Crime & Safety

Heroin Series: Hints Your Loved One May Be an Addict

Track marks, weight loss, change of behavior are among common signs.

Heroin achieves the same effects as prescription pills, but for less money on the street, it can be available to anyone.

With drug abuse and arrests on the rise in Mentor, Melanie Blasko, director of Lake Geauga Recovery Center, said the drug is specifically hitting the 30-year-old and younger demographic.

“Addiction can happen to anybody,” Blasko said.

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Here are five hints that your loved one may be using heroin.

  • They’ve lost weight. When people are addicted to heroin, they don’t care for their basic needs as much, Blasko said. Getting high takes priority.
  • Track marks. The addict will have red marks or bruising around the area where they inject. They will cover this up with long sleeves.
  • Change in attitude. Heroin abusers become more drowsy and lethargic in behavior, Blasko said.
  • Loss of job. After a long period of using, heroin addicts will eventually withdraw into that lifestyle, she said. It gets harder for them to maintain a job and relationships.
  • Symptoms of withdrawal. If addicts don’t meet their body’s demand of heroin, they will experience withdrawal. “It’s like the most intense case of the flu you could ever imagine,’ Blasko said. Symptoms include cramping, sweating and muscle aches.

If you suspect your family member is abusing heroin, Blasko suggests against intervening.

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“They need to ask for help and recognize treatment works,” she said.

For more information about the recovery process or the recovery center, call 440-255-0678.


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