ISSUES
: Drugs
Chapter 3: Addiction & rehab
34
What is dependence?
W
hen you take drugs like
heroin (opioids) on a
regular basis, changes
take place in your brain and
nervous system so you need to
continue taking the drug just to feel
normal.
What’s more, your body keeps
on changing, adapting its own
responses so that often more
and more drugs are needed just
to get through the day. With drug
dependence’s acute (or short-
term) symptoms – like cravings and
withdrawal – and its chronic (or
long-term) effects – like depression
and liver damage – it’s little wonder
that a lot of users say that they feel
“out of control” and that drugs
have taken over their lives. For
many, treatment offers a way to get
some control back over their brain,
their body and their life.
Stigma and exclusion
Using heroin and similar drugs has
been heavily stigmatised in the
past – just like having a disability
or a mental health problem has
been. But times are changing: a
2009 public opinion poll for the
charity DrugScope found that 19%
of people had a direct or close
experience of a drug problem.
That’s one in five people who
have some understanding of what
you are going through. The same
opinion poll found a massive
88% of people support the state
providing drug treatment for
people who want to address their
problems.
Of course this doesn’t mean that
everyone will be understanding of
your situation, or that your recovery
journey won’t have moments when
you feel people are judging you,
but it does mean that things are
getting better.
Remember that you are not alone,
there are support groups out
there that can help. Recovery
from dependence is possible and
people have been through similar
experiences to you. A selection of
personal ‘Stories of survival’ videos
are available for you to watch on
our website, we hope you find them
encouraging and useful.
Most people now recognise that
people with drug dependency have a
medical problemand need treatment.
And like any other medical condition
treatment is really important. In
the short term, stabilising your
symptoms should be the first priority:
reducing the harm you do to yourself
and others, minimising withdrawal,
reducing cravings and the frequency
of use. In the long term, getting away
from a lifestyle that is centred around
your opioid dependence and tackling
some of the reasons why you used
drugs in the first place may help you
move towards recovery.
My Recovery My Choice can help
you find out more about the ways
that you can move forward from here
and how to begin the journey. If you
have tried, unsuccessfully, to stop
using heroin in the past then you are
not alone. The majority of people try
and fail at least once. If you are no
stranger to treatment, it may be worth
taking the time to read through your
recovery options to find out what’s
new, both in terms of your choices
and what is known about them. If you
are worried about a friend or family
member who might have a problem,
the information here can help you
start a conversation with them, and
help them start their journey.
Is it a problem?
Dependence on heroin and other
opioids doesn’t happen overnight
but usually develops over a period of
continued substance use. Everyone’s
level of dependence is different, and
it can be difficult to realise when
you’ve crossed the line from use to
dependence.
Have a look at the list below. These
are the kind of things which might
be going on in your life when your
drug use shifts into dependency. The
more you can identify with the things
on this list, the more likely it is that
you’re dependent.
Ö
Ö
“It’s not just weekends”... I’m
using heroin for longer periods.
Ö
Ö
“I need a lot more”... the same
dose of heroin doesn’t give me
the same feeling as it used to.
Ö
Ö
“I can’t seem to stop”... I’ve tried
to stop using heroin but despite
my efforts I have not been able
to.
Ö
Ö
“They’ve said it’s a problem”...
I’ve been asked by my partner or
family to stop using heroin.
Ö
Ö
“I’m rattling”... I experience
withdrawal symptoms (aches
and pains, sweats, restlessness)
when I stop using heroin.
Ö
Ö
“I can’t stop thinking about it”...
I’ve got heroin – how I’m going
to get it, when I’m going to get
it – going around my mind all the
time.
Ö
Ö
“I don’t want to but”... I’ve
continued to use heroin/opioids
despite negative consequences.
Ö
Ö
“It’s 24/7”... I spend lots of time
and effort, even committing
crime, to obtain or use heroin.
Ö
Ö
“It’s my main thing now”... I’ve
missed work, stopped seeing
non-drug-using mates or started
going out just so that I can use
heroin.
Ö
Ö
The above information is
reprinted with kind permission
from
My
Recovery
My
Choice. Please visit www.
myrecoverymychoice.co.uk for
further information.
© My Recovery My Choice 2016
“Everyone’s level
of dependence is
different, and it can
be difficult to realise
when you’ve crossed
the line from use to
dependence”
