Many people seeking help for a loved one from Beaches Recovery first ask, “How do I know if they use heroin?” The answers to this question depend on your loved one’s stage of use. There are signs of heroin use, signs of heroin addiction, and signs of overdose. You should know all of these, to protect the life of your loved one and help them get the level of treatment they need at our Florida heroin detox center.
5 Signs of Heroin Use
All addiction starts with simply using a drug on multiple occasions over a short span of time. But most of this early drug activity takes place secretly, such as behind a closed bedroom door or in bathrooms, closets or personal vehicles. So how can you know if your loved one has tried heroin or uses it now?
The top five signs of heroin use include:
- Physical marks, like bruising, scabs or injection marks
- Small pupils
- Drowsiness or nodding off to sleep
- Watery eyes or nose
- Itching skin
Beyond these signs that someone you know has smoked, snorted, or injected heroin, you may find drug paraphernalia around their personal space or in their belongings. While no one wants to “snoop” on a loved one, doing so can save their life if you suspect drug use. Things to look for include metal spoons, small baggies, balloons, burnt soda cans, cotton balls, lighters, straws, syringes, or pipes.
At this point in your loved one’s drug use, they benefit from early intervention. Talk to a heroin addiction treatment center Jacksonville FL to learn how to help them get the treatment they need. Doing so before addiction sets in enables them to learn why they want drugs, at all. Through proper treatment, they can avoid heroin for the rest of their lifetime.
Signs of Heroin Addiction
After you notice signs of heroin, it is only a matter of time until that use turns into an addiction. Once addiction sets in, a whole new set of problems begin. Your loved one shows clearer physical signs of addiction, beyond just signs of heroin use. They need the drug to make it through their day.
Signs of heroin addiction include nodding out mid-conversation, ignoring personal health and hygiene needs, and experiencing withdrawal when not using their drug. They commonly have drug paraphernalia on them and in their personal effects, hiding these items from you less and less. They also experience behavioral, legal, and financial problems. Just a few reasons why a Florida heroin addiction treatment center is often needed to overcome addiction.
One of the easiest ways to detect heroin addiction is to look for the signs of withdrawal. Withdrawal brings its own set of apparent symptoms when your loved one does not get their drugs when they need them. Many people call this being “dope sick.”
Signs of withdrawal include irritability or aggression, insomnia, yawning, depression, anxiety, and restlessness. Mental health treatment can be necessary in some cases, and options are available like our Florida depression treatment program. You also notice a runny nose while they possibly complain of diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting.
Seeing someone you love experience heroin withdrawal is difficult. But it shows you very clearly that they need help from a heroin addiction rehab center Jacksonville FL trusts. Without this help, they risk deadly overdose.
Signs of Heroin Overdose
Knowing your loved one suffers addiction to heroin and needs help is not enough. You must also know the signs of heroin overdose. Thousands of people die each year from this outcome of their drug use. When you see the signs, you must dial 9-1-1.
Signs of heroin overdose include having blue-tinted nails or lips, disorientation, shallow breathing, tiny pupils, and drowsiness. You also notice delirium and spastic muscles. If you check their vital signs, you find low blood pressure, a weak pulse, and possibly unconsciousness leading to coma.
Taking the Right Steps When You See Signs of Heroin
The above signs and symptoms vary according to your loved one’s stage of drug use. But they all mean this person you care about needs help from a heroin addiction treatment program Jacksonville FL. Never hesitate to make the first call to a heroin rehab program. If your friend or relative shows signs of heroin use, call now.