If you’ve recently become aware that a loved one is using heroin, or suspect they might be, it’s time to take action. It only takes using heroin one time for some people to become addicted. And like all other addictions, early detection and intervention is always the best strategy.
Heroin: The Basics
Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants. It can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.
Loved ones addicted to heroin will likely do their best to hide the habit from you. It’s important that you know what to look for when trying to identify a problem.
Paraphernalia. If a loved one uses heroin on a regular basis, he will have his own supplies. That could include a little bowl to dissolve the heroin in, needles, lighters, spoons, belts, rubber ties, pipes or foil. Search everywhere. You might be surprised how easily these things can be hidden.
New Friends. If your loved one suddenly starts hanging out with a whole new group (especially if she has no obvious ties with them) that’s one of the earliest signs of drug use.
Lack of Interest. Keep an eye out for a loss of interest in favorite hobbies or activities. Grades that have dropped or poor work performance can go hand-in-hand with heroin use as well.
Trance-Like State. If your loved one is having a hard time staying focused and looks like they’re falling asleep, that’s a classic sign of opiate use. When heroin enters the brain, users feel a strong euphoria, followed by a trance-like state.
Track Marks. These are often found on the inside of the elbow, on the wrist, on the back of the hand, behind the knees or even between toes. Keep an eye out for long-sleeved shirts and other attempts to hide such marks.
Change in Personality. Heroin is the only thing that matters in an addict’s life. Family commitments and other people’s problems will be ignored, and lying to protect drug use will be normal.
Legal Issues. Theft or other crimes, resulting in legal issues, is common among addicts. They might steal money from your purse, steal your jewelry or take your credit cards.
Overdoses on the Rise
Heroin is a highly-addictive drug. People who regularly use heroin can quickly develop a tolerance (meaning they’ll need higher and more frequent doses of the drug to get the effects they’re looking for). This puts them at increased risk for an overdose.
When people overdose on heroin, their breathing often slows or even stops, potentially decreasing the amount of oxygen reaching the brain (a condition called hypoxia). This can have short- and long-term mental effects and effects on the nervous system, including coma and permanent brain damage.
Heroin deaths are on the rise and many victims are first-time users. Knowing how to handle an overdose can save someone’s life. A person who has overdosed on heroin can be unconscious, extremely drowsy, delirious or disoriented. They could have very small pupils, a dry mouth, discolored tongue and uncontrollable muscle movements. They may have a bluish tint to their lips, nails or skin and may be breathing shallowly or not at all. Call 911 immediately if you see any of these symptoms in your loved one.
Get Your Loved One the Help They Need
If you think a loved one might be using heroin, get them the help they need. Dealing with a drug-addiction is not something you can do on your own—it’s a disease that needs to be treated. Our certified counselors will work with your loved one to help them choose the best program for their unique needs. Facing addiction alone can be overwhelming. We’re here to help. Fill out this form or call us today at (661) 630-4176.
What if the answer to substance addiction was building healthy attachments and being in a loving family environment? What if the types of “cages” (or houses) that people live in can trigger or hinder substance addiction?
According to Johann Hari, author of Chasing the Scream: The First and Last Days on the Wars on Drugs, dysfunctional family environments, and alienation from other human beings cause substance addiction.
In a Huffington Post article, Hari compares two groups of clients who are treated with opiates at a hospital. After discharge, some patients become addicted, and end up on the streets trying to get a fix, while others return home, and stop taking drugs. According to Hari, both groups received opiates for the same length of time. He believes that the patients with loving families do not become addicts, while those who live lonely lives, or who reside with dysfunctional relatives turn to drugs.
It appears that the author has no factual evidence to back up his claim about the clients receiving opiates. And his concluding statement, “The opposite of addiction isn’t sobriety. It’s connection” is confusing at best.
The bottom line is that the field of addiction science has already proven certain truths about substance abuse.
According to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, addiction is a chronic disease, which is defined by drug seeking and use that is difficult to control. Factors that contribute to the manifestation of a substance abuse disorder include biology (or genetics), and environment. While Hari argues that a loving family environment is the key to a person not becoming an addict, the reality is that the environment is not limited to family members. Human beings do not live in a bubble. Influences from the outside world, including peer pressure, social media and economic status, are risk factors.
Another dynamic that influences substance addiction is growth. Drugs and/or alcohol alter the areas in the brain that control cognitive abilities. For teens, that’s a real concern because their brains are still in development. By trying drugs at a young age, there is a probability that they could acquire a substance abuse disorder.
