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Heroin Addiction: Signs, Symptoms & Causes
- Written By: Amanda Stevens, B.S.
- Reviewed By: Dr. Po-Chang Hsu, M.D., M.S.
- Updated:
- Published:
- Reading Time: 9 minutes
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Heroin Addiction & Recovery
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Table of Contents
Heroin is a powerful opioid drug that has plagued the United States for several decades. Due to how it affects the brain, heroin can cause an extremely intense form of addiction, in addition to brain damage and serious physical conditions.
At the Absolute Awakenings Treatment Center, we understand the harsh reality of heroin addiction and its destructive impact on individuals and their loved ones. Recognized as one of the most potent drugs, heroin addiction requires a complex, specialized approach to treatment — one that we’re seasoned in providing.
As New Jersey’s leading authority on comprehensive heroin addiction treatment, this page will guide you through recognizing the signs and symptoms of heroin addiction while introducing you to the range of treatment options we provide in a safe, caring, and recovery-focused environment. Our dedication is to empower you with knowledge, restore hope, and pave the way for addiction-free lives here in New Jersey.
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understanding Heroin
What Exactly is Heroin?
Heroin is a synthetic opioid drug made from morphine. Morphine is commonly used in hospitals to treat patients after surgery and those with conditions that cause severe pain. While morphine has medical use, heroin does not. It is primarily a street drug and is considered a Schedule I substance according to the Controlled Substances Act.
Regarding heroin usage in the US, more than 70,000 people overdosed on synthetic opioids, including heroin, in 2021.[1] Heroin targets the brain’s pleasure center to induce a powerful sense of euphoria. This keeps the brain from producing its own pleasure hormones and instead forces it to rely on the presence of the drug.
Heroin Abuse: Signs, Effects & Dangers
Heroin is also especially addictive due to the way it overtakes the brain’s ability to produce feel-good hormones like dopamine or serotonin. This makes it very difficult for the brain to cope naturally without the artificial dopamine rush.
Some people who abuse heroin misuse opioid painkillers first but seek the more intense high that heroin offers. Someone with a substance use disorder, mental health concerns, or a family history of substance use is more likely to abuse heroin.
Common signs of addiction include sweating, watery eyes, needle marks on the arms, and drug paraphernalia, such as syringes or melted spoons. It is also common to experience cravings or withdrawal symptoms when abusing heroin.
Using heroin will first make a person feel euphoric. This feeling is followed by a crash, which makes the person feel extremely sick and depressed. This may compel you to seek out more heroin to escape the negative feelings of the crash and return to the drug’s euphoria. This creates a cycle of addiction that is very difficult to overcome alone.
The long-term effects of heroin use include the following:[3]
- Heart infection
- Abscesses
- Collapsed veins
- Liver and kidney disease
- Lung infections
Some people may also experience mental changes, such as increased anxiety, paranoia, and depression.
While heroin might cause a strong sense of euphoria at first, it is then followed by a variety of painful side effects. These include tremors, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, body pain, headaches, and confusion.
Many will experience mood changes, paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Some may have suicidal thoughts or may become violent toward others. Heroin can also wreak havoc on your internal organs and brain.
The number of heroin overdose deaths increased sevenfold in 2020 compared to twenty years previous.[2] People rarely use heroin as the first drug they abuse. Many have already misused opioid painkillers before they move on to heroin.
There are a number of misconceptions related to heroin use. Some believe that if they snort or smoke the substance instead of injecting it, they won’t get addicted. However, this isn’t true, and heroin use can lead to addiction no matter how it’s consumed.
signs that someone is overdosing on heroin
Can You Overdose on Heroin?
Yes, it is possible to overdose on heroin, even the first time you try it. Due to the cyclical nature of heroin addiction, you may need to take higher doses to keep experiencing the strong euphoria from past uses. Without intervention, taking increasingly higher doses will eventually lead to overdose. An overdose is more likely when other substances are taken with heroin.
A heroin overdose will cause a person to become confused and ill. They may start vomiting or experiencing abdominal cramps. Many will lose consciousness. Some will have seizures or heart attacks, while others may die on the spot.
Because of the high fatality risk associated with heroin overdoses, it is important to ensure that they get medical treatment as soon as possible. Call 911 and stay with the person until the paramedics get there. If Narcan is available, administer as quickly as possible to avoid the fatal affects of a heroin overdose.
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How exactly is heroin taken?
How Do People Use Heroin?
Heroin is primarily injected into the arm. This is the fastest and most direct way for a person to experience the drug’s euphoric effects. As soon as the drug enters the bloodstream, it will travel to the brain and start working. It is also possible to snort or smoke heroin, but these methods are less common.
