If you are someone who consistently abuses prescription opioids, you are in danger of possibly becoming a heroin user. Seek treatment immediately by calling 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) , and find a rehab center that will help you avoid this outcome as well as allow you to stop misusing prescription narcotics.

The Link Between Prescription Opioids and Heroin

It has been proven that a link exists between prescription opioid users and heroin abuse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “The recent trend of a switch from prescription opioids to heroin seen in some communities in our country alerts us to the complex issues surrounding opioid addiction.”

There are many reasons why individuals who once used prescription opioids like methadone, fentanyl, codeine, and oxycodone to get high move on to heroin abuse, including:

• Heroin is much cheaper to obtain in many communities. Those who want to get a cheap high often move to heroin because they can buy more of it and get high longer for less money.
• Heroin is also easier to get in many cases. Sometimes, the specific prescription drug of one’s choice cannot always be tracked down, and because of this, many people turn to heroin.
• The administration of heroin (which is usually either smoked or injected) causes an individual to feel the effects of the drug very quickly. With prescription pills, a person will have to crush the drug and inject or snort it, and it still takes longer for the high to take effect.

Am I in Danger of Heroin Abuse?

If you have been abusing prescription narcotics for a long time, there is a strong chance you may eventually turn to using heroin. As stated by the NIDA, “Nearly half of young people who inject heroin surveyed in three recent studies reported abusing prescription opioids before starting to use heroin.” But it is still important to analyze yourself and your path up until now. Ask yourself the questions below to find out if you are endangering yourself with your frequent opioid abuse.

• Do you abuse narcotics every day?
• Do you feel like you do not have control over your narcotic use?
• Have you considered using heroin because it is cheaper, easier to obtain, etc.?
• In the last year, have you
  • Lost a job?
  • Lost an important relationship?
  • Been reprimanded or expelled from school?
  • Been arrested?
  • Experienced severe financial problems?
• Do you feel that, no matter how high of a dosage you take, you still do not experience the effects you once did from narcotics?
• Are you more preoccupied with getting high than with anything else?

If you answered yes to these questions, it is very likely that you may begin abusing heroin in place of prescription narcotics. This is a very dangerous change, and it is important that you seek treatment right away.

Even if your abuse has not become serious enough to create the kinds of problems listed above, it could still behoove you to attend treatment and make a change in your life now before things get worse.

Call 800-934-1582(Who Answers?) now to find safe, reliable treatment options that will cater to your needs. We can also help you find centers that will take your insurance plan. Call today.