According to the New York Times review of Chasing the Scream, Hari, who is British, once wrote columns for The Atlantic, The Independent and The Huffington Post. His career as a political writer bloomed until 2011, when he was caught for plagiarism and for creating quotes. After a period of silence, he resurfaced with Chasing the Scream. The first half of the book profiles three Americans, including singer Billie Holiday. Hari viewed these individuals as prototypes for his message regarding the war on drugs. While the review says that the first part of the book shows empathy on the part of the author, the second half of the book shows Hari’s unsuccessful attempts at classifying the causes of substance addiction, as well as his failed effort at discussing effective treatment options.
His main sources are three scientists including Gabor Mate, a Hungarian-born Canadian physician who believed that the roots of substance addiction stemmed from childhood trauma. This correlation had already been established in the field of addiction way before Mate’s declaration.
Another source is the Canadian psychologist Bruce Alexander and his Rat Park. Back in the seventies, Alexander studied an experiment that was used to illustrate substance addiction. The trial consisted of putting two rats in separate cages, which were both empty except for bottles of water. One rat’s bottle contained heroin-infused water, while the other rat drank plain water. Naturally, the rat with the heroin water died. Alexander felt that the rat cage experiment was a bad example of illustrating substance addiction. So he created the Rat Park. This recreational area included rats, toys, food, and two bottles of water, one plain, the other one mixed with heroin. The rats sampled the bottle of water with heroin, found it distasteful, and moved on to the healthier option. These rats never became rodent junkies. Not only were they happy and content, but also they created a fellowship.
In the book, Hari writes, “It isn’t the drug that causes the harmful behavior—it’s the environment. An isolated rat will almost always become a junkie. A rat with a good life almost never will, no matter how many drugs you make available to him. As Bruce put it: he was realizing that addiction isn’t a disease. Addiction is an adaptation. It’s not you—it’s the cage you live in.”
Besides Alexander and Mates, Hari’s study includes the principles of psychiatrist John Mark, who believed in administering prescription narcotics to addicts. The bottom line is that Hari’s theory is more of an opinion based on the research of three questionable sources.
When it comes to learning about substance addiction, as well as obtaining comprehensive treatment, its best to consult professionals in the field. Not only are comparing rats to human beings ludicrous, but also the statement lacks compassion and insight.
At Cycles of Change Recovery Services, we offer comprehensive evidence-based treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, along with 12-step facilitation. If you are an addict, or the relative of a loved one who struggles with substance addiction, please do not hesitate to call us. Our drug rehab is comprised of specially trained professionals who will provide individualized treatment plans for you or your loved one. Many of us have been there ourselves, and we are passionate about helping you or your loved one heal from the bondage of addiction, and learn how to live a life in recovery.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Sources
Hari, Johann. “The Likely Cause of Addiction Has Been Discovered, and It Is Not What You Think.” Huffington Post. 20 Jan. 2015.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/johann-hari/the-real-cause-of-addicti_b_6506936.html
Mnookin, Seth. ‘Chasing the Scream’, by Johann Hari. The New York Times Book Review. 13 Feb. 2015.
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/15/books/review/chasing-the-scream-by-johann-hari.html?_r=0
Monbiot, George. “The Age of Loneliness is Killing Us.” The Guardian. 14 October 2014.
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/oct/14/age-of-loneliness-killing-us
“Understanding Drug Addiction.” National Institute of Drug Abuse. 2016 August.
https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/understanding-drug-use-addiction
On an annual basis, the Psychiatric Times reports, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, with 34,000 individuals taking their own lives, and with 5% of American adults making a serious suicide attempt. About 90% of those who commit suicide have a mental health disorder, and one third of those people are under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. Addicts with co-occurring disorders are six times more likely to commit suicide than the average population. These individuals typically require a drug rehab that features a solid dual diagnosis program.
Addicts suffering with depression, or with Bipolar Disorder I or II, are especially vulnerable to having suicidal ideations.
