Heroin is a narcotic and an illegal drug that is typically injected or snorted by users though it can be smoked. The manner in which the drug, from the opiates family, is ingested has little bearing on the potential for addiction. The fact is that repeated use leads to addiction, whether you are using needles or not. Learn a little more about heroin addiction, the signs, and why people become addicted to this powerful drug.
What is Heroin Addiction?
A person who is a heroin addict continues to use the drug, even though they are experiencing negative consequences in their life as a result. They are not able to choose whether they are going to use heroin. Instead, they experience a “need” for it that becomes a driving force in their life.
Signs of Heroin Dependence
Heroin addicts have similar experiences when they have become dependent on the drug, including:
- Cravings in between uses
- Spending time thinking about the last time they got high and what the next high will be like
- Focusing on where and when they can get the next dose
- Sudden financial difficulties and erratic behavior
- Track marks around injection points
Causes of Dependency
Heroin is a very effective pain killer that works by depressing the body’s central nervous system. Using it affects the way nerves in the spinal cord communicate pain sensations to the brain. Shortly after the drug is snorted or injected, it creates an intense feeling of pleasure. Heroin works on the pleasure centers in the brain by affecting the level of dopamine that it produces.
If you know someone who is struggling with heroin addiction, get them the help that they need. Contact the Pennsylvania drug rehab Clearbrook Treatment Centers today and put that person onto the road of recovery.
