Heroin is an opioid drug synthesized from morphine, a derivative of the opium poppy. The white crystalline form is commonly the hydrochloride salt diacetylmorphine hydrochloride; however, heroin freebase may also appear as a white powder.
As with other opioids, heroin (diacetylmorphine) is used as both a pain-killer and a recreational drug, and is regarded as a frequently abused drug. Frequent and regular use is associated with tolerance, moderate physical dependence, and severe psychological dependence, with potential to develop into addiction.

Here are some symptoms or clues that are key indicators of possible heroin use. Some of the following symptoms can be a sign of drug use in general or signs that are associated with adolescent behavior. If you notice one or more signs concerning your loved one, it is recommended to check deeper and try to identify the true source of the problem. Some of the signs are as follows:

• Unkempt appearance/hygiene
• Missing cash/valuables, stealing/borrowing money
• Change in performance, academic, job, etc
• Drug paraphernalia
• Apathy and/or sluggishness
• Possession of unexplained valuables
• Runny nose
• Lying/deception
• Change in friends
• Little or no motivation
• Incurring unusually large miles on the odometer of car
• Ignores consequences of chosen behaviors
• Withdrawal from usual friends, activities, or interests
• Eyes appear “lost” or have faraway look
• Excess or sudden sleep
• Slurred speech
• Loss of interest in usual, healthy activities
• No interest in future plans
• Broken commitments
• Hostility towards others
• Unexplained absences at work, school or family events
• Poor self-image
• Wearing long-sleeve shirts in the summer
• Small bruises on the arms and legs (needle marks)

Whether you call it mac, sack, or smack heroin is a highly addictive and dangerous drug. Street heroin is of widely varying and unpredictable purity. One of the problems with heroin is that often the user does not know if their “score” is flea powder, garbage (low quality) or mortal combat, china white (high quality). This means that the user may prepare what they consider to be a moderate dose while actually taking far more than intended. Another problem for the heroin users whether they are jolly pops (casual users) or junkies (chronic users) is that they have no idea what the heroin is cut (substance used to dilute) with. The “cut” can be as harmless as sugar, starch, or powdered milk to as sinister as strychnine. The heroin user is also subject to unknowingly buy and use what is called “poison” or a “hot spike.” “Poison” is a street name given to fentanyl that is sold as heroin. Fentanyl is one of the most powerful opioids known and can be a hundred times more potent than street heroin, which will cause overdose and/or death. A “hot spike” is a disturbing “marketing” method where a drug dealer will sell a lethal dose of heroin to an unsuspecting customer. The customer will overdose and, consequently, “friends” of the one who overdosed will send out a “marketing message” (spread the word) to others that the dealer is selling high quality heroin.

One danger for those who try and quit using heroin on their own is that the tolerance for the drug typically decreases after a period of time. If this occurs and the user takes a dose comparable to their previous use, the user may experience an effect that is much greater than expected, potentially resulting in a dangerous overdose.
Heroin suppresses the breathing reflex. Depending on drug interactions and numerous other factors, death from overdose due to oxygen deficiency can take an individual anywhere from several minutes to several hours. Heroin overdoses can also occur because of interactions with other depressant drugs such as alcohol or benzodiazepines (valium, xanax, klonopin, etc). It should also be noted that since heroin can cause nausea and vomiting, a significant number of deaths attributed to heroin overdose are caused by aspiration of vomit by an unconscious victim.

For chronic users who try to stop using heroin, the withdrawals may begin within 6 to 24 hours from discontinuation of the drug; however, this time frame can fluctuate with the degree of tolerance as well as the amount of the last consumed dose. Symptoms may include: sweating, malaise, anxiety, depression, general feeling of heaviness, cramp-like pains in the limbs, excessive yawning or sneezing, tears, insomnia, cold sweats, chills, severe muscle and bone aches, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, cramps, and fever. Many users also complain of a painful condition, the so called “itchy blood”, which often results in compulsive scratching that can cause bruises and ruptures in the skin. Abrupt termination of heroin use often causes muscle spasms in the legs known as restless leg syndrome, (also known as “kicking the habit”). Because of the severity of withdrawal, it is extremely hard for people to stop heroin use on their own or in an out-patient setting.

Usually people do not start using heroin at the beginning stages of their drug use. Many people will get introduced to pain management medication such as loritab or vicodin and then they will graduate to oxycontin. Users will then start to build up a tolerance to oxycontin causing them to require more and more of the drug in order to receive the desired effect. Because oxycontin is expensive to buy on the street, many users will switch to heroin because heroin is cheaper than oxycontin and the effects of heroin will last longer. Typically, opiate users will get trapped into the perilous world of heroin abuse gradually without realizing until it is too late.

The staff at Gulf Coast understands that people do not just one day decide that they are going to be an addict. Addiction is usually something that happens over a period of time. We have helped countless number of people kick their heroin addiction, even those who have been to other centers and, for whatever reason, have been unsuccessful. Gulf Coast has, for years, been helping good people find lasting recovery, and we can help you. Make that all important first step and let us help you or your loved one rid themselves from the scourge of heroin addiction.