DRUG REHAB
Recognising Symptoms of Heroin Addiction
Heroin use and abuse can result in both physical and psychological symptoms. Recognising the signs of a problem is the first step towards getting help.
Even if the road ahead appears dark and hopeless, heroin addiction can be effectively treated if you find the right medical help and holistically resolve all the reasons behind the addiction.
The fight against addiction always starts with awareness of the signs and symptoms so that you can take the necessary step for yourself or a loved one as soon as possible.
Signs of a Heroin Problem
Awareness is the prerequisite to seeking help for yourself, a loved one in your family, or somebody in your community for whom you are concerned.
Heroin is one of the most addictive illegal substances because it can significantly alter brain chemistry, the constant rush of dopamine and endorphins hijacks your central nervous system and can create a physical dependence after a few uses.
Furthermore, heroin is often used as a coping mechanism for discontent, stress, or trauma, creating psychological dependence.
The more you use heroin, the more dependent you become and the higher likelihood of addiction. Trying to go “cold turkey”, and suddenly stopping will likely cause severe withdrawal symptoms. Studies suggest that rates of heroin relapse after attempting to stop can go as high as 88%, which speaks to the severe addiction symptoms it causes and the need for professional help.
The signs of heroin dependence and addiction are physical and mental symptoms, differences in behaviour, and disruption in an individual’s personal and professional life.
Seeing them in a loved one will allow you to convince them to seek professional help and intervene as quickly as possible before the condition gets worse.
Heroin addiction is a serious disorder, but no matter how challenging, it can be beaten if you support one another and seek help from qualified professionals.
No matter if you or a loved one have tried in the past and failed, the fight against addiction is not a hopeless one, so you should never give up.
Physical Signs of Heroin Dependence
Despite the euphoric and exhilarating psychological effect that heroin creates, the illicit drug is by no means a safe substance. Chronic use of heroin creates visible physical signs that you can see in others and may lead to the development of long-term health problems. Heroin changes your brain chemistry, which shifts your body’s natural state of balance.
As a result, many of the physical signs of heroin dependence are not only due to the harmful chemicals in the substance but also your body’s inability to function normally without the substance.
- Itchy and clammy skin
- Fever and tremors
- Nausea and vomiting
- Stomachaches
- Constipation
- Fluctuations in hunger and eating patterns
- Runny nose
- Weight loss
- Dry mouth
- Muscle spasms
- Needle marks and bruises on the skin
How heroin abuse affects the brain
White matter and grey matter are two distinct components of the central nervous system, each playing crucial roles in brain function.
Grey matter primarily consists of neuronal cell bodies, dendrites, and synapses, and is responsible for processing information, including sensory perception, muscle control, decision-making, and self-control. It is where the actual processing of information occurs, such as in the cerebral cortex, which handles higher-level functions like thought and memory.
White matter, on the other hand, is composed of myelinated axons, which act as communication cables, connecting different grey matter areas and facilitating the rapid transmission of electrical signals throughout the brain. For example, white matter in the corpus callosum allows communication between the brain’s two hemispheres. Any substance abuse affects the brain negatively and in most cases permanently.
If alcohol is known to specifically “target” grey matter, heroin is famous as the white matter “killer”.
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Deterioration of White Matter
Heroin physically alters brain structures, particularly those related to risk/reward and learning. These changes can lead to persistent cognitive impairments. Long-term heroin use leads to deterioration of white matter, which can significantly impair decision-making abilities, behaviour regulation, and responses to stress. This structural damage is often irreversible and contributes to the chronic nature of addiction. -
Engagement of Negative Emotional Learning CircuitsHeroin addiction activates brain circuits involved in negative emotional learning, particularly those associated with stress and arousal in the hypothalamus and amygdala. This engagement reinforces the compulsion to use heroin as a way to alleviate negative emotional states, perpetuating the cycle of addiction.
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Dopamine DysregulationJust like any other drug, heroin hijacks the brain's reward system by flooding it with dopamine, a neurotransmitter that creates intense feelings of pleasure. Over time, the brain becomes less responsive to dopamine, requiring higher doses of heroin to achieve the same effect. This leads to increased tolerance and dependence.
