How Heroin Abuse Affects Families

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Heroin abuse impacts the user and those who come in regular contact with the individual, such as friends, family, coworkers and peer. The heroin user’s loved ones, family in particular, are often influenced the most by addiction. While heroin abuse may leave all involved feeling powerless and hopeless, professional rehab treatment offers physical and emotional healing for both users and their families.

 

What Are the Signs of Heroin Addiction?

If someone in your family is abusing heroin, he or she has probably exhibited behavioral changes that have impacted your family. However, you may not be certain your loved one is addicted. The following list is by no means comprehensive but explains some common signs of heroin addiction:

  • Frequent absences from work, school or family events with little or no explanation. Teenagers struggling with heroin abuse may forget homework, fall behind in course material and fail classes. Adults struggling with heroin abuse may exhibit similar symptoms in the workplace, such as decreased productivity and quality of performance.
  • Little or no interest in future plans and lack of motivation. As heroin abuse turns to heroin addiction, users’ priorities change. Heroin abuse alters the brain so that the user is concerned with nothing more than obtaining more heroin.
  • Unexplained lack of money. Once the mind is consumed by heroin, users may exhibit poor decision making skills and spend all their money on the drug. They may even resort to selling family valuables or stealing to obtain more money for the drug.
  • Hostile attitude toward family. Heroin addicts may act harshly towards those they love. Addiction is a sickness that requires treatment, and once addicts recover they often feel badly about how they responded to their family.
  • Heroin equipment hidden in the abuser’s home or bedroom. Heroin can be sniffed, smoked or injected. Some tools used to abuse heroin may include needles, syringes, sterile water containers, burnt spoons, rubber caps, rolled dollar bills, pipes and smoking bongs.
  • Infections from careless needle use. Injection provides the fastest “high” or euphoria from heroin. Thus, heroin addicts are at risk for infections from needles. Depending on whom they share needles with, heroin users may be at risk for infections such as HIV.

 

Needless to say, each sign of these signs influences the abuser’s family. Family members are concerned when their loved ones are in poor health or do not perform well at work or school. This concern may quickly become anxiety. Furthermore, financial problems may lead to bitterness, especially when the heroin addict behaves in a hostile way. Some rehabs offer special programs for family members, to help them rebuild relationships and heal along with the rehab patient.

 

Heroin abusers quickly become addicted, and though they may desperately wish to stop using, they feel as if they have no control over their habit. This is because heroin powerfully impacts the brain. Victims of heroin addiction experience undefeatable impulses, and, therefore, heroin addiction cannot be conquered by personal strength or willpower. It is a medical condition that requires professional treatment from a drug rehab center.


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The Have I Got A Problem website is a free online resource to help people better understand any issues or concerns they may have about mental health or addiction. The website includes resources specifically focused to; general Mental Health, Depression, Stress, Anxiety, Insecurities, Self-harm Schizophrenia, Bipolar, Anger Management, Eating Disorders, Coping, general Addiction, Alcohol, Smoking, Gambling, Drugs, Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana (Cannabis) Ecstasy, PCP, Mephedrone, Ketamine & Crystal Meth.

The site was created to give the public information to help them understand mental health and addiction issues and to assist people in making better informed decisions about their life and personal choices.

www.haveigotaproblem.com was created and is run by 'Advising Communities’, which is a UK registered charity (Charity No. 1061055)

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