Addiction

What are the causes and risk factors of alcoholism?

It is difficult to determine the causes of alcoholism. Alcoholism is result of a complex mixture of environmental and genetic factors. It is difficult to determine whether genetics is more important cause of alcoholism or environment. There are many cases and studies that say genetics is more important and there are also studies which say environment is more important. The fact is, environment as well as genetics plays their role in causation of alcoholism.

Genetics play its role in causing alcoholism. Genes can influence the metabolism of alcohol and the role of genetics is clear from the fact that alcoholism runs in families. Individuals with genes that are predisposed to develop alcoholism tend to start drinking at an early age than individuals who are not genetically predisposed to become alcoholics. Studies have shown that, individuals starting to drink at younger age have higher risk of becoming alcoholics at later age, as more than 40% of alcoholics start drinking excessively by late adolescence.

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Guide for Treatment of Drug Addiction

If you have a drug addict in your family (or a friend who is drug addict) and you are trying to get your addicted family member de-addicted, the Drug Treatment Programs of reputed and well established Drug Treatment Centers (drug de-addiction centers for treatment of drug addiction) can be good option for you. We all know about the ill effects drug addiction can have to the drug addict, family members and friends of the drug addict and to the society as well as country as a whole. In fact the effects of drug addiction go beyond the individual who is addicted to drugs. The problem of drug addiction is an international problem.

But if you have a member of your family addicted to drug(s), the most important for you, is to try to get him/her de-addicted as soon as possible and as effectively as possible. The support from family members and friends is very essential for drug addiction treatment to be successful and long lasting.

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What are the Withdrawal Symptoms of Heroin Addiction?

In some European countries such as United Kingdom, Germany, Denmark, Holland etc. diacetylmorphine is available as prescribed controlled drug for long term use. It is controlled internationally under Schedules I and IV of Single Convention on Narcotic Drugs.

What are the withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction? Withdrawal symptoms of heroin addiction start about 6-24 hours after withdrawing (discontinuation) the drug. But the amount of last consumed dose can increase or decrease the time of starting the symptoms. The symptoms are sweating, anxiety, depression, painful erection, generalized body ache, general feeling of weakness and heaviness, pain in arms and legs, runny nose, yawning, feeling sleepy, insomnia, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, cold sweat etc.

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Medical Uses of Heroin

According to United Nations (UN) estimation the number of heroin (diacetylmorphine) user worldwide is in between 15 to 21 millions, out of total more than 50 million users of synthetic drugs. The users of heroin ranges from age 14 to 65 years of age. We all are aware about the abuse/misuse/addiction of heroin, but heroin has many medical uses also and due to this reason many countries such as UK; heroin is available as controlled prescription drug. This article is about the medical uses of heroin.

Heroin or diacetylmorphine is a strong analgesic (commonly known as pain killer medicine, as they are used in treatment of pain) medication. In the United Kingdom and other countries (such as Netherlands) where heroin is available legally with proper prescription by appropriate physician, the drug is administered by intramuscular, subcutaneous, intravenous or intrathecal (directly into cerebrospinal fluid or CSF in the spinal cord) route.

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Treat Heroin Addiction Appropriately

Heroin addiction is one of the common forms of drug addiction. Heroin addiction is present in the whole world. Heroin is diacetyl-morphine, which is a semi-synthetic opioid drug and it is synthesized from morphine, one of the most powerful analgesic (pain reducing drug) available to the medical professional for treatment of pain, from cancer pain (very severe form of pain) to pain of heart attack. Regular (for few days to weeks) administration of heroin causes development of tolerance and physical dependence to the drug (heroin) and heroin is one of the highly addictive drugs available. As it is highly addictive drug the de-addiction treatment of heroin addiction should be appropriately done and followed up after treatment for long duration to prevent re-addiction to the drug, which is common unless follow up is not done, which can be done at Narconon.

De-addiction of heroin addiction (and all other addictive drugs) is an important part of healthcare delivery system in any country and more important in countries where drug addiction is common.

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