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Allostatic Changes in Emotional ProcessesChronic heroin use results in allostatic changes - long-term alterations in emotional regulation - that drive the compulsive drug-seeking behaviour. These changes make it difficult for individuals to experience pleasure from other activities and increase the risk of relapse during recovery.
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Alteration of Brain Structure and FunctionHeroin physically alters brain structures, particularly those related to reward, learning, and decision-making. These changes can lead to persistent cognitive impairments and make recovery a long and challenging process.
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Start the Heroin Rehabilitation Process Today
Finding the best heroin addiction treatment is vital for long-term recovery success. Our friendly and compassionate team will hold your hand through the process until you learn to love yourself again.
Psychological Signs of Heroin Addiction
Although less visible, especially since the person struggling with addiction can try to hide those symptoms, heroin addiction can severely hurt a person’s mental health.
The “high” you experience after taking heroin comes due to the rush of dopamine, serotonin, and other brain chemicals, but unfortunately, it comes with a huge price.
Heroin, much like other illicit drugs, creates significant chemical, neuronal, and hormonal imbalances.
Studies on heroin addicts have shown disruptions and deterioration in various brain circuits due to substance abuse.
Heroin abuse can disrupt cognitive function, exacerbate symptoms of other mental health disorders, and leave trauma and other sources of stress unaddressed because it’s used to hide those issues.
Psychological signs of heroin dependence to watch out for:
- Loss of orientation and confusion
- Anxiety and heightened sensitivity to stress
- Mood swings
- Numbness and apathy
- Symptoms of depression
- Impulsivity, aggression and hostility toward people
- Frustration and irritability with oneself and others
- Inattention and inability to concentrate
- Reduced cognitive function and struggle to make decisions
- Memory issues
- Paranoia
- Hallucinations and episodes of delirium
Behavioural and Social Consequences of Heroin Use
The damage to a person’s physical and mental health and the need to constantly manage cravings will inevitably change how an individual treats loved ones and friends, carries themselves at work, and their general attitude toward life. The longer the addiction goes on, the more profound and irreversible consequences it has. Some of the most common behavioural and social problems linked to heroin use include:
Overall, it’s vital to understand that heroin addiction is a complex brain disorder that affects not only an individual’s health but also their behaviour, relationships, and overall quality of life. It’s essential to seek help as soon as possible
Unfortunately, society has a high degree of stigma against addiction and substance abuse. As a result, people often associate addiction with a moral wrong or a personal failure for which the person is responsible. When shame and guilt are the strongest feelings you associate with addiction, you are unlikely to seek help and will often do everything possible to hide your symptoms.
Behavioural and social signs of heroin abuse to watch out for:
- Slurred speech and trouble with communication
- Falling behind on responsibilities and work at school, university, or at work
- Engaging in risky behaviour
- No attention to personal hygiene, how they dress, etc
- Needle marks and scars on arms and legs
- Distancing from loved ones and friends
- Getting hostile and defensive when the substance is mentioned
- Mood fluctuations
- Switching between periods of hyperactivity and lethargy
- Lack of motivation and loss of interest in activities they previously enjoyed
- Financial difficulties due to overspending on drugs
- Legal troubles arising from possession, distribution, or other drug-related crimes
Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawals
One of the most obvious and visible signs of heroin addiction is the dependence you are likely to develop if you abuse the substance. Your body seeks a state of balance, also known as homeostasis.
Chronic use of heroin shifts the balance so that you need the substance to function normally. Suddenly stopping heroin or trying to lower doses can shock your body and create many withdrawal symptoms affecting your physical and mental health. That’s why it’s always advised that the withdrawal process is carried out under supervision of a professional.
Medically-assisted heroin withdrawal, often referred to as heroin detox, is a structured and supervised process designed to manage the physical and psychological symptoms that arise when a person stops using heroin and often involves an individualised treatment plan to give the patient the best chance of recovery and to prevent relapse.
For the patient, the withdrawal experience can be intense, as heroin creates strong physical dependence. Initially, within a few hours of the last dose, the patient may start feeling symptoms such as anxiety, agitation, muscle aches, and sweating.
