Heroin Addiction

Heroin is a drug that is derived from the opium poppy. It is used for both medical and recreational purposes. Due to its effect and it’s highly addictive characteristics, it is often abused. This causes physical and psychological dependence. Despite that fact that it is an illegal substance, thousands of people a year are convicted of manufacturing, selling and possessing it. Because of the psychological dependency this drug causes, one of the most important treatments for heroin addiction is addiction counselling. It is used to prepare the client for life once the physical dependency has been removed. Addiction counselling provides advice and guidance for sufferers of heroin addiction.

The goal of addiction counselling is to help the client abstain from using this or any other type of chemical that is addictive. The approach is often started by explaining the detrimental effects that heroin addiction has to their personal environment. It addresses the manner in which the addiction has taken the place of friends and family. The clients often deny that the addiction exists, regardless of all of the physical factors that show otherwise. A counsellor’s duty is to help them recognize the problem. Once this phase is successfully completed, they move on to the next.

The counsellor encourages the client with a heroin addiction to avoid heroin and to learn how to deal with life without the use of heroin. When heroin enters a person’s blood stream it quickly moves to the brain in much the same way morphine does. It causes feelings of intense pleasure. This euphoric feeling is short-lived. Mental functions become clouded, breathing and heartbeat slows or stops. Those with a heroin addiction often sleep for several hours once the high has worn off.  They are often physically ill and experience severe itching. The long-term effects on the body are significant. The longer it is used, the more the body adapts.

Larger doses are needed to continue the euphoric feeling.  Withdrawal symptoms may begin within hours of the last dose, causing the user to begin the search for more. They become restless, impatient and are prone to sudden mood swings. As symptoms increase, they experience muscle pain, insomnia, vomiting, and cold flashes. The addiction itself causes a change in attitude. When living with heroin addiction, getting the next “hit” becomes a priority.  Professional and personal responsibilities are neglected. Addiction counselling sessions and other treatments like clinical hypnotherapy have proven to be effective in assisting the recovery process.

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