Heroin is a very dangerous and addictive drug. The epidemic tracked by the CDC is widespread throughout the United States, and High Point, North Carolina is no exception. According to the High Point Police Department, the city broke a record with 191 heroin overdoses in 2016. Out of those, nine people died.
The police department is concerned and seeking to arrest more individuals, specifically those who are participating in heroin dealing, but it is impossible to locate them all.
High Point isn’t the only town that has experienced the heroin epidemic, but unfortunately, many places are in denial, or they just won’t talk about it. In order to keep the streets clean and our towns free of this dangerous drug, we need to recognize some of the symptoms or causes that are connected to the addiction.
What Causes Heroin Addiction?
People use heroin for many reasons. They might feel like they have no hope left in their life or perhaps they are going through a stressful time, and they don’t know how to cope. Peer pressure is another common cause of addiction, and unlike what many people may think, it only takes one use to potentially become addicted to heroin.
When using the drug, the body becomes numb, giving the person the calming, relaxed sensation they may be looking for, but when the feeling wears off, the body begins to go into withdrawals, causing the person to become very sick. Symptoms can mimic a serious cold or the flu. They will find themselves wanting, sometimes physically needing, to use again to alleviate withdrawal.
Unfortunately, heroin abuse and dependency becomes a never-ending cycle. Addicts eventually find themselves doing whatever is necessary to feed their addiction, even at the risk of hurting others.
What are the Signs of Heroin Addiction?
When a person becomes addicted to heroin, one of the first things that become obvious is a change in behavior. The user may seem extremely lethargic or disoriented with periods of hyper-alertness. They may have a dry mouth, hoarseness, coughing, and small pupils.
Finding paraphernalia amongst a user’s belongings can be a definite sign that drugs are involved. Common things to look for include pieces of aluminum foil covered with burn marks and black lines, usually accompanied by a straw or the stem of a ball point pen that is used for smoking the heroin.
What are Some Ways to Help Solve the Heroin Epidemic?
Educating youth at an early age is one of the most positive ways to prevent this substance problem from happening. One of the best ways to avoid the epidemic is to encourage people to just say no to the drug.
If you suspect that a friend or loved one is using, try to encourage them to get help. There are rehabilitation centers available in or near every community that can offer help.