What are the Symptoms of Heroin Addiction?

What is Heroin and Heroin’s Drug Classification

Heroin is an opioid drug that is created from morphine, which is a natural substance that is derived from the seed of the poppy plant.

The opioid epidemic has tragically claimed many lives. One of the ways this occurs is when the supply of prescription opioids runs dry, many people addicted turn to street drugs such as heroin to continue using. Heroin is an incredibly addictive substance that is classified as a Schedule I drug by the DEA. Schedule I drugs are drugs, substances, or chemicals that possess no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse.

Signs Your Loved One Has a Heroin Addiction

Like many addictions, there are tell-tale signs that become gradually obvious over time. An issue with addiction is that we believe it cannot happen to people we know, our loved ones, it only happens to other people. This is false, addiction is a disease that, much like mental illness, can affect anyone.

A person that is addicted to heroin will show signs in subtle ways and sometimes very overt ways. Remember, a person themselves may not have recognized that their recreational drug use has become an addiction. Sometimes, the person addicted is the last to know, and many intervention tactics are used because of that fact.

Heroin addiction can be recognized by behavioral changes first and foremost. While we may think upon the cheesy but well-intentioned sitcoms of the 90s that often featured drug education episodes in which a character finds a syringe, glass pipes, or burnt spoons, you typically will not find these.

The behavioral changes are the most telling signs. Erratic or unstable mental behavior. The feeling that the person is “distant” or not all there. They spend a great deal of their time sleeping. They often ask to borrow money when there is no visible circumstances for why they should suddenly be in financial need, especially repeatedly.

Physical symptoms of heroin addiction are equally important too. Sleeping all day is not just a mental/emotional symptom, but it is also a physical need as well. For what reason does this person need so much rest, what are they recovering from? We know that addiction is comorbid with mental health issues, and so oversleeping is not just a sign of addiction, but also depression or anxiety disorder as well.

Logical inconsistencies may also present themselves to you often. There may be times when you get the feeling that your friend or loved one is lying to you about seemingly irrelevant things. In these moments, when we feel something is wrong, we should err on the side of trusting our gut instinct, because when it comes to people, that feeling is often rooted in something we are understanding but not entirely conscious of.

A person who is hiding an addiction will require many elaborate lies or strange excuses to cover up their atypical social behaviors. Look for the signs, if you are lost in what to think it may be helpful to speak to an addiction specialist or addiction consultant who can offer you information that may clear things up.

Signs You Have a Heroin Addiction

While it may seem like an exceedingly obvious thing, it is not. Many people, as we discussed in the prior section, develop addictions unwittingly, unknowingly, and with acknowledgement. The problem can become so far along before a person is forced to acknowledge the addiction.

Addiction to opioids can start in a number of ways, the most common is being unable to wean off of prescription opioids that were once legally (even recklessly) prescribed after a routine surgical procedure or treating a medical condition. Opioids have high abuse potential, and so certain people react very strongly to them. Unfortunately, this is all it takes sometimes. Once a person is no longer allowed access to the prescription, they seek it out on the streets in the form of heroin.

Any substance that alters your mind will have profound mental and physical impacts, the stronger that substance is, the greater the impact. Heroin is a schedule I drug for a reason, it can drastically affect the person physically and emotionally when they are in between doses. This rubberbanding is exactly what makes addiction so terrible, there is no stability in your life, no peace.

Symptoms of Heroin Addiction:

• Depression
• Euphoria (when using)
• Mood Swings
• Paranoia
• Hallucinations
• Apathy and lack of desire
• Unintended weight loss
• Irrational anger or hostility

These are not the only symptoms of heroin addiction, but they are very common symptoms among those who have a substance use disorder.

Heroin Addiction Treatment Georgia

Southeast Addiction is here for you. Our highly experienced and compassionate staff have dedicated their time to battling addiction and helping those who want a way out find one. Recovery is possible. A new beginning is possible. All it takes is one brave step forward, that step is calling us today at (770)-637-9013 or contacting us online.