8 Things To Know About Heroin Addiction
It is estimated that almost 25% of the people who try out Heroin end up becoming addicted to it. And though it was believed that Heroin addiction was prevalent mostly in adults, new trends suggest that a greater number of teenagers are involved in consuming the drug. And as per a report by the American Society Of Addiction Medicine, about 586,000 US citizens older than 12 years were struggling with a disorder caused due to the consumption of this drug in 2015 alone.
- Decreased School/Work Performance
People who are addicted to heroin tend to become extremely negligent of everything in their life. Teenagers will start to ditch studies, which will bring down their academic performance. Adults will start to poorly perform at work. And this will end up affecting their growth prospects and income. Heroin addicts are usually happy being ‘high’ all day long rather than spend time in constructive activities.
- Extreme Mood Swings
Addiction to heroin will also cause some very intense mood swings. When on heroin, the person will be highly cheerful, happy and bubbling with energy. But once the effect wears down, they return back to normal. And when they are unable to find any more heroin, they can get highly irritable and rash. The tendency for violence and criminal activity are also very high.
- Absence
Many heroin users tend to be absent very frequently. This is because they often go to secluded places where they can take their shot. They will never inform even to their closest of friends as to place they are going. And in case the addict is living with a parent, the tendency of running away for a few days is also very high.
- Dangerous When Consumed Using Any Method
Some people falsely believe that consuming heroin by smoking or snorting it is far less dangerous than injecting it into the blood. This is untrue. Heroin consumption is dangerous to any human being, no matter how it was consumed. Probably, the only diminished risk is that you avoid being infected with HIV since you do not use syringes. But since many heroin addicts tend to engage in unprotected sex while ‘high’, this advantage will essentially be nullified.
- No Instant Addiction
People who use heroin do not become addicted to it instantly. So, if you take a shot of heroin right now, it does not mean that you will become addicted to it throughout your life. Instead, it takes several months of consistent use to become addicted to the drug. This addiction develops since heroin activates the brain’s reward system. And if the user seeks to stop takings the drug, the withdrawal symptoms can be severe and extremely unpleasant.
- Physical Signs
Heroin addicts tend to exhibit various physical symptoms. For one, they will lose weight rapidly even though they are not doing any exercise or following a diet program. The nose will also be runny. There will be needle marks on the arms in case they are taking the drug intravenously. And in some cases, there might be abscesses at the site of the injection. Addicts also tend to pick their skin, which can result in scabs or cuts. And in women, the menstrual cycle will be lost. If your loved one is exhibiting any of such conditions, then it can indicate a heroin addiction. Get in touch with this clinic to rehabilitate them.
- Long-Term Effects
The long-term effects of heroin use can be quite devastating for the individual. The white matter in the brain will start deteriorating. The veins will collapse while the heart lining and valve will become infected. Vomiting and insomnia will become more frequent. The hormonal balance will be disturbed. Liver diseases are highly likely. Chances of contracting hepatitis B and HIV are pretty high if they inject the heroin using a shared syringe with other users. There will be intense pain in the bones and muscles. They will be unable to make any logical choice and the ability to deal with stressful conditions will be very low. Finally, the user can overdose on the drug and die.
- Frequency Of Co-Occurrence With Other Substance Abuse
Heroin use is more likely in people who are already addicted to some substance. People who are addicted to alcohol are likely to use heroin more than those who are not addicted to alcohol. Marijuana users are three times likelier to become addicted to heroin. The chance of a cocaine addict becoming a heroin addict is 15 times than that of a non-cocaine user. And if you are addicted to prescription drugs, then the likelihood of heroin addiction is a massive 40 times.