Heroin, in some form or other, has been around for thousands of years. As a derivative of the Poppy plant, it has been used for medicinal, religious and mind-altering reasons. A century ago in the United States, it was legally used in medical procedures and was prescribed for a whole host of conditions. However, in today’s America, heroin has become the scourge of thousands of communities, towns, and cities across the country. We are definitely in the midst of a heroin epidemic with no real end in sight.
It appears that the ease of obtaining the drug has made its spread across the population at a lightning speed. Over the last decade, the Center for Disease Control (CDC), which compiles and tracks these numbers, has indicated that the overdose death rate due to heroin use has quadrupled. Further, the drug is being used so widely that an increasing number of heroin addicts do not fit the so-called “addict profile” that one would normally think of when trying to picture a heroin addict. The increase in use and the increase in overdose deaths has occurred across all demographic groups—all ages and types of people are experiencing the epidemic.
In today’s America, the new emerging picture of a heroin addict is actually a suburban soccer mom who, for one reason or the other, became addicted to heroin. The normal stereotypical soccer mom is one that would typically just have a little too much wine hanging out with her girlfriends and talking gossip. So, how can one go from there to scoring heroin and becoming addicted to it? One of the reasons behind this is that flood of the drug on the dark market and its ease of obtaining. Further, in current forms of the drug, heroin has become much more potent, thus causing people to become addicted much quicker and with less use of the drug.
The CDC has data that demonstrate that the use of heroin over the last several years has doubled among women. Further, not just poor people or people who come from underserved populations use the drug. Heroin’s use has significantly increased across all annual income groups. There also was a significant increase among people that had some form of health insurance plan in place. This is surprising because, with health insurance, you have a better chance at seeking the help of professional addiction specialists and being able to pay for rehabilitation centers.
From the data that was compiled by the CDC, it appears that just about anyone you see on the street could be a heroin addict. As discussed above, one of the reasons is that it is easily obtained. But another main reason is that the common form of heroin that is sold mostly on America’s streets is fairly cheap to produce, thus fairly cheap to buy. It does not take much money to maintain a high throughout the day. Many people do that because they have become functioning heroin addicts. That is why just about anyone you see or work with could be your typical heroin addict.
The supervised detoxification and residential treatment programs at Asana Recovery are offered in a supportive, relaxing, and inspiring environment. We’re deeply committed to ensuring your long-term recovery and guiding you on your path to a healthier and happier future. There is no better time than now, and we’re always available to speak with you. Call us at (949) 438-4504 to learn more about our comprehensive drug and alcohol addiction treatment program today.
