What Are the Symptoms of Heroin Use?
Many of us know that addiction can be a terrible and life-altering experience. If you haven’t dealt with someone with an addiction before, you may not know just how bad addiction can get in terms of signs, symptoms, and side effects. One of the most powerful drugs that people get addicted to is heroin. In this post, we will discuss the drug heroin, the symptoms of heroin use, heroin addiction symptoms, and how to find heroin addiction treatment programs in Los Angeles, CA.
At Hillside Mission Recovery, we know how powerful addiction can be and that dealing with a person addicted to a drug like heroin starts with recognizing the signs of heroin use. We want to give clients and their families the best chances at true recovery. We hope this post helps people get the help they need with their addiction.
What is Heroin?
Before we discuss heroin use symptoms, it’s essential to know precisely what heroin is. Heroin is under the classification of drugs known as opioids. It is a derivative of the drug morphine that comes from the seeds of poppy plants found in various parts of the world. Heroin is considered one of the most potent pain relievers in existence, even compared to modern-day drugs like fentanyl.
Heroin appears as a white or brown powder substance or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin. It was initially used widely to treat pain and various other conditions until it was found to be addictive and have negative side effects many years later.
How Addictive is Heroin?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), heroin is labeled as highly addictive, in part due to the fact that people who use it quickly develop a tolerance to the drug. Developing a tolerance increases the amount the person must take to feel the drug’s effects.
This gradual increase in the amount a person takes eventually leads to a chemical dependence on the drug, wherein the body needs the drug to function normally. This is in part due to the side effects of the drug and the fact that, as an opioid, heroin alters the chemistry of the brain and nervous system.
Once a person becomes dependent on the drug through extended use, the next step is total addiction. At the point, a person reaches addiction, the only way to safely get clean is by seeking treatment at a professional treatment facility.
What Are the Symptoms of Heroin Use?
The symptoms of heroin use can vary by person and depending on how they use the drug and for how long, but there are some common short-term and long-term symptoms of heroin use to look out for.
Common short-term symptoms include things like itching, nausea, vomiting, a feeling of heaviness in the limbs, itchiness of the skin, dry mouth, brain fog, and slipping in and out of consciousness.
More severe long-term effects include long-term insomnia, collapsed veins, infections, abscesses, liver and kidney disease, lung problems, sexual dysfunction in men and menstrual irregularities for women, and depression and other mental disorders.
These symptoms can change in intensity and severity depending on how long a person has been using heroin and how much they were using. The longer a person uses the drug, the worse the symptom and side effects tend to be.
How to Find Heroin Treatment Programs in Los Angeles, CA
If you or someone you know is suffering from heroin addiction, getting them into a treatment program is important to begin the recovery journey. Hillside Mission Recovery is here for you if you are searching for a Los Angeles rehab center.
We are a Los Angeles inpatient treatment facility focusing on individualized care and treating the underlying causes of addiction so that clients and their families can achieve long-term sobriety. We have treatment options that include medically supervised detox, in-house counseling, group therapy, and aftercare services for once treatment has ended.
Don’t continue struggling with addiction alone; get help by calling Hillside Mission Recovery today!
