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Tag: heroin addiction

  • "Breaking Amish" Star Almost Died of Heroin Overdose

    "Breaking Amish" Star Almost Died of Heroin Overdose

    Reality star Sabrina Burkholder opened up about the overdose on Facebook.

    Sabrina Burkholder, a star of TLC’s reality television series Breaking Amish, revealed to her fans on Facebook that she recently suffered from an overdose that nearly took her life. She wrote that the incident happened while she and her boyfriend Jethro were out and about in June.

    “A few days before my 32nd birthday, almost 2 months ago, Jethro and I were with our friend Sean in York County, PA,” she wrote on the Facebook post. “I was almost a year clean from heroin. For whatever reason that day, I was in a mood. We all were.”

    Her friend Sean then produced drugs for the trio to take.

    “We did the molly and then Sean did some heroin and handed me a capful of it. I asked him if it was all for me because it looked like a lot. He was like ‘Yeah happy birthday.’ So I mixed it up and shot it,” she recalled on the post.

    The next thing she knew, she woke up to paramedics and her distressed boyfriend around her.

    “I remember feeling very weird and that was my last conscious thought. Half an hour later I woke up surrounded by paramedics,” she continued the post. “I remember seeing Jethro staring at me with tears running down his face. And I was suddenly hit with memories of what happened when I was dead. Yes, dead.”

    It turns out that while she was unconscious, both Sean and Jethro were fighting for her life.

    “Sean did CPR on me and kept on going even after my heart had stopped beating. Jethro was kneeling on the ground crying out to God to save me,” she wrote in the post. “Sean and Jethro both told me later that Sean tried to stop after he realized I was gone, but Jethro kept screaming at him to keep on going and wouldn’t let him stop giving me CPR.”

    Fortunately, paramedics were able to revive her with Narcan, which reversed the effects of the overdose to keep her alive.

    “They had to narcan me twice to bring me back. They only had 2 narcans on them; had I needed another, I wouldn’t be here,” she recalled. “That experience shook me to my core and forced me to look at the shitty person I’ve allowed myself to become.”

    Burkholder is now focused on recovery, according to a more recent post.

    “Trying not to lose my mind on this road trip… I am so excited to get to rehab,” she wrote on August 4. “3 more hours of this bs and then I’m off the map. Adios.”

    The incident represents only the latest of her struggles. On the show Breaking Amish, Burkholder was one of a handful of Amish or Mennonite people who traveled to New York to experience the outside world. Fans of the show have been following her struggle with sobriety since season one in 2012.

    In 2017, Burkholder was charged with manufacture of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and criminal conspiracy.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • EDM Star Illenium Pens Message About Heroin Addiction Struggles

    EDM Star Illenium Pens Message About Heroin Addiction Struggles

    The producer and EDM artist became sober after a heroin overdose six years ago.

    Producer and electronic dance music (EDM) artist Illenium revealed to fans his struggle with heroin dependency that helped to inspire his current single “Take You Down.”

    The open letter, which was posted on his Twitter feed and website, detailed the impact that his dependency had on his career and personal life, as well as an overdose that occurred six years ago.

    Having gained sobriety after the overdose, Illenium wrote that he hoped listeners that might be going through similar issues “find peace in their struggles” and thanked those that had shared their experiences with him.

    Born Nicholas D. Miller in Chicago, Illinois, Illenium has enjoyed a rapid rise to stardom, beginning in 2013 with a self-titled EP and later, his studio album debut with 2016’s Ashes.

    It was quickly followed by a second album, Awake, in 2017, and collaborations with fellow EDM artists Kill the Noise and Mako on the single “Don’t Give Up on Me,” and with Excision (“Gold (Stupid Love)”). Miller issued the statement about the song and his experiences on August 1, two days before the official release of “Take You Down.” 

    In the letter, Miller cites stories from his fans about their own personal struggles as the impetus for sharing his experiences with them.

    “Some of you have said my music changed your life, helped you through depression, addiction, a lost love one, the list goes on,” he wrote. “Honestly, I feel bad because you don’t know how much that truly means to me, because I’ve been there, too… In the depths.”

    According to Miller, his issues with opiates began at a young age, and culminated in an overdose six years ago—approximately a year before the release of his self-titled EP. “I was trapped in [dependency], no passion, no direction, and truly hated myself,” he wrote.

