Pain Medication Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Use

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<h1>Pain Medication Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Use</h1><strong> Author: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/profile_Dr. Basim Elhabashy.aspx'>Dr. Basim Elhabashy</a></strong><br /><p>The increase in abuse of pain medication and prescription drugs is a major precursor to the increasing use of heroin. The population of young people who started off using pain medication are switching to heroin due to the fact that it is cheaper and easier to obtain. Many start off by snorting it and soon switch to injecting heroin for a faster effect. The withdrawal for pain medication or heroin should be done under medical supervision. There are many good substance abuse programs that offer detox from the substances. Although withdrawal from heroin may be harsh, the initial withdrawal is only about 2 weeks and is more predictable. The detox from pain killers, if not done properly, can lead to seizures, strokes and death. It is also very unpredictable in each individual. Pain killers act on the same brain areas as heroin, and are very addictive. Opiates and heroin stimulate the brain’s reward pathway and releases dopamine, giving a sense of pleasure and relief. Once someone has crossed the line into addiction of pain medication (opioids), and can’t obtain them anymore, heroin is the next best thing. For those patients who are using painkillers for pain very often grow a tolerance to them and find themselves needing more to control the pain. In some cases, because opioids do distort the thinking process, people forget how much they have taken and then can overdose. Reports by SAMHSA, (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration), shows that people who abused opioids for nonmedical use were at higher risk for using heroin. Both heroin and prescription pain medication are very difficult to stop once they are addicted. The number of those reporting the use of heroin has increased dramatically. Most report that they had used prescription pain medication for nonmedical use. The sharp rise of heroin usage affects every area of the country, except in the South where this epidemic remains low. It seems that the trends of using pain medication for nonmedical reasons and the increase in heroin use are becoming the norm for college students. The pressures of school, anxiety, and peer pressure can make taking opioids to feel better the thing to do. It is essential that those who are struggling with pain medication abuse to be made aware of the risks and rehab places that can help them. In conjunction with drug treatment programs and FDA approved medications, the cycle of painkiller abuse and heroin use can be stopped, and a drug free life can begin. For more information, contact www.goodfuturerehabcenter.com.</p><strong>About the Author:</strong><br />If you want <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.goodfuturerehabcenter.com/prescription-drug-abuse-treatment/">Recovery from Prescription Pain Medication</a> then visit any rehab center for getting treatment.<p> Article Source: <a href='http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Pain-Medication-Abuse-Can-Lead-to-Heroin-Use_305367.aspx'> http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Pain Medication Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Use_305367.aspx</a></p>

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Pain Medication Abuse Can Lead to Heroin Use_305367.aspx

Keywords : Recovery from Prescription Pain Medication, Pain Medication Abuse, Prescription Pain Medication Detox,

Category : Health and Fitness : Health and Fitness