Heroin addiction is a monster. This extremely dangerous and chronic condition causes people to abandon their hopes, dreams, families, and futures. Heroin use causes health, relationship, and socio-economic problems in many communities worldwide. Heroin use changes the way the brain functions and causes people to feel dependent on its effects.
To help a loved one become stable after becoming lost in opioids like heroin and fentanyl, consider recommending a heroin and fentanyl addiction treatment program. If your friend or family member is struggling to overcome addiction, reach out to Greater Boston Addiction Centers online today or call us at 877.920.6583 to learn how our heroin addiction in Massachusetts can help.
What Is Heroin and What Does It Do?
Heroin is a highly addictive, mind-altering illegal drug that is similar to morphine. Heroin is an opioid, a class of drugs that also includes prescription pain relievers like oxycodone and hydrocodone (OxyContin and Vicodin).
When heroin reaches the brain, it attaches to opioid receptors located all over the brain and body, most notably in places involving the perception of pain and pleasure and in the part of the brain that regulates breathing. If your loved one is addicted to heroin, the drug instructs their nervous system to produce intense feelings of pleasure and offers them relief from pain and discomfort. The short-term effects of heroin use can last a few hours include a rush of good feelings while breathing and the heart rate slows.
Heroin Withdrawal
Once the effects of heroin wear off, your loved one will experience a heroin withdrawal. They may exhibit a depressed mood and a strong craving to use more heroin and feel that same kind of pleasure again. Getting clean and off heroin is challenging, and doing so alone can be dangerous. A rehab center in the Boston area can help to safely remove the heroin from your loved one’s system and begin the recovery process.
Heroin addiction in Massachusetts is a severe problem, impacting millions of families. Across the country, heroin is claiming the lives of 40 Americans every day, on average, due to overdoses. This is what is referred to as the American opioid epidemic. Sadly, many of those suffering from a heroin addiction combine other drugs like cocaine and prescription opioids with their heroin. This cocktail of substances is capable of producing even deadly results. Rehab in Boston can help, starting with a medical detox and then rehab and therapy to break the deadly cycle of addiction.
Three Signs Your Loved One Is a Heroin Addict
Before your loved one can get help for their heroin addiction, Massachusetts family members and friends must first identify the problem. To do that, you can look for these three signs that your loved one is battling a heroin addiction.
Heroin Paraphernalia
Heroin has very common and specific devices addicts use to inject, smoke, or snort heroin. Knowing what the drug and the drug paraphernalia look like may help you identify heroin use in someone you love. Heroin is a powdery, crumbly white substance. While usually off-white, the color can range from white to dark brown or black.
In most cases, a heroin user needs certain paraphernalia to get high. Heroin can be injected, snorted, or smoked. This means that you should be on the lookout for:
- Needles
- Pipes
- Spoons
- Lighters
- Rubber tubing
- Elastic bands
- Foil
Physical Symptoms of Heroin Use
The physical symptoms of heroin use occur quickly after the drug has been smoked, injected, or snorted. Euphoria washes over the user within seconds, while the effects take longer if smoked or snorted. If you see your loved one experiencing an unusual euphoric episode, drug rehab in Boston may be needed to detox and break the cycle of their addiction. The physical symptoms of heroin use include:
- Dry mouth and flushed skin
- Constricted pupils
- Slow breathing
- Itching
- Nausea and vomiting
- Constipation
Lifestyle Changes
Over time, heroin addiction causes people to abandon their hobbies, passions, and maybe even their school and work commitments, all in an effort to chase the high and avoid the effects of withdrawal. While these signs may be harder to spot, they are also key to helping your loved one get clean. Because heroin injections leave needle marks, many addicts wear long-sleeve clothing to hide their scars, even in warm weather. Clothing choice can be one sign your loved one is hiding their heroin use and could benefit greatly from getting help for their heroin addiction in Massachusetts. If they are worried their addiction will be discovered, they may withdraw from friends and family, causing their work and personal relationships to suffer. Isolation is common among people with heroin addiction.
Treatment for Heroin Addiction Starts Here
If you are worried your loved one is a heroin addict, contact Greater Boston Addiction Centers today. We can be the starting point for them to create a fuller, happier life for themselves. Use our secure online form or call us confidentially at 877.920.6583 to discover how rehab Boston can break the cycle of heroin addiction.