    But with gaining sobriety—which came after the overdose—and the ascent of his career, came a sense of salvation through his music. “I’m not telling you to preach or say how I found some magical cure or that everyone needs to live like I do,” he wrote. “I’m just sharing my story and relating because music saved my life, too.”

    Although he noted that “Take You Down” is about his dependency, Miller also wrote that the track is about the toll taken on families and those who love the individual who is in crisis.

    He also stated that the song is also about his mother, who “never gave up on me and always continued to see the good” in him. Miller concluded the letter by thanking his fans for sharing their lives with him, as well as the fervent hope that they know “that anything can be overcome.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • The 1975’s Frontman Matty Healy: I Thought I Was A "Good Drug Addict"

    The 1975’s Frontman Matty Healy: I Thought I Was A "Good Drug Addict"

    The now-clean frontman of the band The 1975 reveals he was struggling with heroin addiction last year.

    Matty Healy, frontman of rock band The 1975, revealed in an interview with Billboard that he was under the influence of drugs for a large portion of 2017 but has since cleaned up his act.

    He first realized he may have a problem when he embarked on a benzodiazepine-fueled ego trip, ranting at his bandmates after they discovered he was smoking heroin again.

    “Listen, everyone has to get onboard because I’m the f—ing main deal,” Healy recalled telling his fellow band members, who have known him since they were in high school. “If you want the songs, we’re just going to have to get on with it.”

    He told them he planned to detox after they start recording their third album. But the next morning, he had regrets over the way he acted towards them.

    “I realized that was absolutely f—ing bulls—,” he told Billboard. Finding his bandmate George [Daniel], Healy told him “I should go to rehab.”

    Healy went to a Barbados rehab in November and stayed for seven weeks. While he is now clean of heroin, he recalls a time when he would be able to dump the habit for weeks at a time only to relapse when he was off on his own. Healy thought he was a “good drug addict,” but realized that the addiction could very easily cost him everything.

    “People had started to lose respect for me, but not an irredeemable amount,” he said.

    To hold himself accountable, he’s promised to take a drug test every week in front of his bandmates.

    Healy reflects on his struggles with heroin in the song “It’s Not Living If It’s Not With You” on the band’s upcoming album, A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, and it’s definitely not a song meant to romanticize drugs.

    “I don’t want to fetishize it, because it’s really dull and it’s really dangerous,” he told Billboard. “The thought of being to a young person what people like [William S.] Burroughs were to me when I was a teenager makes me feel ill. … I still risked it.”

    Since getting clean of heroin, he’s also realized that he’s wasted time chasing things he thought would make him happy, but this pursuit does nothing for your own self-esteem.

    “I thought it would be like, ‘Ooh, a bit of gold, a Rolls-Royce’ — I never had a Rolls-Royce — ‘drugs with a pop star, shag that pop star’ — I didn’t shag any pop stars — all of the trappings of a music video,” he reflected. “And what you realize is the pursuit of happiness is this Sisyphean thing for most people. Thinking that the goal is to be happy is a bit mad. It’s more about fleeting moments of joy and knowing that life is hard.”

    While he is clean of heroin, Healy still chooses to smoke marijuana.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Artie Lange: Howard Stern "Did Not Understand Addiction"

    Artie Lange: Howard Stern "Did Not Understand Addiction"

    The comedian opened up about addiction, alcoholism and his relationship with former boss Howard Stern on an episode of the Dopey Podcast.

    Artie Lange, best known for his gig as the “everyman” sidekick on The Howard Stern Show, recently opened up about how addiction destroyed his relationship with the legendary shock jock.

    Lange’s struggle with substance abuse has been lengthy and highly publicized. Over the years, the troubled comedian has routinely bottomed out while in the spotlight, ranging from canceled stand-up appearances to his suicide attempt in 2010.

    He’s also had his police mugshot taken a number of times during his career, including three arrests in 2017 alone. Still, perhaps the most infamous fallout from Lange’s demons remains his firing from Stern at the end of 2009—a blow that clearly casts a long shadow across Lange’s career. 

