Heroin is a highly addictive opioid that people consume through smoking, snorting, sniffing, or injection. As with most other drugs, people develop dependence because of the ‘high’ they experience. An addiction can happen to anyone, so you must be able to identify the signs of heroin abuse in time. This way, you can seek medical attention and support at an Arizona heroin rehab facility before the condition worsens.
Factors Affecting Heroin Addiction
It’s impossible to predict who is at high risk of heroin abuse, but certain aspects raise a person’s risk. According to Mayo Clinic, there are several factors to look out for, such as:
- Heavy tobacco use
- History of anxiety or depression
- Personal or family history of substance abuse
- Exposure to high-risk situations or environments
- Risky behavior
- Unemployment
Keep in mind that having one or more of these risk factors does not necessarily translate to the presence of a substance use disorder. Addiction has many facets; it can include other psychological, environmental, and genetic factors.
Signs of Heroin Abuse to Lookout for
The most significant warning sign of heroin abuse is – spending a lot of time and money to obtain, use, or recover from the effects of heroin. An addict will further continue to use the drug despite the recurrent or persistent interpersonal or social problems it may be causing. Furthermore, most addicts give up important occupational, recreational, or social activities for heroin use. Heroin abuse often leads to tolerance, which means that one has to increase the dose to experience the same feeling. At this stage, the addict usually takes larger dose amounts over more extended periods than initially intended. Even with persistent efforts to control heroin use, a person with a substance abuse disorder will still fail to curb cravings. A significant symptom of abuse is when a person continues to use heroin despite knowing that they have recurrent or persistent psychological problems. Drug abuse often exacerbates mental conditions. When a heroin addict stops using the drug for a while, withdrawal kicks in. The signs of heroin abuse manifest through the characteristics of the withdrawal syndrome or taking other illicit substances to relieve the pain.
Intervention and Treatment for Heroin Addiction
Heroin addicts may be reluctant to seek medical treatment. For people in the early stages of addiction, they feel this way because drug abuse has not yet become problematic. However, people with severe addiction try to overcome the habit, and they often fail several times before they opt to seek professional assistance. An intervention is recommended in either scenario. At the rehab facility, the doctors will start treatment with diagnosis and medical detox. Then the heroin detox center in AZ will offer a variety of therapy programs, including:
- Behavioral therapy
- Individual therapy
- Cognitive therapy
- Group counseling
- Peer support groups
- Aftercare therapy
If a loved one displays any signs of heroin abuse, contact one of the heroin addiction treatment centers in AZ today. Don’t let addiction control your life when mental health professionals are ready to start you on the road to recovery.
