There is a new face of heroin and it hits way too close to home for comfort for suburban families. Heroin tendencies have transferred from inner cities and impoverished neighborhoods to white suburban neighborhoods. Where affluence used to mean stability, it now means drug experimentation.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse concluded that 156,000 individuals tried heroin for the first time during the year 2012. Those results nearly double numbers from 2006. Of those “experimenting” individuals, a large majority of them are in between the ages of 18 and 25 years old. Many of these young individuals’ heroin addiction began by first taking prescription medications after an injury. Painkillers such as oxycodone give individuals a sense of empowerment that reduces their fears of trying heroin for the first time.
Many parents are left completely in the dark about their child’s heroin use. Many heroin users have turned away from injecting the substance and have started snorting and smoking the drug. More and more young adults are dying of heroin overdose every day. America needs to learn how to prevent and detect heroin use.
Telltale Signs of Heroin Abuse:
Appearance:
- Small pupils
- Exhausted appearance
- Consistently nodding off
- Slow breathing
- Consistently runny nose
- Pink Cheeks
Actions:
- Vomiting
- Excessive scratching
- Sounding drunk
- Constipation
- Nausea
- Neglecting appearance
- Loss of appetite
- Wearing long sleeve shirts and jackets in inappropriate weather conditions
Paraphernalia:
- Small plastic baggies
- Sticky residue
- Burnt spoons
- Needles/Syringes
- Rubber Tubing
- Tourniquet
Our very own CEO and Founder of Inspire Malibu, Dr. Matthew Torrington was featured in Healthline’s article, “Heroin in the Suburbs: An American Epidemic.” Dr. Matthew Torrington has been able to bring hope to once addicted heroin users with a new exclusive drug combination. He has found success in many heroin patients with a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Dr. Matthew Torrington has found success by treating the disease with medications that mimic the same brain reactions that occur when one takes heroin or oxycodone.
“There is a deep misconception in society about using drugs. Addiction is a chronic mental illness. It is a deadly disease and you can die from it.” – Dr. Matthew Torrington
At Inspire Malibu, we combat heroin addiction in a way that most other treatment centers are afraid to do. Rather than approaching addiction treatment in a twelve-step program format, we use effective therapy-based treatment programs that allow each individual to return to a gratifying lifestyle at their own pace. The best method of treating heroin addiction is through a combination of behavioral therapy and medications. At Inspire Malibu, we put our patients in a comfortable environment where they can successful undergo detox. Once detoxed, we will create an individualized treatment program that best suits the needs of the patient. Allow us to be the answer you have been searching for.