These symptoms often escalate into more severe discomfort, including nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, and severe abdominal cramps. Patients may also experience insomnia and strong cravings for the drug.
To alleviate these symptoms, residential rehab staff may administer medications such as methadone, buprenorphine, or clonidine. Methadone and buprenorphine help reduce withdrawal symptoms and cravings by acting on the same opioid receptors in the brain that heroin affects, but in a safer and more controlled manner. Clonidine, on the other hand, can help manage symptoms like anxiety, sweating, and cramping without affecting opioid receptors.
Throughout the withdrawal process, the patient is closely monitored by our experts. They provide support for both the physical symptoms and the emotional distress that often accompanies detox. This phase can last from several days to a week, with the most intense symptoms typically peaking around 48 to 72 hours after the last heroin use.
Behavioural and social signs of heroin abuse to watch out for:
- Chest pains and heart palpitations
- Flu-like symptoms
- Hallucinations and paranoia
- Brain fog and inability to make decisions
- Mood swings
- Irrational thoughts and behaviour
- Exacerbated symptoms of other mental health disorders
- Restlessness and irritability
- Inability to sleep and insomnia
- Intense and uncontrollable cravings for heroin
Reach out to our expert support team 24 hours a day
Start the Heroin Rehabilitation Process Today
Finding the best heroin addiction treatment is vital for long-term recovery success. Our friendly and compassionate team will hold your hand through the process until you learn to love yourself again.
Symptoms of Heroin Overdose
Chronic use of heroin increases the chance of overdosing because your body builds a tolerance toward the substance.
In the beginning, the “high” you get from a dose of heroin can feel like a stark difference in how you feel and think. However, the more doses you take, the more your body gets used to the substance and requires more frequent or higher doses to get the same effect.
Since heroin is often used as a coping mechanism for some underlying mental health disorder, a source of stress and dissatisfaction, or a repressed trauma, the desire to get the same psychological effect can be very intense.
Furthermore, while under the substance, you may fear the effect running out or not pay attention as to how much you’ve already taken, which further increases the chance of heroin overdose.
Here is a comprehensive list of heroin overdose symptoms to watch out for:
- Inability to control muscles
- Constricted pupils
- Loss of consciousness
- Choking, inability to breathe and uncontrollable vomiting
- Respiratory arrest
- Slowed pulse and a noticeable fall in blood pressure
- Slurred speech and incoherent sentences
- Extreme fatigue and disorientation
- Changes in skin tone and temperature
- Severe flu-like symptoms
If you suspect that someone near you is experiencing a heroin overdose, immediately call 999. While waiting for medical help, try to keep them awake and resting so they don’t start choking.
How Is Heroin Dependence Treated?
Heroin addiction treatment requires a comprehensive approach, which tackles all the underlying reasons behind addiction and also offers effective management of the various symptoms and problems that arise due to the use of heroin.
The most effective treatment for heroin addiction will begin with an individual action plan, which considers a person’s health condition, potentially co-occurring conditions, the severity of the addiction, and other essential factors to craft a personalised treatment strategy.
Heroin dependence treatment begins with a detox, preferably in an inpatient programme, due to the highly addictive nature of heroin, which can cause intense withdrawal symptoms that qualified medical professionals must manage.
Happening simultaneously with the heroin detox and continuing after that, individual, family, group and various other forms of therapy will be required to improve mental health and address the hidden reasons behind addiction.
Although treatment can end once the inpatient programme is over, many people choose to enrol on an aftercare programme. Stepping back into the real world can be a frightening experience, which is why an aftercare programme can maintain individual therapy sessions for both emotional support and practical guidance, help in the finding of community initiatives for addicts, and maintain a strong sense of accountability.
Happening simultaneously with the heroin detox and continuing after that, individual, family, group and various other forms of therapy will be required to improve mental health and address the hidden reasons behind addiction.
Although treatment can end once the inpatient programme is over, many people choose to enrol on an aftercare programme. Stepping back into the real world can be a frightening experience, which is why an aftercare programme can maintain individual therapy sessions for both emotional support and practical guidance, help in the finding of community initiatives for addicts, and maintain a strong sense of accountability.
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