Some people who use heroin mix it with other drugs. Heroin becomes especially dangerous when you mix it with other substances and can lead to a coma, seizures, heart attack, or death.
On the street, heroin is often cut with caffeine, laundry detergent, cornstarch, talcum powder, and bug poison. All of these substances can further increase the danger of heroin.
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getting help for Heroin addiction in NJ
Get the Best Heroin Addiction Treatment in New Jersey at AATC
Heroin addiction treatment will be necessary for those who can’t stop taking this substance alone. Heroin rehab involves therapy and other supportive measures, such as mindfulness, yoga, and socialization.
Treatment will take anywhere from a few weeks to months, depending on the severity of the substance use history. Detox is the first and highest level of intervention that helps rid the body of harmful substances and manage withdrawal symptoms.
Partial Care, Intensive Outpatient, and ongoing treatment programs offer the support and resources needed to help you through dependence and addiction.
Talk and behavioral therapies are a cornerstone of addiction treatment. Under the guidance of a licensed professional, they help patients understand themselves better and learn valuable coping skills for managing mental health and substance use disorders.
Heroin can cause paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Some people who use heroin may also experience consistent symptoms of psychosis. They may become confused, delusional, or prone to bouts of violence. This can lead to brain damage and increased substance use.
Many people diagnosed with a substance use disorder also suffer from a co-occurring mental health condition such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD. When these conditions occur together, as is the case for approximately half of the treatment participants, one condition can agitate the other, making recovery more difficult.
Dual diagnosis treatment targets each condition individually to provide the best possible support for each and promote lasting healing.
For most patients, detoxing takes a few days to a few weeks. This is the most vulnerable time of recovery and treatment when the risk of relapse is the highest. By seeking professional treatment and therapy interventions, you will be equipped and supported through this process and given the best possible chance of success.
When medication-assisted treatment is appropriate, methadone and buprenorphine are two common drugs used to ease heroin withdrawal symptoms. This is useful for reducing the pain and discomfort that is associated with the detox process.
Answers to Common Questions About Heroin
Suboxone® Addiction FAQs
Fentanyl can certainly be fatal, especially when misused. Illegal fentanyl taken from the street is especially dangerous since it is usually cut with a variety of filler materials that are not meant for human consumption. It is also dangerous when you mix fentanyl with other substances, like alcohol or other drugs.
Medicinal fentanyl is made in a lab and is a pure product. Illegal fentanyl is made by drug gangs and individuals who cut the substance with dangerous ingredients. Fentanyl is a synthetic product, unlike morphine, which is an opioid derived from natural poppy plants.
Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms are often very severe, especially when you stop taking the drug after several years. The symptoms include headaches, vomiting, dizziness, fever, sweating, and hallucinations. Some people may experience heart attacks, seizures, strokes, a coma, and even death.
This is why it’s so important to have professional support when going through these withdrawal symptoms. Once the drug is fully out of your system, it will be much easier for you to get back on your feet.
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Find Heroin Addiction Recovery in NJ at Our New Jersey Heroin Treatment Center
Find Freedom From Addiction
At Absolute Awakenings Treatment Center, we deeply understand the destructive path that heroin addiction can carve. However, we firmly believe that the power to heal and recover lies within each individual. Providing the strongest and most comprehensive suite of addiction treatments in New Jersey, we’re committed to guiding you or your loved one on the path to an addiction-free life.
When you choose to step into recovery with us, you’re choosing a compassionate, individualized approach that addresses not just the physical elements of heroin addiction, but also the mental, emotional, and social facets that often underpin substance use disorders.
Our experienced multi-disciplinary team is skilled in providing evidence-based treatments, intertwined with holistic therapies and unmatched aftercare support.
Heroin addiction might have brought you to us, but courage will see you through. Recovery is not just about escaping addiction – it’s about reclaiming your life, your dreams, and your potential. Let us walk with you on this important journey. At Absolute Awakenings, you’ll find that treatment is not just an intervention – it’s a new beginning. Let your recovery start with us, at our drug & alcohol rehab center in New Jersey. Contact us today to start your journey.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023b, March 31). Drug overdose death rates. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/trends-statistics/overdose-death-rates on May 24, 2023.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022c, June 6). Opioid overdose data. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/deaths/opioid-overdose.html on May 24, 2023.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2023e, May 18). Commonly used drugs charts. National Institutes of Health. Retrieved from https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/commonly-used-drugs-charts#heroin on May 24, 2023.
We follow an evidence-based approach to treating substance abuse disorders at their core. Our belief is in healing the underlying factors that lead to addiction so that relapses can be avoided.
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