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There are many signs to looks for when it comes to spotting someone addicted to heroin.
Physical signs exhibited by someone addicted to heroin include:
- Constricted Pupils- The brains receptors are blocked by heroin use and cause the pupils to shrink. When addicted to heroin it is hard to see at night because of this.
- Bruising in the crease of the elbow- Someone addicted to heroin will usually have 'trac marks' from the injection of heroin.
- Dry mouth- Dry mouth can lead to tooth decay because good bacteria that kill germs are not present. When addicted to heroin for a prolonged period teeth for this reason.
- Vomiting or nausea- The body reacts to the drug by rejecting it before the user is addicted to heroin.
- Cravings for sweets
- Constipation or urinary retention
- Muscle spasms
- Itchy, red skin
- Contraction of Hepatitis, HIV, or AIDS
Behavioral signs that someone is addicted to heroin show include:
- Drowsiness- Half-conscious state called 'nodding' is typical of someone addicted to heroin.
- Euphoria- The reason that people become addicted to heroin is because of the euphoric feeling.
- Slowed motor skills and slowed reaction time- Heroin is a depressant, and when addicted to heroin the drug can more permanently affect motor skill speed.
- Confusion
- Delirium
Heroine can be taken orally, snorted, or injected. When addicted to heroin, it is usually taken intravenously, injected into the easy-to-find veins in the crease in an arm. This is because the effect is more immediate and less heroin is needed to get high when injected. After someone addicted to heroine repeats this process many times, however, the veins collapse and they must find new places to inject, such as between the toes or even directly in the eyeball.
When heroin is injected, the person addicted to heroin will have certain supplies in stock. If you notice these items around the house of the person you suspect is addicted to heroin, you may want to stage an intervention:
- Spoon- A person addicted to heroine will heat up the drug in a spoon with liquid to dissolve it for injection. The spoon may have burn marks on the bottom side from where a lighter was used to do the heating.
- Cotton Balls- Cotton is used to absorb heroin in liquid form and separate it from any debris that could accidentally be injected.
- Syringes- The most common way a person addicted to heroin will get the drug in their system.
- Tin Foil- When a person addicted to heroin chooses to smoke the drug, they will roll up tinfoil to inhale fumes from a heroin substance that is warmed over another piece of foil ('chasing the dragon').
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