About Heroin Addiction
In the United States, nearly 500,000 people use heroin habitually. It only takes a few uses before a person can develop an addiction to this powerful drug. In fact, 25% of people who try this drug will become addicted to it. Heroin is a powerful opioid that is synthesized from the drug morphine, which is derived from the opium poppy. While morphine is a staple drug in the pharmacological lineup of pain-relieving narcotics, heroin is an illicit drug that is not medically sanctioned to treat any condition.
A person suffering from heroin addiction is unlikely to refrain from abusing this drug without high-quality addiction treatment. What does heroin addiction look like? The essential factor is an inability to stop using the drug because of the physical and mental dependence a person experiences when addicted to heroin. Here, we’ll explore the signs of heroin addiction, the effects of heroin addiction, and the best way to combat them.
Physical Signs of Heroin Addiction
There are various signs that point to heroin use and, possibly, heroin addiction. The presence of drug paraphernalia such as needles, syringes, and cotton (to soak up the heroin after it’s dissolved in water) are indications that a person may be injecting the drug. Track marks on a person’s arm are physical signs of drug use. A person who has injected heroin repeatedly may show signs of collapsed veins in their arms, for instance.
Short-Term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction
Heroin is associated with many short-term side effects that reflect the ‘high’ that the drug produces. Users experience a euphoric high on heroin as it targets the pleasure center of the brain. However, the drug also produces other short-term side effects including:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Severe itching of skin
- Drowsiness
- Slowed heart rate
- Confusion
- Headache
- Slowed breathing / shortness of breath
Some people may experience anxiety, chest pain, or even tremors after using heroin. These effects tend to dissipate as the drug’s high wears off.
These short-term effects can trigger health emergencies. It’s vital that heroin users remember that the reward center in their brain that heroin targets also contains the controls for our respiratory functions. Heroin suppresses this function, which is why breathing and heart rate slow with heroin use. Too much heroin can suppress this system to the point that an individual stops breathing altogether, a health emergency referred to as overdose.
Long-Term Side Effects of Heroin Addiction
Habitual heroin use will detract from a person’s physical and mental health in addition to the perpetual risk of overdose. Heroin abuse can lead to long-term health problems such as: liver disease, kidney disease, heart infections, pulmonary infections, skin infections, deterioration of the brain’s white matter, and collapsed veins. Many people who abuse heroin also engage in high-risk behaviors such as needle sharing and unprotected sex, which is why heroin addiction is also associated with elevated risks for hepatitis and HIV.
Heroin Addiction Rehab at Pacific Manor Recovery
Heroin addiction will detract from health–both mental and physical. A single use can lead to an acute health emergency. Long-term use leads to serious and frequently permanent health conditions. The only way to effectively manage an addiction to heroin is to seek high-quality addiction treatment. Pacific Manor is a renowned addiction treatment rehab that individualizes treatment to suit each client’s needs. At Pacific Manor, physicians and therapists treat the whole person, helping them to overcome their physical, psychological, and behavioral reliance on heroin.
Managing heroin addiction is possible, but relapse rates are high. Don’t try to do it alone. Get the professional support you need to achieve lasting recovery. Pacific Manor Recovery can help you rebuild your life and health with our addiction treatment programs. (888) 300-4370
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