Heroin has become front page news, and the dramatic surge in
overdoses and deaths continue to rise and shows no signs of slowing down.
According to statistics
provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), heroin use jumped 63%
between 2002 and 2013. In that same time period, the number of deaths related
to heroin overdose quadrupled. Many families across the United States are
struggling to cope with the devastating impacts of heroin addiction. Like other
forms of substance abuse, the impacts of heroin use by a loved one affects the
entire family dynamic.
The following are some major ways in which heroin use
affects families.
Stress and Mental Health Issues
If family members know that a loved one is using heroin, it
can cause them an overwhelming amount of stress. Once heroin addiction
dominates focus, family members can spend nearly every moment of their day
trying to cope with the effects of heroin use and they often neglect taking
care of their own needs. For parents of heroin users, they often can become
emotionally or physically available to their children. Not only can parents
feel the onset of chronic anxiety and depression in trying to cope with heroin
addiction in the family, other family members who feel neglected as a result of
addiction can also experience chronic depression and anxiety If addiction
issues are not handled proactively and with the help of professionals, this may
result in long-term mental health issues.
Financial Issues
While the rising heroin epidemic can be largely attributed
to the influx of potent and inexpensive
heroin into our country, heroin addiction is expensive. Heroin is one of the
most potent substances on the planet, but the highs associated with heroin are
relatively short-lived. Heroin users feel intense cravings for the drug every
few hours, and as a result they must buy considerable quantities of the drug
daily to stay high. Heroin habits often drain an individual’s financial
resources quickly, and as the result they may resort to begging or manipulating
family members for money to maintain their habit. In addition to supplying
funds to continue their habit, family members may also be helping with rent,
groceries, bill and other financial obligations that the addict has neglected
as a result of their heroin use. This enabling behavior causes undue financial
stress on families.
Health Effects
Because of the various methods of administration, those who
abuse heroin can experience severe health complications. Chronic heroin users
can suffer from collapsed veins, cardiovascular and pulmonary issues, and if
they share contaminated needles with intravenously injecting the drug that are
at great risk for developing infectious diseases such as hepatitis C, and HIV.
For families of heroin users, watching a family member who was once healthy and
vibrant physically transform in front of their eyes is extremely stressful and
heartbreaking. These complications can overburden many families, and they will
feel extraordinary amounts of stress in trying to learn to cope and care for
addicted loved ones.
Overdose
Heroin is not only one of the most addictive drugs on the
planet, it is also one of the most dangerous. Heroin is a potent narcotic that
acts on opioid receptors in the brain, and it also significantly affects the
central nervous system. When people take too much heroin or try to quit the
drug cold turkey, the body reacts violently and essential functions such as
breathing and heart rate can shut down resulting in coma and death. For
families of heroin addicts, the fear that today may be their last day is always
at the front of their mind. With the potency of street heroin and the additives
that dealers use to cut the drug, overdose can a common and unfortunate
reality.
Avoid The Blame Game
When a loved one is addicted to heroin or any other drug,
the family’s first instinct is to assign blame for their substance abuse.
Family members may blame themselves for not seeing the signs of abuse sooner.
Family members may also blame each other for enabling the addict’s behavior or
neglecting others. Additionally, the family may blame friends, their workplace,
their school or another institution for contributing to their loved one’s
heroin problem.
The reality is that heroin addiction arises from many
factors. Assigning blame towards situations and people will not help the
problem go away; in many cases it will complicate matters and cause further
damage and undue grief. The important thing
is that you move forward and find a way to deal with the actual problem at
hand. The best way for families to deal with a loved one’s heroin problem in a
proactive manner is to seek the professional help that is offered through a reputable heroin treatment facility.
These facilities provide the tools and support to help your loved one address
and overcome their heroin addiction.
Thank you to Rose Landes, Outreach Coordinator for Stodzy Internet Marketing for being a guest blogger!
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