For addicts who have suicidal thoughts, hope has run out, (or so they believe). They become conscious of their chaotic lives, which are a result of losing jobs, being shunned by family and/or other factors. Additionally, substance abuse leads to clinical depression because drugs of abuse tamper with the brain stem, cerebral cortex and the limbic system, the latter being the part of the brain that is known as the “reward center.” Drugs target the limbic system, releasing excessive amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that regulates feelings of euphoria. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, long-term drug abuse causes the brain to put the brakes on the dopamine. Let’s imagine the amount of dopamine being released is like accidentally turning up the volume all the way up on a car stereo. While the driver will turn down the volume, the brain curtails the capacity of dopamine.
The brain’s restraint of dopamine causes the addict to feel depressed. Then life becomes a vicious cycle. To combat those dark feelings, addicts use a larger quantity of drugs to get high. Ultimately, the drugs stop working, and the addict feels lifeless. This is a dangerous place to be, both mentally and physically.
Another perilous aspect of substance addiction is isolation. Addicts are in their own world, and often their loneliness can be unbearable. Whether they are by themselves, or in the presence of others, it’s hard for them to connect. They are too busy obsessing about their next fix and/or drink, and feelings of shame, guilt and remorse make them withdraw from other people. So they turn to their drug of choice or contemplate suicide. Sometimes they drink and/or use more than their bodies can handle, and die of an overdose.
Suicidal feelings not only affect those who are still using and/or drinking, but also can target newly clean and sober addicts, because without their drugs of choice, painful emotions often emerge to the surface. A comprehensive substance abuse and addiction treatment program could have really helped them deal with those painful feelings, which are often the reason they drank and/or used to begin with.
And then there are the pink cloud people who talk about how great their lives are, even though they are newly clean and sober. In reality, their lives are a mess. Perhaps they are facing jail time for DUI’s, have lost their jobs, and/or have had family shun them. While they experience a pink cloud, they are immune to facing reality. Eventually, painful feelings will emerge, and what happens next, really depends on the individual. While others work on their recovery, some relapse. And then there are those who contemplate suicide because their pink cloud has turned into a thunderstorm.
Many years ago, at an AA meeting, I heard a speaker say that when he became newly sober, he did not have a pink cloud. (As a matter of fact, neither did I, if anything, I felt like that character from Charlie Brown, who had the rain cloud over his head). The speaker said that he was wading in a sea of remorse. While he discussed the importance of the 12 steps in helping him heal from those feelings, I felt that I needed more than the steps, because after I got sober, depression hit me like a two by four, and often immobilized me. Sometimes it was hard for me to open my Big Book, let alone do step work.
Cycles of Change Recovery Services offers a clinical, evidence-based treatment for substance abuse and co-occurring disorders, as well as 12-step facilitation.
Set against the picturesque landscape of the Antelope Valley desert, the beautiful gender-specific homes at Cycles of Change Recovery Services provide the perfect atmosphere for healing from the damages of substance addiction.
Instead of isolation, clients receive ample support, from staff and their peers. And the spacious houses give clients space and room for reflection. At night, colorful water fountains cascade from the pools, creating a sense of serenity.
If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance abuse disorder, please do not hesitate to contact us.
We are here to help.
Sources
“Drugs, Brains, and Behavior: The Science of Addiction.” National Institute on Drug Abuse. https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugs-brains-behavior-science-addiction/drugs-brain
IIgen, Mark, and Felicia, Kleingberg, MSW. “The Link Between Substance Abuse, Violence and Suicide.” Psychiatric Times. http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/substance-use-disorder/link-between-substance-abuse-violence-and-suicide
Since Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith founded Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) back in 1935 in Akron, Ohio, the organization, whose primary resolve is to help alcoholics stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety has evolved to include other self-help organizations. Like AA, these organizations use 12-step principles. Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is a fellowship of men and women whose major problem is drugs, and Cocaine Anonymous (CA) is a fellowship for those who are newly clean cocaine addicts. And besides CA and NA, there is Marijuana Anonymous (MA), Al-Anon (for family members of alcoholics and/or addicts), OA (overeaters anonymous) and a plethora of other 12-step organizations.
Since its inception, AA has been the subject of controversy. In 2011 an article, published in The Atlantic, and written by anti-AA author Gabrielle Glaser (Her Best-Kept Secret: Why Women Drink-And How They Can Regain control), systematically ripped apart the organization. Glaser wrote how AA’s faith based approach, of which five of the 12 steps mention God, was a turn off to a newly clean and sober attorney, J.G. Not only was J.G. an atheist but also he was discouraged because of AA’s belief in total abstinence. J.G. felt that other AA members would consider him a failure if he went on a “bender.” Why would J.G. care so much about what others thought of him? The fact that he considered going on a bender was an issue that had to be addressed.
