An estimated 42,000 Floridians used heroin in 2021 alone. Thousands of those people have a heroin use disorder. If you’re concerned that someone you love may be one of them, do you know how to identify the signs? Knowing what to look for is the first step to being able to recognize a heroin use disorder.
To know if a loved one could benefit from treatment at Real Recovery, you first need to know what a heroin use disorder looks like. Let’s get into the signs of heroin addiction.
Identifying the Physical Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Addiction
Spotting a heroin use disorder starts with learning how to recognize the key physical side effects. Some common physical signs of heroin addiction include:
- Chronic cough because of respiratory problems
- Gastrointestinal problems like nausea, vomiting, and constipation
- Small, pinpoint pupils
- Weight loss, poor hygiene, and other changes in appearance
- Extreme lethargy, fatigue, or nodding off/drifting in and out of consciousness
- Physical weakness and poor coordination, which may lead to falls and bruises
- Needle marks or abscesses on arms, legs, and other areas of the body, known as track marks
If you see a lot of these changes in a person occurring all at once, they’re likely living with a new or worsening heroin use disorder.
Physical Health Consequences of Heroin Use
Heroin use can have serious health consequences. Often, these health problems are impacted by the way that heroin is consumed.
Heroin is commonly injected into the body using needles. Long-term needle use results in collapsed veins and scarring at the sight of injection. Sharing needs increases the risk of fungal or bacterial infections at the sight of the injection. Another major concern when sharing needles is the transfer of bloodborne pathogens, including hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or HIV.
Contracting health conditions are most commonly associated with sharing needles. However, the same concerns about bloodborne pathogens and other infections apply to sharing snorting tools. Snorting heroin also causes damage to the nasal septum, which results in tissue death. When tissue dies, the nose quickly becomes further damaged. In severe cases, this causes the septum and nasal cavity to collapse. Surgery is required to correct a collapsed septum and nasal cavity.
Smoking heroin also causes unique health concerns. Smoking heroin leads to severe infections in the mouth, lungs, and gums. Repeated smoking is also connected to the development of emphysema, lung cancer, and other serious lung conditions.
Identifying the Psychological Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Addiction
In addition to physical signs of heroin use disorder, there are also many psychological symptoms.
Psychological symptoms of heroin use disorder include:
- Loss of interest in hobbies and activities that they used to enjoy
- Emotional numbness, such as an inability to feel pleasure
- Paranoia and hallucinations
- Cognitive decline, possibly including memory problems, poor concentration, and impaired judgment
- Changes in behavior, like social withdrawal, sudden secrecy, and neglecting responsibilities
- Intense cravings, to the point of having obsessive thoughts about heroin and how to get more
- Emotional instability and mood swings, going from intense highs to intense lows
- New or worsening mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety
Many of these psychological changes are not unique to heroin. But when they occur at the same time as physical warning signs, they are enough to raise concern.
What Are the Risk Factors for Developing Heroin Addiction?
There are many factors that contribute to the likelihood that someone will develop heroin use disorder. Growing up in an environment where parents or other adults use substances like heroin can normalize that behavior. A family history of substance use puts someone at a higher risk of developing heroin use disorder. When it comes to family, genetics may give you a predisposition for risk-taking behavior, which makes you more likely to try heroin.
Unsurprisingly, access to heroin is a major risk factor for developing heroin use disorder. This often comes from hanging out with people who take heroin or other substances. This is another way that heroin use becomes normalized.
Many people begin using heroin as a way to deal with extreme stress. Heroin has a sedative effect. This slows down the body’s functions. It creates a sense of elation and relaxation, which reduces stress. Severe stress can develop from lots of different factors, including mental health conditions and trauma. Other factors like work stress and strains at home also contribute to severe stress.
Recognizing the Paraphernalia Associated With Heroin Use
One of the best ways to know whether or not someone is using heroin is to keep an eye out for the tools they use to take it. For people who are unfamiliar with these tools, many of them can look innocent, so it’s important to be able to recognize them.
A few common examples of heroin use include:
- Small plastic bags and balloons for carrying heroin
- Cotton balls or cigarette filters to filter heroin before it’s drawn into the syringe
- Snorting tools like straws, rolled-up paper, or dollar bills
- Aluminum foil and gum wrappers
- Glass or metal pipes
- Spoons and bottle caps to melt down heroin
- Needles and syringes for injecting heroin into the vein
- Rubber tourniquets, belts, and shoelaces
Remember that context is important when it comes to identifying these tools. On their own, none of these items necessarily cause concern. However, if you find a collection of them, it could be a sign of heroin use disorder.
The Danger of Overdosing on Heroin
Heroin use is very dangerous. Not only does it have the health concerns listed above, but it has serious consequences, including death.
Overdose is always a concern when it comes to heroin use disorder. An overdose can happen the very first time someone takes opioids. But the more often you take the substance, the more chances you have to overdose.
People who’ve recently returned to use are at a higher risk of a heroin overdose. If someone goes back to using their usual dose but has lost their tolerance, they’re at a high risk of overdosing.
Signs of an opioid overdose include a slow pulse, seizures, uncontrollable vomiting, a blue tint to the lips and fingertips, low blood pressure, respiratory failure, and pinpoint pupils.
If your loved one is experiencing an opioid overdose, you need to contact medical help immediately. Naloxone is an over-the-counter medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose when administered appropriately. This medication is life-saving and should always be carried if you are around people who take heroin.
What to Do if Someone You Know Needs Help in Tampa, Florida
Knowing that someone you love has a heroin use disorder creates a complex situation. You’re worried and want to help them, but you don’t know what to do and say that won’t make it worse. This is why doing research is an important first step.
If you think that a loved one is taking heroin, it is important to come to them from a place of concern, not judgment. Tell them about the things that you’ve noticed and why they make you worried. Use “I feel” statements that center around your concerns. In this situation, trying to tell someone what to do is not very helpful.
Discuss the possibility of heroin rehab with them. By arming them with the information they need, you have brought them one step closer to getting the help they need.
Real Recovery Solutions has Florida’s largest sober living network, with countless alumni testimonials on how effective our treatment methods are. Between our substance use disorder treatment facility in Tampa and various sober living homes across the Gulf Coast of Florida, there’s a place for you in the Real Recovery community. If you’re serious about recovery from heroin use disorder, we’re serious about doing everything we can to set you up for success on that journey. Call us at 813-373-6762 to learn more about how we can help today.
Real people. Real solutions. Real results.
