Heroin Symptoms

Heroin Symptoms to Look Out for Before it is Too Late

Heroin use has been increasing in the U.S. for many years, bringing the total number of heroin addicts to millions. In addition to regular heroin, smoking black tar heroin is a growing trend. Most of these drug users are young, so keeping a close eye on these youngsters for showing heroin symptoms is very important. 

Although you may have trouble identifying a heroin addict until the addiction becomes visibly clear, it is very challenging for heroin users to give up their addiction at that point. Fortunately, Avenues Recovery has put together a comprehensive list of red flag heroin addict signs that will help you determine if someone close to you is using heroin.

10 Heroin Addict Symptoms to Look Out For

Here’s a breakdown of some signs that can help you determine if someone is addicted or showing heroin symptoms.

1. Privacy and Money Issues

The easiest way to spot heroin symptoms begins with seeing a change in someone’s private life. Initial signs of heroin use are behavioral, as the body adapts to the newly introduced drugs. The most detectable sign is finding a person looking for more privacy than before. People suffering from early addiction will show a common heroin behavior of cooping up in their rooms or in the dark most of the time. Most drug addicts want to spend “alone time” to hide their drugs and addiction.

 Another sign that someone is on heroin is that they experience financial issues.  A heroin user will spend most of their earnings on drugs and if not have enough money to purchase more drugs, they might even start asking or borrowing money frequently or selling their possessions to earn extra cash.

2. How to Tell if Someone is on Heroin? Look Out for Drug Paraphernalia and Deodorizers

You may start finding deodorizers and drug paraphernalia (drug-assisting tools such as paper, glass, etc.) in the trash. While the symptoms of heroin use and its severity vary from person to person, paraphernalia is typical for most drug users.

The most common drug paraphernalia include blades, razors, spoons, or tin foil in their garbage. If you suspect a loved one may be using heroin one way to find out is by filtering through their trash every once in a while to search for drug paraphernalia or anything that may be used to conceal the scent of heroin use.

3. Does Heroin Make You Lose Weight? Sudden Weight Loss in Heroin Users

Heroin acts as a suppressant in the body, reducing a person’s appetite. This loss of appetite is so extreme that it may be more apparent than any of the other heroin symptoms on this list. A heroin addict may look very skinny, and it is one of the most dangerous physical signs of heroin use.  Sudden weight loss from heroin abuse can affect the cardiovascular system and overall body health.

4. Physical Signs of Heroin Use

Like all drugs, heroin has physical impacts on health. However, the physical heroin symptoms for each user may vary based on their method of heroin use. For instance, heroin use symptoms for those who smoke may include sores around the lip and nostril area. Heroin smoke can irritate those areas when exhaled. You might even see burnt marks around the user’s mouth if they take it orally. In addition, heroin users may also experience frequent nose bleeds. Heroin can make you itchy around those areas as well.

 Those who inject heroin have injection marks around their arms or legs, forming heroin scabs or spots on the skin.

5. Digestive Issues

Opiate abuse can often cause several digestive issues. Frequent users may exhibit heroin symptoms such as constipated digestion, called OIC (Opioid-Induced Constipation). Heroin users often have a hard time passing their stool. Cramping and pain because of blocked stools are very common among serious heroin users and are signs of heroin addiction.

6. Issues with Speech

Speech issues with heroin addicts may also occur because the drug impacts brain activity levels, and it can slow their reaction time down, causing them to speak exceptionally slowly. Heroin is an illegal drug that can cause mouth movements and speech to become unclear. Many of these addicts may mumble when they speak. In addition, others may speak in such a low tone that you can barely understand them.

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7. Coordination Issues

Motor skill problems are evident if you are looking for heroin symptoms. Most people struggling with heroin use have trouble with movement, coordination, and even balancing themselves. Their coordination problems increase with time, and they can fall at any moment.  Some heroin addicts may also be jittery, followed by complete relaxation. They may switch quickly between these two states depending on their mental condition

8. Deception

Common heroin behaviors like seeking privacy, alone time, and anti-social behavior are some initial mental effects of heroin use. However, these issues increase and become more severe as the addiction grows—the need for drugs increases, causing them to go to any lengths for more drugs.

Some psychological effects of heroin use may lead them to start stealing, borrowing money, or wearing clothes that help hide needles and foils. These deceptive activities keep increasing as long as the heroin user does not get proper treatment for it. These problematic behaviors affect others around the user more than the user themselves.

9. Lung Problems

Smoking heroin puts a lot of stress on a person’s lungs, and it not only makes them cough and sneeze but can slowly impact the complete respiratory system. Issues like pneumonia, tuberculosis or coughing are some simple heroin symptoms that can help identify possible drug use.