When Glaser discusses how The Big Book’s chapter, For The Wives is derogatory to women, I chuckled. When I initially got sober in August 2011 after over a decade of heavy drinking, I went to a Big Book study. Guess what chapter the group was discussing? For the Wives. I reacted the way Glaser did. Not only did I get into a heated debate with the rest of the group, calling the chapter misogynistic, and archaic, but after I left the meeting, I carried around that anger for weeks. Then, I relapsed. I think the resentment was not about the chapter, but something deeper, specifically my own hurt over a past relationship.
Thankfully, I finally got sober in November, 2011.
But to give J.G. the benefit of the doubt, I used to get annoyed by the mention of God. While I was born and baptized Greek Orthodox, I considered myself an agnostic. Even today, I question the concept of God, and yet I have felt a Higher Power work in my life. Perhaps I can’t quite put a face to this Higher Power, but I feel its positive force and energy. My mom died in 2002 as a result of cancer, and while I have not “seen” her, I have felt her presence. It’s the same feeling I get with this Higher Power, and its easier to get in touch with God, by having clarity of mind.
While the 12 steps mention God, lets give Dr. Bob and Bill Wilson some credit, ok? They were pioneers of a movement! During the early part of the 20th century, alcoholics were sent to hospitals and sanitariums, and often treated like criminals.
Bill W. and Dr. Bob not only worked at changing the stigma that surrounded alcoholics, but also gave them the promise of a new life, one that allowed them to have hope and dignity.
Out of all the AA members who contributed to the writing of the Big Book, Bill Wilson had the longest period of sobriety, and that was four years. (I have a little over five years, as of this writing!) After a lifetime of drinking, he did his best. Some concepts that inspired him while he wrote the Big Book were borrowed from the Gospel of Matthew, and the General Letter of James. As I perused through the Book of Matthew, this verse popped out at me. (“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” Other ideas used by Bill W. and Dr. Bob to write the Big Book were inspired by the Oxford Group, a Christian-based organization that believed that the root of all problems was fear and selfishness, and that the key to serenity was turning one’s life over to God’s design.
I am not sure if Matthew 22:37 inspired Wilson, but the concept of surrendering to a Higher Power is hinted in the Biblical verse, as well as in the ideology of the Oxford Group.
And who wrote that infamous For the Wives? Bill W. authored that chapter. Ironically, his wife Lois said, “Bill wrote it, and I was mad.” She added, “I wasn’t so much mad as hurt. I still don’t know why Bill wrote it. I’ve never really gotten into it.” She told Bill that perhaps she should have written that chapter, but he insisted on doing so, because he wanted it to match the style of the Book.
So it was a stylistic choice.
While AA stresses abstinence, Glaser believes that alcoholics (unless they are severe drinkers) can drink in moderation, even by using the drug naltrexone to ward off cravings.
How does one distinguish between a moderate and severe drinker? Alcoholics are not always rational, and many are in denial. And moderation can lead to relapse. After some period of sobriety, relapse causes horrible withdrawal symptoms. While cravings might remain the same, the alcoholic’s tolerance level has decreased. Drinking can be a death sentence.
According to a Scientific American article, Alcoholics Anonymous works best in conjunction with other therapies.
The Scientific American article reports that other forms of therapy that work with AA include evidence-based treatment, as well as treatment that has a 12-step facilitation approach. Basically, clients work with professionals who help them work through the first four or five of the 12 steps, and introduce them to 12-step meetings.
The other day I rented the film, The Girl on the Train starring Emily Blunt who portrays Rachel, an alcoholic who rides a train every day through upstate New York. While doing so, she gazes out of the window of the train, looking at a beautiful Colonial-style house, which is across the tracks. It turns out that the Colonial was her old home, where once upon a time, she lived with Tom, her ex husband, who dumped her to marry a beautiful blonde named Anna. Apparently, Tom deserted her because she could not get pregnant. And now he has a beautiful baby with Anna, a fact that torments Rachel even more. Besides mourning her old life and drinking herself to death with vodka, Rachel is obsessed with another couple, Megan and Scott who live next door to her old house in an equally majestic Colonial. Every time Rachel’s train goes by, Megan and Scott are kissing on the balcony. Suddenly, Megan disappears. After her body is located in the woods, the story revolves around finding her killer. Rachel is one of the suspects, because she was in the vicinity when Megan disappeared. However, Rachel does not remember what happened that day because she blacked out due to her heavy drinking. Throughout the course of the film, Rachel’s memory slowly comes back to her and she locates the killer.
