Heroin addiction is a problem impacting many communities in the United States. Heroin is a popular drug that provides its users with a calming feeling that often makes them forget any difficulties they are facing in their lives. However, heroin is also highly addictive, making it possible to hurt the person using the drug and their friends and family. Pay attention to the signs of heroin addiction; you could be able to help a loved one overcome their substance use disorder.
Sophros Recovery provides a variety of treatment options to support you or your loved one facing addiction challenges. Contact 866.374.0541 to begin receiving the support you need from professionals and a sober living community.
3 Signs of Heroin Addiction
When someone begins to use heroin heavily, the physical and behavioral changes they will exhibit are not to be ignored. Below are three undeniable signs of heroin addiction.
1. Changes to Physical Appearance
One of the most significant signs of heroin addiction occurs if someone no longer pays attention to their appearance. Someone who was once an impeccable dresser may now appear disheveled and doesn’t care about how they look in public. Someone who was once an average weight now has lost weight rapidly because they do not eat enough, and when they do, they vomit frequently.
2. Track Marks, Infection, and Collapsed Veins
Another indicator of heroin addiction is track marks. Since using needles to inject heroin is one of the most popular methods of using opiates, it is not uncommon for loved ones to see needle track marks on a user’s hands, feet, arms, and legs. The needle marks will often scar, forming bruises and scabs as it heals. In addition, if a user has patches of dark skin, that is a sign of infection and inflammation of the skin.
3. Changes in Behavior
Heroin makes its users behave erratically and aggressively. Furthermore, in time, many develop depression as a result of their drug use.
Once someone is addicted to heroin, their mood changes, so someone who was once happy all the time will become moody or defeated. Someone who was once filled with promise and purpose has now become a person whose only goal is to purchase and use heroin. They may lose interest in their professional prospects, familial responsibilities, and hobbies.
Someone abusing heroin also does not care about the risks associated with use. The average heroin addict may spend upwards of $200 per day to get high. If they do not have access to money to finance their drug habit, they may steal from friends and family or even from others in their community. It is also not uncommon for users to turn to prostitution, putting them at risk of contracting HIV. These behaviors lead users to lose relationships that they once deemed important to their lives.
In addition, users do not care about how they are injecting heroin. Sometimes users will share needles, placing them at risk for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other blood-borne diseases.
What Happens at a Heroin Rehab Program?
A heroin addiction treatment will help anyone struggling with heroin abuse make the necessary changes in their lives to become sober. By participating in a rehab program, you will have:
- Medication-assisted treatment that will reduce your cravings
- Reduced withdrawal symptoms
- A variety of therapy options to support your understanding of why you began abusing heroin
- Peer and professional support
Discover Heroin Addiction Treatment at Sophros Recovery
If you or your loved one is ready to stop abusing heroin, we are here to help you. Sophros Recovery’s heroin rehab program will help you fight addiction. We provide a number of options for heroin addiction treatment, including:
- Medication-assisted treatment
- Outpatient treatment
- Individual therapy
- Group therapy programs
Get started by calling 866.374.0541, and let’s end your heroin addiction.
