Heroin use and withdrawal can bring on flu-like symptoms and increased irritability, and it’s often misinterpreted as common illnesses. Recognizing these signs is important, as they can point to dependence or withdrawal. In this article, we look at the physical and psychological symptoms of heroin use and highlight the importance of prompt intervention.
Heroin is a powerful opioid that’s illegal in the United States. The United States Drug Enforcement Administration classifies it as a Schedule I drug, meaning that it has no medical use and is highly addictive. A 2021 survey highlights its potential for abuse, showing that about a million Americans aged 12 and over have a heroin use disorder. To better understand if you or a friend is becoming addicted to heroin, it’s essential to know and recognize opioid abuse symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Use and Addiction
Knowing the signs of heroin use and addiction early on can make a significant difference in getting the individual the professional help they need. In the beginning, symptoms may be subtle and easy to mistake for unrelated health or behavioral issues. However, as the individual continues to use, the physical, emotional, and social consequences become more evident.
Early Signs of Heroin Abuse
In the initial stages of heroin addiction, it can be difficult to detect signs of use. Even so, certain patterns or signs of addiction may signal treatment for opioid use disorder is necessary:
- Opioid eyes: Heroin causes the pupils to constrict, causing them to appear unusually small. This change may go unnoticed unless an individual is specifically looking for it.
- Flu-like opioid withdrawal symptoms: Symptoms such as a runny nose, excessive sweating and muscle aches mimic the seasonal flu or cold virus, but they may also be signs of opioid withdrawal. If an individual experiences withdrawal symptoms, it means their body has become reliant on the drug and they’re likely battling an addiction.
- Irritability: Persistent irritability without an apparent cause may be a behavioral sign of heroin use, though it’s often misinterpreted as a general attitude or mood problem.
Because these symptoms are easy to explain away as a temporary virus or emotional fluctuation, they’re often dismissed. However, ignoring them may allow the addiction to progress and become more severe over time.
Telltale Signs of Advanced Heroin Use
As heroin use continues, the symptoms often become more severe and easier to identify. At this point, family members and friends often begin to notice significant changes in the individual’s appearance, how they behave, and their overall well-being. These symptoms may include:
- Significant weight loss
- Changes in behavior, such as not caring about friends, work, family or hobbies
- Vein damage
- Emotional instability (mood swings, paranoia, unprovoked outbursts)
- Isolation
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Liver damage
- Severe constipation
- Inability to concentrate and difficulties making decisions
- Scabs or sores on the body from repeated needle use
- Social consequences, such as losing a job, damaged relationships, financial strain, homelessness or infectious diseases such as HIV from sharing needles.
Although these symptoms are more evident, individuals living with heroin addiction may continue to deny the severity of their condition. This makes it even more important that their loved ones and medical professionals provide early intervention and direct them toward treatment for opioid use disorder.
Social effects, including losing a job, negative impacts on personal relationships, financial problems, becoming homeless, or getting an infectious disease from sharing needles (such as HIV).
Long-Term Consequences of Heroin Addiction
Without professional help, heroin addiction can result in severe and long-lasting health and social problems. Some of the long-term outcomes may include:
- Chronic liver damage
- Skin infections and scarring from intravenous drug use
- Loss of employment or housing, often as a result of financial instability or legal issues tied to heroin use
These outcomes can be devastating, highlighting the importance of recognizing and addressing heroin use as early as possible.
What Causes Opioid Abuse Symptoms and Signs?
Many of the symptoms that come with heroin addiction stem from the body’s increasing dependence on the drug. This dependence develops from a combination of mental addiction and physiological addiction.
In most cases of long-term heroin use, individuals experience both physical and mental dependence. The drug takes over so that little else matters, highlighting the importance of early recognition and treatment.
Heroin Symptoms Can Be Misleading
Recognizing heroin addiction isn’t always straightforward. Because symptoms can vary widely from one person to another, it can be difficult to identify the problem in its early stages. Some individuals may experience a slow and subtle decline into addiction, showing only mild signs over the course of several months. Others exhibit more alarming signs, such as rapid weight loss or visible sores from needle use, seemingly overnight.
Alternative Explanations for Symptoms
Because heroin addiction can present in such different ways, it’s important to remember that no single symptom confirms heroin use or addiction. For instance, sudden weight loss could come from dietary changes, stress, or a medical condition. Similarly, consistently dilated pupils could be a side effect of certain medications, such as antidepressants.
Taking a Comprehensive View of Heroin Addiction Symptoms
When heroin use is suspected, it’s important to take a comprehensive look at the individual’s behavioral patterns, mental state, and general well-being. Consider whether multiple warning signs are present and whether symptoms are getting worse over time. One symptom isn’t enough to make a diagnosis, but a pattern of concerning behaviors and physical changes could indicate a deeper issue that requires attention.
The Dangers of Ignoring the Warning Signs
Heroin addiction can often be concealed from others and even from the individual using the drug. The person may dismiss early warning signs or attribute them to stress, illness or other life circumstances. In some cases, they may convince themselves that their heroin use is only recreational, and that they could stop using whenever they wanted to.
In reality, denial is a common barrier to recognizing addiction. Understanding the symptoms of opioid abuse is an important first step toward identifying when recreational use has crossed the line into dependence and addiction. Being aware of these symptoms lets individuals recognize warning signs in themselves or others and take action before the addiction progresses.
Get Help with FHE Health
FHE Health is a professional addiction treatment center that helps individuals get back control over their lives. Heroin addiction can lead to overdose and death, so it’s crucial to seek professional help to overcome this highly addictive substance.
At FHE, we take you through detox and medication management and offer both inpatient and outpatient programs. Contact us today to learn about our programs, including medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorder, and discover our inpatient and outpatient rehab solutions.
