Teens and adults have access to many bad drugs, one of which is heroin. Heroin is one of the worst drugs out there and even trying it one time can lead to addiction. This is why it is important that you learn the signs of this addiction, so you can get your teen treatment very quickly. Below is more information about this so you can get started helping your teen.
Symptoms after Current Use
If your teen does heroin and then comes home while they are still high, you can easily tell by talking to them. If your child is still very high when they come home, they will appear to be very happy and euphoric.
Your teen's skin will look flushed, and they may vomit or feel nauseous. Their skin may feel itchy, and if you have a conversation with your teen they will likely not make much sense.
Your child will then sleep for many hours without waking up. Once they wake up they may still seem to be very tired for the rest of the day.
Symptoms of Long Term Use
If your teen has been using heroin for a long time they will show different symptoms along with the ones above.
Heroin affects both the brain and the physical body. With brain issues, your teen will display poor reasoning and have problems making plans. Their memory will not be as good, and they will have a difficult time making decisions. Your teen's behavior will change. For example, your once loving child will be withdrawn and grouchy. They will not want to spend any time with the family. Your teen will not be able to make future goals, such as choosing a college.
Some physical symptoms include insomnia, sexual problems, constipation, and kidney infections leading to more severe kidney disease. If your teen is a girl their menstrual cycle will not be regular. If they become pregnant they will likely have a miscarriage very quickly.
If your teen snorts heroin, the lining of their nose will burn, which leads to nose bleeds and sinus infections. If your teen smokes heroin, they will damage their lungs which can lead to pneumonia, emphysema, and cancer. Smoking can also cause throat cancer and your child may develop asthma.
Treatment Options
There are different types of treatment options available for your teen. Make an appointment with a drug counselor who can give them personal counseling. This counselor may prescribe medications to help reduce their withdrawal symptoms after they quit.
If your teen's addiction is very bad, the counselor may suggest that they stay at the drug treatment center full time for a certain amount of time. This will keep them away from all temptations and let them focus on getting better. When they leave the treatment center they will likely keep coming back for regularly scheduled appointments for quite some time.
Your teen will receive frequent drug tests throughout their recovery to ensure they stay drug free.
Talk with the counselor about things you can do at home to help your teen.
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