Physical Effects of Heroin Addiction

If you suspect that someone in your life is using heroin, you may be interested in learning about the physical effects of heroin addiction. Knowing what signs to look for can help you determine whether a loved one may be struggling with heroin use. The earlier you can pick up on a potential drug problem, the sooner you can get help and prevent the addiction from further ruining that person’s life. If you recognize the symptoms of heroin abuse in yourself or someone else, reach out to your local heroin addiction treatment program to get the help needed to break free from this potent drug.

At Greater Boston Addiction Centers, we realize how powerfully addictive heroin can be, but we have the resources your friend or family member needs to overcome their addiction. Help them take back control of their health by enrolling in our outpatient heroin addiction rehab. We can help your loved ones heal their mind and body from the effects of heroin addiction so that they can move forward to a brighter future. Give us a call at 877.920.6583 to help someone you care about leave heroin addiction behind.

What Are the Physical Effects of Heroin Addiction?

Heroin is a powerful opioid drug that is obtained illicitly on the street. Many people turn to heroin after becoming addicted to their prescription opioid medications. If they cannot obtain additional prescriptions to keep up with their increasing need for the drug, heroin provides an alternative. The desire for heroin and prescription opioids comes from their pain-relieving and euphoric effects. Once a person becomes dependent on the substance, they may do whatever it takes to maintain their supply.

Many psychological symptoms are associated with heroin addiction, like anxiety, depression, and mood swings; however, these can also result from a mental health condition. So, how do you know if someone you care about is dependent on or addicted to heroin? If you are unsure about whether someone is struggling with this potent opioid, it helps to know the physical effects of heroin addiction:

• Track marks–These marks are generally found on the arm and are caused by repeated intravenous use of heroin. Over time, injecting a needle into the same area will cause visible damage to the skin. Some people may try to hide their heroin use by injecting into less visible areas. Even in hot weather, your loved one may wear long sleeves to cover up track marks.
• Persistent flu-like symptoms–When a person is dependent on heroin, they will experience withdrawal symptoms whenever they do not have access to the drug or try to cut back their use. They may experience muscle aches, a runny nose, and excessive sweating, similar to having a case of the flu.
• Sedation–When under the influence of heroin, a person may appear extremely drowsy and may even go back and forth between wakefulness and semiconsciousness.

The above physical effects of heroin addiction can help clarify whether someone you know is using this drug. If you notice the above signs along with the aforementioned psychological symptoms, it may be time to sit your loved one down and discuss enrolling in heroin addiction rehab.

Are There Long-Term Effects from Heroin Abuse?

If a person continues using heroin for an extended period, they can suffer additional side effects to those listed above. Long-term heroin abuse can be especially detrimental to one’s physical health, including such risks as:

• Impaired cognitive function due to deterioration in the brain
• Kidney and liver problems
• Collapsed veins
• Infertility
• Skin infections
• Arthritis
• Chronic constipation
• Hepatitis

Once you begin noticing signs of heroin addiction, it is critical that you encourage your loved one to get help. Heroin addiction treatment programs can help them overcome addiction before it permanently destroys their health.

Heal Your Life With Heroin Addiction Rehab at Greater Boston Addiction Centers

With quality heroin addiction rehab at Greater Boston Addiction Centers, your loved one no longer needs to feel stuck with heroin addiction. Our heroin addiction treatment programs will help them get through withdrawal more comfortably and provide the necessary therapy to address underlying contributors to heroin abuse. Give us a call today at 877.920.6583 to learn more about enrolling your loved one in our heroin addiction rehab.