Drug abuse is a growing problem in the United States, the rising tide of prescription painkiller abuse also brings with it an increased risk of heroin abuse. Like heroin, many common prescription painkillers are drugs derived from opium. An addiction to opioid prescription painkillers can quickly become a gateway to heroin addiction, particularly if supply of the prescription drug is reduced or cut off. Heroin is cheaper and often easier to come by than black market prescription painkillers, so those suffering from addiction often turn to it when their dependence increases or they are suffering from withdrawal and require higher and higher doses. A study say that nearly 70% to 80% of people who had used heroin in the past time had also previously abused prescription painkillers.
Because opioid like heroin deliver both a strong positive reinforcement in the form of the high that comes when an individual takes the drug , and a strong negative reinforcement in the form of debilitating withdrawal symptoms; they can be extraordinarily addictive. This danger is compounded by the fact that many opioid painkillers are legitimately prescribed. Opioid are powerful pain meds, and many individuals are prescribed them for genuine needs. The majority of prescription opiate medication that is abused in the U.S. is obtained from legitimate prescriptions, though they're often not taken by the people to whom they were initially prescribed.
Addiction is a chronic medical condition, but those who suffer from addiction can live a rewarding and productive life with the right treatment and help to set them on the road to recovery. Whether its heroin, prescription painkillers, or any of our other treatments, Drug Rehab Center focus on the whole patient, not just their addiction, which gives each of our patients the individual care they need to get their life back.