Heroin addiction is one of the more difficult addictions to treat, making finding a quality drug addiction facility all the more important.

A recent National Survey on Drug Use & Health (from 2006) revealed that 338,000 Americans claimed to be heroin users. This was an almost 150% increase from the previous number, which was 136,000. The usage rate jumped more than twice the previous number, from .06% to .14%. There were 91,000 first time users in 2006, the average age being just under 22 years of age.

Breaking the study down further, the study reported that 14.4% of youths aged 12-17 claimed heroin would be fairly or very easily available. This statistic, along with a young average age for first time users is an alarming trend. Individuals in this age group are less likely to possess the required responsibility to admit or recognize if an addiction is present.

If addicts could only understand the needless grief and suffering they put people through maybe, just maybe they would realize how important their lives are to other people, and as a result, get motivated to "clean up their act" and get treatment.

Heroin addiction gives the user feelings alternating in dramatic waves from highs and lows. The euphoria high of heroin is experienced virtually upon injection, traveling straight to the brain. With continued usage a person develops a higher tolerance level requiring larger doses to reach the same high. The higher the level of tolerance the harder it is for a person to quit, and doing so, without medical help, will cause seemingly unbearable withdrawal symptoms.

Some of these symptoms may be vomiting, insomnia, cramping, depression, and bodily and mental pain. Because of heroin's extremely addictive nature forces the user to abuse it repeatedly and continually, making it an addiction that is very difficult to recover from.

Besides the direct risks stemming from the heroin itself, there are other indirect risks. People abusing heroin through injections are prone to spreading diseases such as hepatitis and HIV. Heroin is also a very deadly drug, causing many overdoses.

Teenage drug and alcohol abuse research shows that adolescent drug and alcohol abuse and addiction affects youth from all races, socioeconomic levels, religious preferences, and geographic locations.  Not only this, but the pressure on today's youth to smoke, drink and use illicit drugs is not only increasing but also happening at earlier ages.

While there may be a misconception that heroin is only used by adults, the above numbers show that a large number of teenagers and young adults are abusing the drugs in spite of the known dangers.

Trying heroin even once is an extremely dangerous decision. Parents and their children must understand that the drug is illegal to sell or manufacture, and even just possess in the United States. Anyone suspecting that there is heroin activity in or around their community or sense any symptoms of addiction in their loved ones should not hesitate to get help.

Treating Heroin Addiction

The process through which heroin addiction is treated is a very difficult one. It is not uncommon for addicts to go through several treatment programs and subsequent relapses before successfully kicking the habit. Hence, it is essential that people suffering from heroin addiction find an all encompassing recovery facility that focuses on both the physical and mental symptoms experienced during heroin withdrawal.

There is something going on in the drug and alcohol community that is an example of "double-speak."  To be "clean" from the perspective of an alcoholic or drug addict means that the individual is not drinking or "using" drugs.  In this instance, "clean" is another word for sobriety or abstinence.  When, however, certain alcoholics or addicts start to drink or take drugs "only once in a while" they are fooling themselves into thinking that they are "clean" and, as a result, are spreading misinformation.

When the addict, or their family, decides on a drug rehab center they should remember that it should offer a program customizable to their individual situation; this is the most effective way to combat a heroin addiction.

The first step in the recovery process is that of physical detoxification in which physicians administer medications in controlled does to help eliminate an addict's dependency on the drug. The medications used can, themselves, be dangerous and their administering needs to be watched carefully by a qualified doctor. This detox process can takes weeks or months depending upon the degree of addiction.

The next step is even more involving, consisting of a rigorous combination of psychological, physical and behavioral therapy. Long term residential rehab centers are more effective than month-long programs, offering a more controlled and drug free environment along with the comprehensive methods needed recover from heroin addiction.

Adolescents between the ages of 12 and 17 who use marijuana weekly are nearly four times more likely to engage in violence, six times more likely to run away from home, nine times more likely to experiment with illegal drugs or alcohol, five times more likely to steal, and three times more likely than nonusers to have thoughts about committing suicide.

With a large number of the country's heroin users being of the age where they still need schooling, it is important for the rehab facility to offer continuing education opportunities to their residents.