ReVIDA® Recovery Publishes Blog on Heroin Life

Fort Sanders, Tennessee -

Knoxville, TN - ReVIDA® Recovery published an article explaining what life might look like for someone who uses heroin. People who use heroin often try to hide it from those they love, but there are several side effects. Heroin rewards them with endorphins, encouraging them to take more. This can lead to them feeling shame or guilt, which only encourages them to want to hide their heroin use.

“Heroin becomes more important to someone who uses it than themselves, their family, and even their friends. They cannot control their use and might believe heroin controls their life. They might only think about heroin and nothing else. Someone who uses heroin might have difficulty focusing on work or cannot pay their bills on time. Maybe they constantly fight with their spouse or try to convince them that it isn’t bad,” the article states.

People who use heroin might use it for several reasons. While genetic factors can be at play, this is not always true. Just because a parent uses heroin doesn’t mean that their children will. They might use it as a source of joy amid pain due to trauma, poverty, or physical or mental health conditions. Mental health concerns such as depression or anxiety might make someone more likely to start using heroin. Sometimes, people are exposed to heroin at a younger age, which causes them to be more likely to use it.

People who use heroin might experience several side effects due to their heroin use. Some of these side effects include irregular menstruation cycles for women. People can also experience depression as a result of their heroin use. Problems such as infections, kidney disease, and pneumonia are all common with heroin use disorders.

Overdose is a concern for those who are using heroin. Often, dealers combine heroin with fentanyl to make it stronger and cheaper. This is because fentanyl is 50-100 times stronger than heroin. But this makes it easier for someone to overdose, since both substances can overwhelm the body and its major organs.

Some symptoms of heroin overdose include stopped breathing, blue lips, foaming at the mouth, unconsciousness, slow pulse, and pale skin. An overdose is a medical emergency that requires calling 911. Having a known loved one with a heroin use disorder can terrify many families. However, keeping Narcan® (naloxone), which can be purchased with or without a prescription in Tennessee, can be a sense of security in an emergency. Narcan® (naloxone) is used to reverse the effects of a heroin overdose. It will not hurt someone who has not taken heroin.

“Stopping your use of heroin can be terrifying, but it is also the bravest and strongest thing you can do, especially under medical supervision. Trying to stop on your own isn’t considered safe. As you stop using heroin, you will experience some symptoms of heroin withdrawal within 6 to 12 hours after your last dose. These symptoms might last up to a week or longer depending on how much and how long you have taken heroin,” the article continues.

ReVIDA® Recovery provides heroin use disorder treatment across Tennessee and Virginia, allowing people to get the help they need close to home. This includes finding a job, housing, CPS, custodial proceedings, and food security.

For more information on heroin use disorders and treatment for them, visit ReVIDA® Recovery’s website or call them at 423-631-0432.