    Guesting on the Dopey Podcast, Lange revealed just how unmanageable his life had become in 2009 thanks to cocaine, heroin, pills and booze. Despite seeing the root of his problems, Lange’s behavior ended his otherwise wildly popular run on the radio show.

    Even worse than his addled on-air appearances, Lange suggested, was the uncomfortable position he had put Stern in.

    “Howard did not understand addiction. He gave me the best job ever and he is a genius,” he affirmed on the podcast. “I was on the show for over eight years, but towards the end I was a complete addict.”

    Lange likened his relationship with Stern to “a son-and-dad kind of thing,” which potentially made Stern’s decision to fire the comedian more complicated.

    Lange also disclosed that he was earning $4 million a year from The Howard Stern Show, in addition to a variety of other opportunities, such as a starring role in the 2006 comedy Beer League.  

    Shortly after being let go from Stern, Lange’s drug problems and depression worsened. In 2010, he attempted suicide. And while Lange eventually recovered from the incident, it’s obvious that he hasn’t entirely gotten over being fired from the highly-rated program.

    In recent months, Lange has even taken to blasting his former boss on social media, threatening to post Stern’s private phone number online. Interestingly, as Lange continues to escalate the feud, he doesn’t fault Stern when it comes to comprehending the true depths of his addiction.

    “He didn’t know the extent of it. There’s no way he could’ve,” he told Uproxx. Lange added that even though Stern couldn’t grasp just how far gone the comedian was, he tried to get Lange the help he so desperately needed.

    Stern even connected him with a therapist, put him into a treatment center, and encouraged him to take all the time he needed to find sobriety.

    During the podcast interview, though, Lange indicated that Stern’s efforts were as generous as they were futile. Lange was straightforward and serious about the reality of his addictions, admitting that he might soon relapse and never find long-term sobriety.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Can Blue Lights Deter Public Drug Use?

    Can Blue Lights Deter Public Drug Use?

    Public health experts say the blue lights make people more prone to hurting themselves and further stigmatize those who struggle with addiction.

    As the nation struggles with an ever-worsening opioid epidemic, some retailers are experimenting with an innovative solution to curb the drug use that takes place in their facilities.

    According to USA Today, a number of convenience stores and supermarkets have installed blue-colored lightbulbs in their restrooms. The strategy is simple; the blue lighting makes it all but impossible for people to see their veins, which retailers hope will prevent them from shooting up.

    “The hardest-core opiate user still wants to be accurate. They want to make sure the needle goes in the right spot,” said Read Hayes, the director of the Loss Prevention Research Council.

    The Council develops methods to deter theft and violent crime at retail stores. When it comes to drug users shooting up in the semi-privacy of public bathroom stalls, Hayes hopes to “disrupt that process” with the blue lights.

    Turkey Hill Minit Markets, a Pennsylvania chain of convenience stores with over 260 locations, partnered with the Loss Prevention Research Council to test whether the blue bulbs will do the trick in driving down drug use. While the study is just six months old, early word from its 20 test stores has been positive.

    Turkey Hill reports that employees haven’t found any used needles or people slumped over from an overdose. Matt Dorgan, Turkey Hill’s asset protection manager, knew it was time to take action in neighborhoods that have been slammed by the opioid crisis.

    “We realized we need to do something to protect our associates and our customers,” Dorgan said. “We’re not finding hardly anything anymore. It’s a pretty dramatic reduction. We haven’t had a single overdose.”

    Not everyone is convinced that blue lights are the answer, however. In previous research studies, opioid users said they’d shoot up anywhere “if it meant avoiding withdrawal symptoms,” USA Today reported.

    Public health experts also say the blue lights only make people more prone to hurting themselves, not to mention further stigmatizing those who struggle with addiction.

    Also, people who are accustomed to injecting themselves won’t be deterred by a room bathed in blue light. Someone suffering from withdrawal “is going to want to use as soon as possible, even if the location is not optimal,” said Brett Wolfson-Stofko, a researcher at the National Development & Research Institutes, who has studied injection drug use in public places.

    Other experts advocate for more practical solutions like needle disposal containers.

    Meanwhile, some areas have taken the blue-light concept to new levels, USA Today reported. The city of Philadelphia, wracked by a 30% increase in opioid overdoses last year, has started distributing “needle kits” to its residents. The kit includes “a blue bulb for the front porch, no-trespassing signs, a tool to pick up used syringes, a needle disposal box and contact information for social services.”