It is very important to get heroin users tested and treated for lung and upper respiratory conditions if at all possible.

10. Mood Swings

Heroin is one of the top-rated drugs for behavioral changes, as there are many psychological effects of heroin. Frequent heroin use can alter the user's personality. They will often feel disconnected from the rest of the world. They can develop feelings of anger, anxiety, or sadness quite quickly. In addition, heroin users experience severe mood swings frequently.

Many heroin users shift from apathy to extreme anger in seconds. This kind of unstable behavior is hazardous if you do not address it in time. There is also a chance that they may become physically violent and try to hurt themselves or others around.

Why Do People Take Heroin? 

Typically, the two initial reasons why people are drawn to take heroin are because of the euphoria it induces and the analgesic effect it has. Heroin produces intense feelings of pleasure – often described as a “rush.” It also decreases pain sensitivity (I.e., provides pain relief). This is because opioids can block pain messages transmitted through the spinal cord from the body.

Short-Term Heroin Symptoms

Additional, immediate effects of taking heroin include:

• A rush of pleasurable feelings and relief from pain
• Feeling ill or throwing up
• Feeling drowsy
• Shallow breathing
• Loss of libido (sex drive)
• Pupil constriction
• Drop in body temperature

After the initial effects, being under the influence of heroin leads to drowsiness and sedation for several hours. Users experience difficulty concentrating with impaired memory and cognitive function. Heroin also causes reduced gastrointestinal activity resulting in nausea, vomiting, and constipation. In addition to this is respiratory depression – heroin decreases the frequency and depth of breathing, which can lead to potentially dangerous oxygen deprivation.

Long-Term Heroin Symptoms

Some of the consequences of heroin addiction are as follows:

1. Health complications: Chronic heroin use can lead to various health problems, including liver and kidney disease, cardiovascular issues, respiratory disorders, and increased vulnerability to infections.
2. Vein damage and infections: Repeated injection of heroin can cause collapsed veins, infection at injection sites, and an increased risk of bloodborne diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.
3. Mental health issues: Heroin addiction is associated with an increased risk of mental health disorders, including depression, anxiety, and other mood disorders. The cycle of addiction can also exacerbate existing mental health conditions.
4. Social and financial consequences: Heroin users become more withdrawn from their family and friends as their life becomes more and more centered around the drug. This can lead to strained relationships, the inability to hold down a job, financial difficulties due to the cost of financing their addiction, and a decline in overall quality of life.

Additional long-term effects of taking heroin include:

• Changing the physical structure of the brain 
• Creating long-term hormonal and neuronal imbalances in the body that are not easily reversed
• Deteriorating white matter in the brain, impaired decision-making abilities
• Increased tolerance to heroin

Common Physical Heroin Symptoms

1. Dental problems: Damaged teeth are a common result of heroin use. This can cause teeth to be missing, cracked, damaged, corroded, crooked, etc. Additionally, gum bleeding and loss of enamel can happen as well. 
2. Skin issues: Heroin use can cause itching and skin problems, including dryness, rashes, abscesses, and infections at injection sites. Users may develop track marks or scars from injecting the drug.
3. Weight loss: This occurs due to the fact that opioids are an appetite suppressant. Users can also forget to eat or do not prioritize eating, which can lead to further nutritional deficiencies, contributing to a gaunt or emaciated appearance.
4. Constricted pupils: One of the notable effects of heroin use is the constriction of the pupils (known as pinpoint pupils). Pupils become extremely small, even in low-light conditions. This effect is often observable during periods of drug intoxication.
5. Bloodshot eyes: Pupillary constriction is accompanied by bloodshot eyes since heroin use can cause blood vessels in the eyes to dilate or rupture.

Psychological Effects of Heroin

Psychological factors also play into the physical effects that heroin has on one’s appearance. Individuals struggling with addiction may neglect personal hygiene due to their focus on obtaining and using the drug. Such people may also live in precarious situations due to their addiction and thus not have easy access to showers and personal hygiene products. Lack of grooming, unwashed appearance, and disheveled clothing are common. Neglecting one’s self-care can also result in a prematurely aged appearance with premature wrinkling and dry and dull skin.

Need Help with Heroin Addiction?

Heroin signs and symptoms can cause great harm to a person’s life. If you suspect that someone you love has a heroin addiction, reach out to us at Avenues today. We can help you determine if an intervention and a course of addiction treatment in a drug rehab is the proper next step for your loved one. You don’t need to surrender to your addiction.