Heroin: Effects, addiction, and treatment

As the strength of any street drug is hard to gauge from batch to batch, the potential to overdose on heroin is always a distinct possibility. Heroin is sold and used in a number of forms, including as white or brown powder, a black sticky substance (tar heroin), and solid black chunks. These different forms of heroin can be smoked, snorted, or injected under the skin, into muscle, or directly into the veins.

Heroin addicts will exhibit this symptom which a persistent, hacking cough. If the heroin addict in your life is smart enough, they will never let you see this side in them. If you do happen to notice a sequence of euphoria, followed by incoherence, this is an obvious sign of heroin use. Angry ill feelings may ensue also because they are agitated as soon as heroin leaves their system.

Everything You Need to Know About Heroin

This means that heroin’s effects wear off quickly, and people must take it several times a day to maintain its effect. Use of heroin signs can be similar to the signs of use for any powerful drug. Heroin use generally involves a major life shift away from family, friends, and work and towards heroin use behaviors. Those around the user may not want to acknowledge the use of heroin symptoms, but it’s critical to deal with heroin use as soon as it’s seen and to encourage the heroin user to get help. An individual who is addicted to heroin may have difficulty coping with normal, everyday life. Heroin users can also develop liver, kidney and lung disease and arthritis and other musculoskeletal diseases.

heroin addiction signs

The new heroin user will start to exhibit changes in character. This usually includes secrecy or a need to be heroin addiction treatment alone more often. Check out our blog posts and resource links for the latest information on substance abuse.

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These can contribute to repeated use and the formation of an addiction to heroin. At Bedrock Recovery Center, we offer access to a full continuum of care for heroin addiction through our treatment center and nearby treatment centers in Massachusetts. Understanding the signs, symptoms, causes and effects of heroin addiction is an important first step toward healing and recovery. Heroin addiction is especially characterized by the physical dependence that develops with abuse, as well as psychological dependency. Factors of physical dependence include withdrawal symptoms and a need for markedly more Heroin to achieve intoxication.