    The city has given out over 100 kits since January. If the kits prove successful, the program could be expanded and potentially become a solution for similarly hard-hit areas.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Actor Jackson Odell Found Dead At Sober Living Facility

    Actor Jackson Odell Found Dead At Sober Living Facility

    Odell had appeared on a variety of sitcoms including “The Goldbergs,” “Arrested Development” and “Modern Family.”

    Actor Jackson Odell has been found dead at a sober living facility in Tarzana, California on Friday, June 8.

    Odell was 20 years old at his time of death, the cause of which has yet to be confirmed through an autopsy. E! News reported that the LA County Coroner’s Office stated that no drugs or drug paraphernalia were found at the scene of his death. Odell’s last drug test had been clean.

    According to TMZ, Odell had been in the sober living facility for three weeks.

    The Los Angeles Times reported that Ed Winter, assistant chief of investigations for the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, stated that Odell had a “history with heroin” and that autopsy results would be delayed due to toxicology tests that will be done in order to evaluate if anything was in Odell’s system at the time of his death.

    Odell was an actor and a musician who had portrayed Ari Caldwell on ABC’s The Goldbergs from 2013 to 2015. In addition to other small acting roles on shows such as Modern Family and Arrested Development, he was a singer-songwriter who contributed original songs for the soundtrack of the film Forever My Girl.

    Odell’s family released a statement that focused on the young man’s spirit and place in his family:

    “The Odell family has lost our beloved son and brother, Jackson Odell on Friday,” the statement read. “He will always be a shining light and a brilliant, loving and talented soul.  He had so much more to share. Our family will always carry that truth forward. Our wish is that the rest of the world who knew and loved him does as well.  We are now going to try to make sense of our immeasurable loss privately. We will not be making any further statements.”

    Comedian and songwriter Josh Wolf created songs with Odell, and Wolf’s wife, Bethany, directed the movie Forever My Girl, for which Odell co-wrote the song “Don’t Water Down My Whiskey.”  

    Yahoo News published Josh Wolf’s tribute to Odell:

    “It’s important that people know how ready he was to live. How happy he was to be alive. How much more he had to share with all of us. We are simply crushed. Please go to his site, listen to his music, watch his videos… celebrate his life with us. We love you, Jackson.”

    Modern Family star Ariel Winter shared on Twitter that she had known Odell since they were 12 years old. “We didn’t talk much as we entered into our high school years, but I’m glad I got to spend time with him before his end. Very hard for me to hear about anyone passing away, but someone so young really saddens me.”

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Anthony Bourdain Dies At 61

    Anthony Bourdain Dies At 61

    The “original rock star of the culinary world” was a celebrated writer and chef who had conquered heroin addiction and became world famous in his forties.

    Beloved chef and world-renowned television personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead Friday morning in his hotel in France. He was 61.

    CNN confirmed that the TV host died by suicide. He was in France working on an upcoming episode for his long-running food and travel show, Parts Unknown. Bourdain is survived by his 11-year-old daughter, ex-wife Ottavia Busia and girlfriend Asia Argento. 

    Coined the “original rock star of the culinary world” by the Smithsonian, Bourdain made a name for himself with the publication of a New Yorker article — Don’t Eat Before Reading This—where the chef spilled some “trade secrets” about his time spent in professional kitchens and the cast of characters he encountered. 

    With book editors intrigued, Bourdain would soon write his literary opus, Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly. The New York Times bestseller gave outsiders a no holds barred look into the raucous world of cuisine. Infused with Bourdain’s trademark no-nonsense personality, readers were introduced to the chef who was caught up in the frenzied world of sex, drugs, and dinner service.

    Bourdain’s celebrity exploded shortly after the release of Kitchen Confidential.

    Bourdain detailed in a 2016 Biography interview how the memoir changed his life smack dab in the middle of his forties: “Oh, man, at the age of 44, I was standing in kitchens, not knowing what it was like to go to sleep without being in mortal terror. I was in horrible, endless, irrevocable debt. I had no health insurance. I didn’t pay my taxes. I couldn’t pay my rent. It was a nightmare, but it’s all been different for about 15 years. If it looks like my life is comfortable, well, that’s a very new thing for me.” 

