In 2016, over 940,000 Americans said that they used heroin in the past year. Unfortunately, this number continues to grow. To make matters worse, few people seek the help that they need from a heroin addiction treatment center in Asheville, NC. Thankfully, family members can help loved ones get treatment when they can spot the physical signs of heroin abuse.
What Is Heroin?
Firstly, it’s important for people to know what heroin is. In short, it’s an illegal drug that comes from the poppy plant. In most cases, street dealers sell the drug illegally as a brown or white powder. A majority of heroin comes from South America, but some of it comes from Southeast Asia.
The negative effects of heroin abuse are pretty extreme. This drug is very addictive and easy for people to overdose on. Most of the time, heroin abuse eventually leads to death.
Sadly, people who use heroin don’t usually want to get help. For that reason, it’s up to family and friends to get help for them.
Physical Signs of Heroin Abuse
For families with loved ones who abuse heroin, getting help is a top priority. However, how do they know when their loved ones need drug addiction treatment? Spotting the physical signs of heroin abuse is the easiest solution. After all, most people who abuse heroin don’t come right out and say that they have a problem.
While there are mental and emotional signs of heroin abuse, these are a bit harder for people to spot sometimes. Because of that, most experts tell friends and family members to look for physical symptoms. Some examples of the physical signs of heroin abuse include:
- Weight loss
- Scrapes, sores, and cuts from picking at their skin
- Bruises and marks on their arms from injections
- Respiratory wheezing
- Incoherent speech
Of course, these physical signs change slightly depending on how people use heroin. For example, those who snort heroin won’t have track marks on their arms. Instead, they might have sore nostrils or continuously sniff. Regardless of how people use the drug, most of the negative effects of heroin abuse are the same.
However, it’s important to note that how they use heroin might determine how quickly abuse turns into addiction. For example, people who inject the drug tend to develop addiction slightly quicker than those who snort or smoke it. In any case, all of these methods eventually lead to addiction.
Get Help for Heroin Abuse Now
Are you in need of a heroin addiction treatment center Asheville, NC has? If so, consider reaching out to The Willows. We provide addiction treatment that caters to the needs of women. A few of the programs that we offer include:
- Trauma informed care
- Life skills training
- Dual diagnosis treatment
- Experiential therapy
Get help for a loved one who struggles with heroin abuse. Learn how to spot the physical signs of heroin abuse so that you can get help for your loved one. Contact our helpful staff members today at 855.773.0614 for more information.