I rented the movie because I wanted to see how Rachel’s alcoholism played out in the film. According to the New York Times movie review, the character of Rachel “does not appear that far gone.” And even though she drinks “way too much” I had a hard time believing that Rachel was an alcoholic. Another thing that made me gape in disbelief was how quickly Rachel, who guzzled vodka from a water bottle all day long, just stopped drinking. She had no withdrawal symptoms, nor did she suffer from delirium tremens (DT’s). How in God’s name did she do that?
However, (spoiler alert!) this movie is not about Rachel overcoming her alcoholism. It’s about her becoming an instant sleuth and trying to figure out who killed Megan. During the course of her investigation, in which she ends up in some dangerous scenarios, she realizes that Tom had physically and emotionally abused her while they were together. She also figures out that the abuse that she endured at the hands of her slimy ex-husband had triggered her alcoholism.
Domestic Violence & Substance Abuse
Domestic violence and substance abuse can walk hand in hand.
Women who are victims of domestic violence often turn to drugs and/or alcohol to eradicate the feelings of pain that they experience, while being in such toxic relationships. Sometimes batterers encourage them to drink and/or use, as shown in the Power and Control Model for Women’s Substance Abuse. The wheel shaped model shows the different ways in which batterers exert power and control over their victims. When their victims develop substance abuse disorders, batterers exert control. In the film, there is one scene where Tom pours Rachel a glass of vodka, and we discover that he coerced her to drink while they were married. By that point, however, she has been sober for a few days. After she refuses to drink the vodka, he hurls it into her face.
Like Rachel who drank because she was a victim of domestic violence, women drink and/or use during a violent relationship because the alcohol and/or booze become coping mechanisms. Typically, abused women are 15 times more likely to develop alcoholism, and nine times more likely to abuse drugs, than women in healthier relationships. By abusing chemical substances, women have a harder time leaving their batterers. Sadly, if they are under the influence, and call 911 for help, the police might question their credibility. During a scene when Rachel confronts the female detective (played by Allison Janney), the detective treats her as if she is a suspect. She also mocks her and does not believe Rachel’s suspicions.
Perpetrators often sabotage their partners’ newly found sobriety. This is another way to ensure that the women remain trapped in the relationship. Sometimes perpetrators do atrocious things to women who are trying to get help, like bringing booze and/or drugs into the house. These men, who are walking time bombs, will even go crazy if their partners tell them that they are going to a co-ed 12-step meeting. Chances are, they will forbid them to go to the AA/NA meeting because they are jealous of their partners hooking up with another recovering addict!
Batterers also have a tendency to drink and/or use. By being loaded, they can lose control and hurt their partner.
Intimate Partner Violence and Addiction
The American Society of Addiction Medicine reports that substance abuse has been found in conjunction with 40 to 60% of intimate partner violence (IPV). It’s hard for a female addict, especially one with children, to get away from a batterer. IPV is the primary reason of female homicides and injury-related deaths during pregnancy.
While our country is making advancements in dealing with domestic violence, we still live in a society where some women fear for their lives on a daily basis.
Sometimes it’s hard for a woman to take her children and leave, but getting out of a violent relationship often becomes a matter of life or death. There are many organizations that help women who suffer from domestic violence.
And it is vital that victims of domestic violence get treatment for substance addiction.
Recovery can be a powerful weapon for a woman.
With a clear mind, and a lighter spirit, it’s easier for her to break the chains from the past, and feel a sense of freedom and peace. Recovery will help her become a better mom for her children. Women who have suffered from domestic violence require clinical, evidence-based substance abuse and addiction treatment, as well as a strong dual diagnosis program. Depression and other co-occurring disorders often walk hand in hand with newly clean and sober women who have been in brutal relationships. At Cycles of Change Recovery Services, our substance abuse and treatment program provides a holistic approach to treatment. Not only do we offer clinical, evidence-based practices, and dual diagnosis support, but also our program includes trauma-informed care.
Women who have suffered in horrible relationships will discover that this is the best treatment. By treating their minds, bodies and spirits, they will feel hope, and the promise of a new life.
Not sure if our treatment program is right for you or your loved one?
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