    He would go on to become one of the most popular celebrity chefs of this generation with a string of food and travel shows such as A Cook’s Tour, No Reservations, The Layover and Parts Unknown.

    Bourdain was also open about his battles with addiction. He began using drugs during the early portion of his restaurant career and eventually became an avid heroin user.  

    He told Biography, “I got off of heroin in the 1980s. Friends of mine from the ‘70s and ‘80s, they just got off five, six, maybe 10 years ago. And we’re the lucky ones. We made it out alive. There are a lot of guys that didn’t get that far. But you know, I also don’t have that many regrets either.”

    Celebrities, politicians, cooking peers and fans took to Twitter to remember the beloved chef. Former President Barack Obama tweeted, “‘Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer.’ This is how I’ll remember Tony. He taught us about food—but more importantly, about its ability to bring us together. To make us a little less afraid of the unknown. We’ll miss him.”

    Gordon Ramsay tweeted, “Stunned and saddened by the loss of Anthony Bourdain. He brought the world into our homes and inspired so many people to explore cultures and cities through their food. Remember that help is a phone call away US:1-800-273-TALK UK: 116 123”

    Chef Eric Ripert, Bourdain’s best friend, paid tribute on Twitter, “Anthony was my best friend. An exceptional human being, so inspiring & generous. One of the great storytellers who connected w so many. I pray he is at peace from the bottom of my heart. My love & prayers are also w his family, friends and loved ones.”

    If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call 1-800-273-TALK (8255) in the US. To find a suicide helpline outside the U.S., visit IASP or Suicide.org.

    View the original article at thefix.com

  • Is it Hard to Quit Heroin?

    Is it Hard to Quit Heroin?

    ARTICLE OVERVIEW: Coming off heroin can be very difficult. Many heroin addicts who have tried quitting on their own experienced severe complications which included frequent relapses and life threatening situations. But when coming off heroin under a doctor’s supervision and medical care, there is a way out!

    TABLE OF CONTENTS

    • Addictiveness
    • Heroin and Brain Changes
    • Dangers
    • Side Effects
    • Safety Suggestions

    Read further to discover what make heroin so to quit and learn HOW TO and HOW NOT to try quitting. Feel free to use the section at the end for all your questions and/or personal experiences with stopping heroin.

    How Addictive Is Heroin?

    Heroin is one of the most addictive opioids. You can get addicted to heroin even from a single dose! In fact, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) enforces the classification of heroin in the group of Schedule I drugs. This means that heroin is NOT used for medical purposes and has a HIGH potential for abuse.

    The addictive potential of heroin comes from:

    1. The speed with which this drug produces dopamine.
    2. The intensity of dopamine effects.

    Heroin crosses the blood brain barrier 100 times faster than morphine. It has very high activity on opioid receptors, which results in intense dopamine effects. Many users reported physical dependence upon heroin after only a few days of regular use.

    Brain Changes on Heroin

    Each time people consider trying heroin they wonder why getting high on this drug makes stopping so difficult? The answer to this question lies in the way heroin affects the brain.

    When heroin enters the brain, it transforms into morphine. Morphine binds to the opioid receptors in the brain responsible for recognizing and regulating pain and reward. Furthermore, this action causes a sense of euphoria that makes users experience extreme sense of power, pleasure and joy, almost like they are on the top of the world and can do everything. Heroin users describe this state as a feeling of happiness and having a different reality. Unfortunately, this empowerment last very shortly.

    Further, scientists found that the use of heroin affects 3 (three) opioid receptors in the brain: the mu, kappa, and delta receptors.

    1. Mu opioid receptors (MOR) bond with heroin to produce effects such as: pleasure, acute pain relief, physical dependence and addiction.
    2. Kappa opioid receptors (KOR) bond with heroin to produce effects such as: trance-like states, physical dependence, and addiction.
    3. Delta opioid receptors (DOR) bond with heroin to produce effects such as: relief from persistent pain, reduced gastrointestinal motility and modulation of mood.

    When heroin wears off, the overwhelming feel-good feelings go away and all that is left is the longing for the initial euphoric state. The mini explosions of pleasure induced by heroin combined with the psychological bliss and beauty vanish very quickly.

