Heroin

Heroin Symptoms

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Are you worried a loved one may be using heroin?

Heroin use has been increasing in the U.S. for many years, bringing the total number of heroin addicts to millions. In addition to regular heroin, smoking black tar heroin is a growing trend. Most of these drug users are young, so keeping a close eye on these youngsters is very important. You may have trouble identifying a heroin addict until the addiction becomes visibly clear. It is usually tricky for heroin users to give up their addiction at that point. Fortunately, there are some red flags that will help you determine if someone close to you is using heroin.

10 Heroin symptoms to detect addiction

Here’s a breakdown of some signs that can help you determine if someone is addicted or showing heroin symptoms.

Privacy and Money Issues

The easiest way to spot heroin symptoms begins with seeing a change in someone’s private life. Initial heroin symptoms are behavioral, as the body adapts to the newly introduced drugs. The most detectable sign is finding a person looking for more privacy than before. People suffering from early addiction will coop up in their rooms or in the dark most of the time. Most drug addicts want to spend “alone time” to hide their drugs and addiction.

What’s more, most heroin addiction symptoms also include financial issues in a person’s life. They will spend most of their earnings on drugs and do not have enough to get more, and they might even start asking or borrowing money frequently or selling their possessions to earn extra cash.

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Drug Paraphernalia and Deodorizers

You may start finding deodorizers and drug paraphernalia (drug assisting tools such as paper, glass, etc.) in the trash. While the symptoms of heroin use and its severity vary from person to person, paraphernalia is typical for most drug users.

The most common ones include blades, razors, spoons, or tin foil in their garbage. If you suspect a loved one may be using heroin we recommend filtering through their trash every once in a while to search for drug paraphernalia or anything that may be used to conceal the scent of heroin use.

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Sudden Weight Loss

Heroin acts as a suppressant in the body, reducing a person’s appetite. This loss of appetite is so extreme that it may be more apparent than any of the other heroin symptoms on this list. It is one of the most dangerous impacts of heroin use and can affect the cardiovascular system and overall body health.

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Physical Symptoms

Like all drugs, heroin has physical impacts on health. However, the symptoms for each user may vary on their method of heroin use. For instance, heroin use symptoms for those who smoke may include sores around the lip and nostril area.

Heroin smoke can irritate those areas when exhaled. You might even see burnt marks around the user’s mouth if they take it orally. In addition, heroin symptoms for users may also include frequent nose bleeds. Similarly, those who inject heroin have injection marks around their arms or legs, forming minor marks or spots on the skin.

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Digestive Issues

Opiate abuse can often cause several digestive issues. Frequent users may exhibit heroin symptoms such as constipated digestion, called OIC (Opioid-Induced Constipation). Heroin users often have a hard time passing their stool. Cramping and pain because of blocked stools are also very common among serious heroin users.

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Issues with Speech

Speech issues with heroin addicts may also occur because the drug impacts brain activity levels, and it can slow their reaction time down, causing them to speak exceptionally slowly. Many of these addicts may mumble when they speak. In addition, others may speak in a such a low tone that you can barely understand them.

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Coordination Issues

Motor skill problems are evident if you are looking for heroin symptoms. Most people struggling with heroin use have trouble with movement, coordination, and even balancing themselves. Their coordination problem increase with time, and they can fall at any moment.  Some heroin addicts may also be jittery, followed by complete relaxation. They may switch quickly between these two states depending on their mental condition

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Deception

Behaviorial changes like seeking privacy, alone time, and anti-social behavior are some initial signs. However, these issues increase and become more severe as the addiction grows—the need for drugs increases, causing them to go to any lengths for more drugs.

 They may start stealing, borrowing money, or wearing clothes that help hide needles and foils. These deceptive activities keep increasing as long as the heroin user does not get proper treatment for it. These problematic behaviors affect others around the user more than the user themselves.

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Lung Problems

Smoking heroin puts a lot of stress on a person’s lungs, and it not only makes them cough and sneeze but can slowly impact the complete respiratory system. Issues like pneumonia, tuberculosis or coughing are some simple heroin symptoms that can help identify possible drug use.

It is very important to get heroin users tested and treated for lung and upper respiratory conditions if at all possible.

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Mood Swings

Heroin is one of the top-rated drugs for behavioral changes, and it is because frequent heroin use can alter the users personality. They will often feel disconnected from the rest of the world.

They can develop feelings of anger, anxiety, or sadness quite quickly. In addition, heroin users experience severe mood swings frequently.

Many heroin users shift from apathy to extreme anger in seconds. This kind of unstable behavior is hazardous if you do not address it in time. There is also a chance that they may become physically violent and try to hurt themselves or others around.

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Need Help with Heroin Addiction?

The majority of the heroin users share the common heroin symptoms discussed above.

If you suspect that someone you love has a heroin addiction, reach out to our admissions team. They can help you determine if an intervention and a course of addiction treatment in a drug rehab is the proper next step for your loved one.

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