Look out for Your Loved Ones: 4 Serious Warning Signs of Heroin Use
Originally posted on http://brokeandchic.com/look-out-for-your-loved-ones-4-serious-warning-signs-of-heroin-use/
Heroin addiction is like cancer: It’s a horrible nightmare for an entire family, and you never think it’ll hit your loved ones until it does. And yes, somewhat like cancer, heroin addiction is random. Approximately 494 thousand people in the US claim to have used heroin at least once.
This drug doesn’t just victimize at-risk communities and misguided youth. Thanks to the opiate epidemic sweeping the nation, everyone from middle-schoolers to young professionals and suburban housewives are at risk of addiction. If your loved one is showing any of the following signs of heroin use, you need to take note and take action!
- Erratic Or Aggressive Behavior
It’s alarming when a mild-mannered family member suddenly turns into a moody, paranoid, erratic mess of nerves. While this change in behavior alone doesn’t indicate heroin use, it’s a strong sign of possibility.
Not only does the drug itself cause a hormonal imbalance in a person’s system, but the strong pull of addiction contributes to behavioral changes as well. If you suspect that your loved one is spiraling into addiction due to behavioral changes, observe them closely. Watch for any of the remaining signs a heroin addict might display.
- A Constant Need For Money
Sure, most people could use a little more money, and being broke is a common plight. However, if your loved one is constantly running out of money, a heroin addiction might be lurking under the surface.
This is especially true if the person is asking to borrow money from various friends and family members whom they wouldn’t have considered borrowing from in the past.
Heroin is pretty affordable as far as drugs go. Its affordability is one of the reasons why this drug is so accessible. Unfortunately, the more a person becomes dependent on it, the more money they spend. The addiction itself is expensive in terms of both health and currency.
- Stealing And Lying
Heroin use can make a liar and a thief out of the most honest person. If your family member seems shifty and secretive all of a sudden, there may be cause for concern.
Whether you live with the person or not, look around their home. Are random valuables missing? Have any other family members’ things gone missing?
In order to feed their addiction, heroin users sell stolen property as well as their own possessions. An addict’s mind is consumed with the need for their drug of choice 24/7. Therefore, desperate measures that involve lying or theft aren’t off-limits.
- The Most Troubling Signs Of Heroin Use: Track Marks
The behavioral changes in your loved one discussed above might not automatically mean that heroin is the culprit. However, track marks on the person’s arms are a sure indicator of addiction.
Track marks can also be spotted on other parts of the body where veins are easily accessible, but heroin addicts shoot up via their arms most frequently.
These marks are a sign of serious addiction. Users develop them if they inject themselves in the same spots on a regular basis. If you notice track marks on your loved one, find ways to help immediately. Also, be vigilant and learn how to spot signs of a heroin overdose.
Learning how to spot signs of heroin use brings you closer to saving a person from the dangers of addiction. However, Helping your loved one into recovery is no easy feat. Luckily, with support from loved ones like you, the individual has a lifetime to achieve sobriety.
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