The number of reported heroin users has been on the rise since 2007. Several factors are involved in this, but one of the more significant is the prescription opioid epidemic. Individuals who have developed a dependency on opioid painkillers have turned to heroin when their supply of prescription drugs has run out. But it doesn’t matter how someone became addicted to heroin. Instead, what matters is how they can break away from the disease of addiction and become healthy again. Crestview Recovery’s heroin rehab center near Beaverton can provide the treatment and therapeutic services necessary to help individuals beat heroin addiction.
Warning Signs of Heroin Use
Heroin use can quickly turn into substance use disorder, that is, addiction. This is because heroin is one of the strongest, most fast-acting opioids there is. Often, individuals who try heroin become addicted after their initial use. Fortunately, our heroin rehab center has the expert counselors and therapists to address substance use disorder for Beaverton residents.
As the drug alters a person’s brain chemistry, they become dependent. The brain is no longer able to produce dopamine or endorphins heroin triggers. This makes individuals reliant upon the drug, not just for a ‘high’ but to feel ‘normal.’ As use continues, individuals develop a tolerance to heroin. This means they need to use more and more often and at stronger and stronger dosages. As heroin addiction progresses, individuals increase their risk of death.
There are other warning signs of heroin addiction than tolerance. Sudden and seemingly unexplained changes in personality signal an issue. Accompanying this is bursts of energy as well as unprovoked aggression or moodiness. These signs suggest a loss of control. It can become further noticeable when an individual begins to withdraw from social interactions or family functions and no longer seem interested in hobbies, work, or school.
Therapies at Our Heroin Rehab Center Near Beaverton
Beginning treatment for heroin addiction is imperative. There is a vast array of medical issues arising from heroin use. Because of the sedative effect of heroin, individuals can develop severe lung issues such as pneumonia and tuberculosis. Repeated injection of heroin (the most common method of intake) scars and collapses veins. Visible signs of this on arms and legs are called ‘track marks.’ But chronic injection leads to bacterial infections not just at the injection site but in the blood. The result of this is stress on the liver, kidneys, and brain causing parts of an individual’s major organs to die. Furthermore, when ‘high’ individuals engage in risky and dangerous behaviors like sharing needles or having unprotected sex, increasing the risk of hepatitis, blood-borne viruses, and HIV.
Fortunately, when Beaverton residents come to our heroin rehab center, they get the treatment they need to heal. Often, individuals who suffer from a substance use disorder like heroin addiction also suffer from mental health issues. While they may not realize it, their heroin use may be a means of self-medicating to alleviate the discomfort or pain they experience. Some common mental health issues accompanying addiction are depression, anxiety disorder, and PTSD. When a counselor or therapist determines a client is suffering from a mental health issue alongside addiction, it is called a co-occurring disorder. This is treated through dual diagnosis, a program where both aspects are addressed simultaneously. Because the mental health issue may be the underlying cause of the addiction, both need to be treated, or else relapse is inevitable.
Some other therapeutic services offered include:
- 12 Step Recovery
- Family Therapy Program
- Mental Health Treatment
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
This variety of therapy gives each client the best chance at making a recovery.
Crestview Recovery
At Crestview Recovery’s heroin rehab center, conveniently located near Beaverton, you or a loved one can enter into the programs necessary to escape heroin addiction. Offering a variety of treatment options, such as:
- Residential Treatment
- Partial Hospitalization
- Intensive Outpatient
- Extended care
- Aftercare
Crestview Recovery works with patients throughout the entire recovery process. There’s no reason to wait. Heroin addiction doesn’t have to control you or a loved one’s life more day longer. Contact us today at 866.262.0531 to start your journey towards healing and sobriety.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.