Healthline does not endorse the use of any illegal substances, and we recognize abstaining from them is always the safest approach. However, we believe in providing accessible and accurate information to reduce the harm that can occur when using. Opioid use disorder is a serious condition, but it’s treatable.

Reward system

Follow-up care can include periodic appointments with your counselor, continuing in a self-help program or attending a regular group session. While naloxone has been on the market for years, a nasal spray (Narcan, Kloxxado) and an injectable form are now available, though they can be very expensive. Whatever the method of delivery, seek immediate medical care after using naloxone. Even so, the immediate and long-term effects of heroin are often apparent to the bystander.

• They’re often used and misused in search of a «high,» or to boost energy, to improve performance at work or school, or to lose weight or control appetite.
• But each time, Groves felt the progress he made in therapy morphed into people talking at him, telling him what to do.
• Additionally, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) can help modify a person’s expectations and behaviors related to taking heroin.
• Drugmakers often mix heroin with other substances to make their product bulkier, cheaper, and stronger.

Are there complications or side effects?

These medicines can reduce your craving for opioids and may help you avoid relapse. Medicine treatment options for opioid addiction may include buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone, and a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. If your drug use is out of control or causing problems, get help. The sooner you seek help, the greater your chances for a long-term recovery. Talk with your health care provider or see a mental health provider, such as a doctor who specializes in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry, heroin addiction treatment or a licensed alcohol and drug counselor.

Recognizing unhealthy drug use in family members

Learning to recognize the devices used with heroin and what the drug actually looks like may help you identify heroin use in someone you care about. If you think a friend or family member is using heroin, don’t wait and hope things will get better. The liver starts to break down (or metabolize) heroin within minutes. If someone took your blood, they could only detect the pure form of the drug for about 5 minutes.

This can lead to heart attacks, strokes, and permanent organ damage. Some additives are deadly and can kill a person within minutes. It’s nearly impossible to tell what’s been added to heroin without conducting tests.