Heroin and Opiates Rehabilitation
Personalised, 24/7 Support
Holistic Rehabilitation & Aftercare
Private, Residential Centre in Birmingham
Heroin & Opiates Addiction Support & Treatment
Heroin and opiates are highly addictive substances, and addiction can have a devastating impact on a person’s life.
At New Leaf, we understand how opiate and/or heroin addiction can take over your life and therefore offer individuals private rehabilitation to overcome these addictions. We will tailor an innovative treatment programme that will address your needs— body, mind, and spirit— so you can get your life back on track.
How Heroin Addiction or Opiate Dependency Can Happen
Opium, which is the dried sap harvested from the seed of opium poppy plants, has been used for thousands of years to treat and manage pain. Today, it can be used by itself or synthesized to create various types of opiate drugs. More than 15 million people worldwide use illegal opiates.
Opiates are the natural alkaloids found in the resin of the poppy seed. Opioids are the chemicals extracted from the resin. Commonly used opiates include morphine, heroin, codeine, subutex or subuxone, and methadone. Although some opiates are prescribed medically, they are also available as street drugs, which are non-regulated and therefore may contain harmful levels of toxic substances. While codeine is the most widely used opiate in the world, heroin is the most lethal, and the most abused.
When an opiate enters the bloodstream, it activates the opiate receptors throughout the body. Once it reaches the brain, it binds to specific opiate receptors that affect pleasure and pain relief. The stimulation of these pleasure receptors causes greater amounts of dopamine to be released, producing a feeling of euphoria and contentment. However, the brain organically produces endorphins that activate these same opiate receptors, so prolonged opiate use can disrupt the body’s natural pain and pleasure response, which leads to dependency and addiction.
Heroin is usually taken by intravenous or intramuscular injection, and therefore penetrates the brain more quickly than other opiates, which is why many addicts prefer it to other forms. Although most opiates are prescribed in pill form, buprenorphine is taken sublingually and morphine can be used in patch form.
Seek Support
Helpful Articles
Receive a Free Call Back
"*" indicates required fields