subject: Choosing The Best Heroin Addiction Program [print this page] Heroin is one of the most addictive and dangerous drugs that an addict can make use of. Unfortunately it's also very widespread. Very often by the time it reaches the user, the heroin has been combined with other potentially unsafe substances. These include glucose, Aspirin, talcum powder, vitamin b, coca powder and many other unclean substances. This makes more profit for the dealer, but puts the life of the at risk. There's a very high risk in becoming addicted, if you start using heroin.
It may sometimes be hard to realize when an individual has a heroin habit, as abusers will usually be very secretive about what they are doing. Usually they start by injecting drug into their arms, but when they become more addicted, they'll inject heroin into their thighs and legs to avoid people seeing their injection marks.
However, as the addiction advances, it becomes easier for the observer to identify the signs of heroin addiction. The physical effects are pronounced and can include abscesses at the point of injection, cuts bruises and scratch marks, collapsed veins, infections, a craving for sugar and a gaunt and pale looking complexion.
Abuse of heroin basically means that the user has developed an addiction on the drug. There is a strong compulsion to take the drug, despite the fact that the user is fully aware that there are significant hazards involved. This dependency is both physiological and psychological.
Physical heroin addiction occurs once the person's body develops a dependence on the addictive drug. This means that without an input of the substance, physiological negative effects begin to manifest themselves. These are sweating, vomiting, constricted pupils, a dry mouth and a shortness of breath. Over time the body builds up a tolerance to heroin and the addict then needs higher doses to experience the same effects that an earlier lower dose would achieve.
Psychological heroin addiction or dependence takes place when the person starts to feel that they're not able to live effectively without heroin. The abuser in fact begins to think that they can't get through a normal day without the drug.
Getting addicted to heroin usually includes both, physiological and psychological addiction. That is why heroin abuse is so difficult to overcome and the addict has to receive professional therapy, treatment and counselling. Methadone is often used as a substitute for heroin and is prescribed by GP's on a reducing dose to wean an addict of the drug.