    When the body adapts to the presence of heroin, the new chemical reality brings strong cravings and urges to continue taking it until users reach the point where they no longer feel pleasure from heroin so when they make an attempt to suddenly stop, they are hit by extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

    What Makes Stopping Heroin Dangerous?

    Quitting cocaine cold turkey, without a doctor’s clearance or medical supervision, lowering doses abruptly… all make stopping harmful! Here is why each of these methods is NOT recommended.

    1. Cold turkey heroin detox causes severe withdrawal symptoms.

    Going cold turkey off heroin can expose you to serious and severe withdrawal symptoms, including:

    • Cold flashes
    • Diarrhea
    • Insomnia
    • Muscle and bone aches
    • Restlessness

    Additionally, cold turkey, as a quitting method increases your chances of relapse. Instead, going through all of this, it’s best to seek medical advice on how to stop taking heroin safely. Medical aid during heroin withdrawal is consisted of tapering regimens or replacement therapies to lowers the dosage of heroin in your system over a period of time. This way, your body will not experience such intensive and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

    2. Stopping heroin without medical supervision can lead to complications.

    Quitting heroin without professional counseling is unsafe and can be very uncomfortable. In fact, quitting heroin at home is rarely recommended, and advised only if you get clearance from your doctor. Why?

    Getting heroin out of your life is not only a physical journey, in requires behavioral changes, as well. In other words, once you quit heroin you will need to learn how to live without this powerful drug.

    Choosing to stop using heroin without medical supervision can result in unnecessary pain and suffering. Plus, it will simply lead you back to using. This is why you should not consider trying this method. Instead, doctors and addiction professionals are trained to not only teach you how to manage the strong heroin cravings but to help you develop coping skills and a support system to stay quit,

    3. Lowering doses of heroin suddenly and abruptly provokes relapse.

    This type of heroin cessation causes severe withdrawal symptoms and provokes relapse. Instead, plan your stopping thoroughly. Talk to a medical professional, or check in at an addiction treatment facility and let be supervised. This will significantly increase the chances of successful recovery.

    Quitting Heroin Side Effects

    People who’ve used heroin chronically for a longer period of time develop dependence, which makes it difficult to quit due to withdrawal symptoms.

    The common physical withdrawal symptoms include:

    • Bone pain.
    • Cold flashes.
    • Goose bumps
    • Diarrhea.
    • Insomnia.
    • Nausea and vomiting.

    The more serious withdrawal symptoms include:

    • Hallucinations.
    • Painful abdominal cramping.
    • Severe body tremors.
    • Severe diarrhea.
    • Severe nausea.
    • Suicidal thoughts.
    • Vomiting.

    Safety Suggestions

    Despite all odds and difficulties, when deciding to end your heroin addiction, there are safer and more comfortable ways of quitting such as:

    1. Quitting heroin under medical supervision gives you a better chance at recovery.

    Heroin withdrawal includes using prescription meds. Pharmacological treatment for heroin addiction includes:

    • Methadone to prevent withdrawal symptoms.
    • Buprenorphine to reduce cravings and physical symptoms like vomiting and muscle aches.
    • Naltrexone to reduce heroin cravings by blocking receptors in the brain that react to heroin. This medication is designed to occupy the nerve receptors so that you basically trick the brain into thinking it no longer needs heroin.

    2. Tapering (coming off heroin slowly) make withdrawal less painful.

    Tapering includes a gradual reduction of heroin doses over an extended period of time. Tapering off heroin should be done in accordance with a doctor’s suggestions. Your doctor will prescribe meds that will ease the withdrawal discomfort and design a unique tapering plan tailored to your individual needs.

    During most detox periods, doctors will test you before and after you quit for drug presence. Based on this, you’ll create a tapering plan, and your doctor should be at your disposal 24/7 in case of emergencies.

    3. Heroin detox clinic supervision helps support you emotionally.

    Heroin detox clinics provides a safe space to manage withdrawal symptoms. This is one of the highly recommended options for long-term success. Heroin withdrawal can sometimes bring complications and fatal injuries in case you try detoxing on your own such as becoming severely dehydrated.

    Is rapid detox appropriate for quitting heroin?

