Drug abuse is bad for your health no matter what it is, but one of the most dangerous parts of substance abuse is its slippery slope. What starts out as taking prescription painkillers a little more than you should can eventually lead to shooting up heroin on a regular basis. It may seem like a drastic jump, but our luxury residential rehab has heard this story time and time again; unfortunately, with this more severe addiction comes more severe issues.
What Is Shooting Up?
Shooting up is a slang term given to the act of injecting illicit drugs intravenously. This method is the desired route of drug administration for many experienced and long-term drug users because it often leads to a faster high than other methods of ingestion. Several drugs can be injected in this manner, but the most common illicit drugs that are shot up are heroin, meth, and cocaine.
The Negative Side Effects of Shooting Up Heroin
While heroin use of any kind can come with serious side effects on a person’s health, intravenous drug abuse comes with its own added dangers. Many addicts are so concerned about getting their next high that basic safety measures can be ignored. When this practice becomes the norm, the effects of injecting heroin can become more severe and increasingly problematic. In some cases, if these problems continue to be ignored, they could even become life-threating.
Some possible negative effects of shooting up heroin include:
- Skin infections or abscesses (accumulation of pus)
- Track marks (scarred or darkened area of skin) where injection is common
- Collapsed veins
- Venous sclerosis (hardening of the veins leading to less efficiency in blood flow)
- Endocarditis (infection on inner linking of the heart)
- Increased risk of overdosing
- Increased risk of HIV or hepatitis from sharing needles1,2,3
Most people do not start out abusing heroin or injecting illicit drugs, but because of the many dangers of shooting up heroin, it is important to get help sooner rather than later for an opioid addiction. A luxury drug detox program could prevent someone who is abusing painkillers from turning to heroin or a heroin user who smokes the drug from trying to inject it. In both cases, the side effects of injecting heroin could be avoided with early action.
At Seaside Palm Beach, our luxury drug rehab wants to help you or your loved one overcome substance abuse problems in a safe and comfortable environment. Our added amenities make recovery more enjoyable and our therapies prepare patients for life outside of treatment. To learn more about our facility and our various programs, do not hesitate to reach out to us today at 561-677-9374.
Sources:
- NCBI – Fire in the vein: Heroin acidity and its proximal effect on users’ health
- NCBI – Risk Factors Associated with Unsafe Injection Practices at the First Injection Episode among Intravenous Drug Users in France: Results from PrimInject, an Internet Survey
- NCBI – Intravenous Drug Abuse by Patients Inside the Hospital: A Cause for Sustained Bacteremia
