Heroin is one of the most addictive and destructive drugs currently for sale on the black market. Although illegal to use, availability isn’t a problem for people struggling with heroin addiction. Researchers discovered that the high cost of prescription painkillers resulted in more people seeking out heroin than ever before. Are you aware of America’s heroin addiction statistics?
If you or a loved one needs help, please reach out to the Portland heroin addiction treatment center.
Statistical Evidence Contradicts the Stereotype of Movies
Who hasn’t seen the movie sequence featuring a teen in a flophouse shooting up heroin? The Center for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that while there’s an increase in heroin use among teens, the drug’s reach now also includes demographics you may not consider as high risk. Examples might include wealthy individuals and women. Professionals studying drug use believe that the use of gateway drugs plays an enormous role in the popularity of heroin.
Most Important Heroin Addiction Statistics
Heroin addiction statistics show more people are at risk than ever before. This drug use doesn’t stop at heroin alone, nearly everyone using heroin also used another drug. From alcohol to marijuana and cocaine to prescription drugs, the risk of heroin addiction when taking these substances increases.
- Prescription painkiller abuse – Experts suggest that 45% of users begin their descent into heroin addiction by abusing opioid painkillers. In fact, a patient who develops an addiction to a prescription painkiller is 40 times more likely to start using heroin than someone who doesn’t use the legal drug first. In comparison, the stereotypical gateway drug, marijuana, only increases the likelihood of addiction to heroin three-fold.
- Middle-class use – Identifying those in the $20,000 to $49,999 annual household income bracket, researchers found that heroin use went up by 77% over a decade.
- Young adult age group – An increase in users spiked in the demographic that characterizes young adults, or those between the ages of 18 and 25. Over about a 10 year period, heroin use rose by 109%. In comparison, the drug’s use in the 26-and-over category increased by a comparatively small 58% over the course of this time.
Substance use treatment in Oregon provides individualized rehab programs for any substance use disorder.
What You See When You Look Past the Statistics
The numbers that researchers and experts provide are more than just statistics. Each number represents a very real person with a family and friends. In some cases, the figures also represent deaths due to overdose or diseases as a result of heroin use.
Know the Signs of Heroin Use
If you worry that a friend, child, or another family member may have fallen victim to drug addiction, know what symptoms to look for. Standard signs include sudden, drastic changes in mood, the inability to rouse a sleeping person quickly, as well as physical changes. The urgency to procure the drug may be among the most visible signs. If this sounds like someone you know, don’t lose hope. There is help at heroin rehab centers in OR.
Professional Assistance Can Break the Chains of Heroin Addiction
You or a loved one don’t have to join the ranks of heroin addiction statistics. Contact Crestview Recovery to begin heroin addiction rehab programs. Our locations across Oregon and Washington provide a variety of options including:
- Heroin detox
- Residential drug treatment in OR
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Cognitive behavioral therapy in Portland
- Group and individual counseling in OR
Don’t you owe it to yourself to live a full, happy life that’s free of fear and sickness? Call 866.262.0531 to talk to the knowledgeable therapists at Crestview Recovery today.
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.