    No, rapid detox is not recommended when coming off heroin. Rapid detox is a procedure where you will be basically put under, as if for surgery, and your body will be rapidly flushed of heroin. This is a relatively new procedure and therefore is not yet covered by insurance companies, so the cost is quite expensive, plus the risks are high and therefore it is NOT recommended as an option for stopping heroin!

    4. Inpatient heroin treatment for long term success.

    Residential treatment centers for heroin addiction require living at a rehabilitation facility for a specified amount of time min 28 days up to 6 (six) months or longer. Your length of stay at the inpatient drug rehab facility will depend on the extent of your heroin addiction issue. During your residential stay you will start with detox and withdrawal shortly after being enrolled.

    Because heroin is a strong drug, you make a tapering plan together with your addiction specialist. You will also receive ongoing psychological counseling that will help you to deal with the underlying causes of your addiction. Another advantage of inpatient treatment for heroin addiction is the opportunity to attend group therapy sessions. This type of therapy will provide you with the opportunity to meet others who have already gone through heroin detox and have successfully started down the path to recovery.

    Your Questions

    Expect certain difficulties and discomfort during heroin detox, but don’t give up! If you still have questions about quitting heroin difficulties, please leave them in the designated section below. We try to answer all legitimate inquiries personally and promptly. In case we don’t know the answer to a question, we will gladly refer you to professionals who can help.

    Reference Sources: DEA: DRUG SCHEDULING
    Teen Health: Is Heroin A Depressant Or Stimulant?
    Rehab International: Fact and Fiction
    Quora: How does it feel to be high on heroin?
    Beach House Rehab: Heroin and the Brain: What Everyone Should Know about the Drug’s Scary, Long-Term Side Effects 
    How To Kick Heroin: How Heroin Works
    Teen Drug Abuse: The Dangers of Quitting Opiates Cold Turkey
    Element’s Behavioral Health: Dangerous Detox: Doing It At Home Could Be Deadly
    NIH: What are the treatments for heroin addiction?

    View the original article at drug.addictionblog.org

  • Guns N’ Roses Drummer: I’ve Never Been Happier Than I Am Sober

    “After, like, the ninth month of not drinking, my whole life did a 180. Everything changed. I became happy again. I love life again.”

    Steven Adler, the former drummer for Guns N’ Roses, who left the rock band because his drug use was becoming too much, says that he has never been more happy than he is living life in recovery. 

    “My health is fabulous. Actually, tomorrow I will have four years and four months of no drinking. And I haven’t done drugs since 2008. So I’ve never been happier,” Adler recently told a journalist, according to Blabbermouth. 

    While the initial period of recovery was difficult, Adler said that he began to notice positive changes in his life the longer he stayed away from drugs and alcohol. 

    “After, like, the ninth month of not drinking, my whole life did a 180,” he said. “Everything changed. I became happy again. I love life again. I enjoy the sunsets. I enjoy the sunrise. It’s beautiful.”

    Guns N’ Roses paused recording during the late ‘80s and early ’90s to give Adler a chance to get his heroin addiction under control. However, Adler wasn’t able to stay sober, so he was kicked out of the band in 1990. 

    Since he has been sober, Adler has joined the band on some tour dates, and has also started his own Guns N’ Roses tribute band. In order to keep touring with that band, Adler maintains a strict routine that helps him stay sober, he said. 

    “I wake up,” he said. “The first thing I do is I read The Four Agreements. It’s a book from Don Miguel Ruiz. [The book’s mantra is] be impeccable with your word; don’t take things personal; don’t make assumptions; and always do your best—no more no less,” Adler said. 

    “I read a little of that, I have my decaf tea, I go on the treadmill and I do a little jogging to stay in shape, and then I practice. It’s all mind, body and soul. So I read the book for my mind, I do the treadmill for my body, and I play the drums for my soul. And then the rest of the time, I sit round and watch Family Guy with my dogs.”

    Adler’s mother, Deanna Adler, recently spoke about watching her son struggle for so many years. 

    “[It] was very hard to see my son hurt like that and have a disease like that, because I’ve never drank or smoked or done drugs—I’m just a normal person,” she said. “But to see your son in such pain like that and knowing that you can’t do anything—I thought I could do something to help him, but in reality you can’t.”

    View the original article at thefix.com