see the wreckage of substance abuse every day. Overdose deaths in Wisconsin rose from 29 per year to 227 in 2012 alone. That is more than cause for concern. According to Dane County records, heroin has taken more lives than any other drug in the last five years. Brad Dunlap, a special agent with the Department of Justice and the Division of Criminal Investigation said...

"I've been in this job for 23 years. I have not seen a drug that has the potential for death like heroin does. There is no other drug that can compare to it."

One way to stem this tragic trend is for people with a drug addiction problem to seek treatment. Another key is to step up education about this killer drug. Knowledge about Heroin may not save the lives of those who will be lost today or tomorrow but it may give casual users pause the next time they decide to revisit the Heroin experience.

Seven Simple yet Important Facts about Heroin

1. Whether heroin is snorted, injected or smoked, it enters the brain quickly which contributes to the high risk for addiction.
2. Heroin is a relapsing disease. That means withdrawal begins immediately after the last hit. This drives many people to use it again and again. This is called heroin addiction.
3. Many heroin addicts are at risk of AIDs, Hepatitis and other diseases because when the cravings are high addicts will share needles whether they are infected or not.
4. Infection of the valves and lining of the heart, pulmonary complications, liver and kidney disease are just some of the critical health issues that can develop with repeated heroin use.
5. Heroin use has caused multiple deaths. More often than not, the heroin product is contaminated with other lethal additives that can stop respiration which is one of the primary causes of most fatalities.
6. Beware analogs that are sold as heroin. Analogs are other drugs that mimic the heroin experience. Fentanyl and Meperidine also known as Demerol are opiate analogs. Fentanyl is fifty times more potent than heroin and can quickly stop the breathing process.
7. Death from an overdose can happen faster than the time it takes for a 911 call to get help to you. Many Heroin users have died before they pulled the needle used to inject the drug from their arm.

Trying to stop heroin abuse on your own is a prescription for recidivism. Withdrawal symptoms can be so overwhelming that it is beyond the user's physical ability to resist using the drug again. This is when the stage is set for criminal activity. At this point the user will do anything to get drugs even if it means committing a crime.

Most heroin addicts need experienced support in a medically equipped facility to successfully complete the withdrawal process. Madison Drug Treatment and Rehab Centers can provide both as well as the rehabilitation treatment that follows. Learn more about treatment options at (877) 804-1531.