Signs of Heroin Addiction – Detecting a Dope Habit

The Red Flags and Warnings of Heroin Abuse

Heroin is a tricky drug that can prove extremely difficult to confront the user about. Often times, heroin addicts attempt to keep their addiction hidden and usually go to great lengths to accomplish this. Other times, the heroin addict is in extreme denial that their heroin abuse is even a problem at all. At these times it is important for family and friends to notice the heroin abuse symptoms and spot the signs of heroin addiction.

Symptoms of a heroin addict can be relatively easy to spot once the person has begun using heroin on a regular basis. Before approaching your loved one on heroin addiction it is a good idea to stop and take a moment to go over the heroin addiction symptoms. Not only will this help you to ensure that they are suffering from heroin addiction, rather than abuse of another drug, but it will also give you the chance to inventory their condition so you can better explain and show your loved one how heroin is negatively impacting their life.

What are the Signs of Heroin Abuse

Heroin addiction symptoms can easily be seen once a person knows what to look for. Most heroin addicts believe that they are able to hide their use very well. However, there are certain tell-tale signs that cannot be hidden or covered up. Heroin has multiple effects on both the body and the mind. Even after using heroin for only a short period of time the effects can still be seen, same as those who have been using for greater periods of time.

Heroin is a dangerous and deadly drug that takes a vast and extreme toll on the body. The sooner the symptoms can be noticed, the sooner actions can be taken to help them stop abusing heroin and address the damages done to the body both mentally and physically.

• Mental Signs of Heroin Use: When using heroin, addicts will experience an almost blinding sense of euphoria and pleasure. This gives them a feeling and sense of well-being. However, this euphoric feeling takes a lasting and damaging effect on the brain in which the white matter of the brain begins to deteriorate resulting in lasting damage. The physiology of the brain completely changes. In the mental aspect, some symptoms of heroin addiction that others can be on the look-out for include the addict having difficulty concentrating, learning new things, decrease in decision-making abilities and emotional distress/changes.

Often, heroin addicts set aside personal relationships with family and friends and become more isolated than normal. Heroin addiction symptoms can include difficulty holding down a job, making appointments, showing up to functions/events, social awkwardness and difficulty acting in an acceptable manner. Extreme changes in behavior from what is considered normal for your loved one is a huge sign that something is wrong and often is the case when it comes to addiction. When abusing drugs, especially heroin, addicts enter into a state much like tunnel vision where the only thing they can see is their next fix and heroin is all they can think about.

• Physical Signs of Heroin Use: These symptoms can be seen much more easily because they appear on a surface level. Heroin takes a great toll on the body and effects can be seen almost immediately after use. Heroin addicts will suffer from symptoms ranging from itchy skin, hair irritation or even loss, dry mouth, nausea/vomiting, and lower body temperature. In addition, heroin causes -more severe symptoms such as slowed breathing and a slowed heart rate.

Often times heroin users will experience what is known as “nodding”. Nodding occurs after use of heroin and can be seen as the user fading in and out of consciousness where they are nodding back and forth from wakefulness to a sleep state. Nodding can occur at any time and is extremely dangerous especially if that person is driving, cooking or any similarly focused activity.

More long-term heroin addiction symptoms include severe constipation, lower immune system, weakness, malnutrition, damaged dental health, sleeping problems, lower appetite, collapsed veins and other such problems. Addiction occurs when the person needs the drug physically or mentally (or both) in order to obtain a feeling of “normalcy”.

Heroin can be used in several different ways. The most common methods of ingesting heroin is by smoking, injecting or snorting. In addition to the above-mentioned symptoms, different methods of ingesting heroin hold unique symptoms. When smoked, the user can show signs of a severe cough, difficulty breathing and a raspy voice. Heroin via injection can look different. So, what do needle track marks look like? The easiest way to describe needle tracks would be multiple pinpricks or small holes near a vein.

Common injection sites include the inner elbow, wrist, hand, leg and toes among other areas. Signs of snorting heroin can be different as well. Snorting heroin can result in a persistent runny nose, nose bleeds and constant yawning.

How to Spot a Heroin User and Get Them Help

Symptoms of a heroin user can be spotted pretty easily once a person knows what signs of Heroin addiction to look for. Heroin addiction symptoms, while alone can resemble other ailments, when combined (even just a few) it is a strong sign that your loved one is suffering from heroin addiction. The mental/emotional and physical signs of use can be easily seen, even if the user is going to great lengths to hide their abuse.

Before confronting your loved one on heroin addiction it is important that you go over the heroin addiction symptoms. These symptoms are tell-tale signs of abuse and prove that addicts need help, even if they cannot see it themselves. The symptoms and dangers of heroin addiction are great and severe. The sooner help is offered and given, the sooner your loved one who is suffering from heroin addiction can start the road to recovery.

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