Heroin typically isn’t pure when purchased on the street and can sometimes be 50 percent of the actual drug. Most people don’t realize that when they use heroin, they are also using other substances. This can lead to overdose and even death.
If you or a loved one is struggling with heroin use, Vertava Health’s heroin addiction treatment can help you get your life back on track. Our evidence-based heroin addiction treatment programs are designed to meet your unique needs so that you can overcome your addiction and build a foundation for lasting recovery.
What Is Heroin?
Heroin is a highly addictive opiate drug that is derived from the poppy plant. Heroin can be smoked, snorted, or injected, and it produces a euphoric high that is followed by a sense of profound relaxation.
Heroin is classified as a Schedule I drug, which means it has a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use. Despite its dangers, heroin abuse has been on the rise in recent years. Signs you are addicted to heroin include:
- Needing more and more heroin to get the desired effect
- Engaging in risky behavior to get the drug- continuing to use despite negative consequences
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit
- Isolating yourself to use heroin
What Substances Can Heroin Be Cut With?
The majority of heroin that you find on the street has about a 50 percent purity and has been cut with another substance, which can include, but isn’t limited to:
- Sucrose — a type of sugar
- Talc — a powdery substance that’s often used in baby powder
- Quinine — an ingredient found in tonic water
- Caffeine — a stimulant
- Strychnine — a type of rat poison
- Talcum Powder — used in many cosmetics
- Lactose — a sugar found in milk
- Starch — a type of carbohydrate
- Paracetamol — the active ingredient in acetaminophen
- Fentanyl — a powerful synthetic opioid that can lead to death
- Carfentanil — a potent analogue of the synthetic opioid fentanyl
What Is the Difference Between Lacing and Cutting?
Drugs can either be laced or cut with other substances. Usually, to be laced means a drug mixed with another drug to imitate the original drug’s original high or to introduce a new feeling of euphoria. Cutting a drug, though it means that the drug is mixed with something else, generally implies that the purity of the drug has been weakened. Some of the other drugs or stimulants that heroin can be laced with include:
- Carfentanil
- Tranquilizer
- Arsenic
- Cocaine
- Angel Dust
- Molly
- Morphine
How to Treat Heroin Addiction
Heroin addictions can be one of the more complex substance use disorders to treat. Detoxification and medication-assisted therapy will often be necessary to help those in recovery manage their withdrawal symptoms and cravings. Heroin addiction treatment should be done at a recovery center. This is because of the intensity of heroin withdrawal symptoms and their associated dangers.
Recovery from a heroin addiction usually requires a full desire to stop. It often requires residential heroin addiction treatment, various therapies, and a supportive social environment.
Addiction Treatment at Vertava Health
The addiction treatment at Vertava Health is designed to provide you with the tools and resources you need to overcome your heroin addiction and build a foundation for lasting recovery. Our evidence-based treatment programs are tailored to meet your unique needs, and our compassionate staff is here to support you every step of the way. Contact us today at 844.470.0410 to learn more about how we can help you or your loved one start on the road to recovery. You can put a heroin addiction behind you, and we can help get you there.
