From trained therapy dogs to spoiled lap dogs, there’s no doubt our canine pals are amazing. And without the strength and love of my dog, I never could have overcome opioid addiction.

Some dogs play vital roles in assisted therapies, while others are tasked with jobs like searching for drugs, tracking the scent of a missing person, or alerting parents of a child’s oncoming seizure. More often than not, however, dogs serve as (wo)man’s best friend – loving us unconditionally and without an ounce of reservation.

I owe my life – and my sobriety – to Barley, a now 15-year-old Beagle/Schnauzer mix who renewed my belief in love, loyalty, and our possibilities. One look at his fuzzy little face and I melt.

Inseparable Friends

Like most wonderful things in life, I found Barley by chance. It was literally a case of being in the right place at the right time. I was minding my own business when this scruffy little 5-week-old puppy came bounding up to me…and I instantly fell in love.

I went door-to-door in search of anyone who might know his owner. When I finally tracked this person down, the poor living conditions shocked me. I clearly remember thinking, “No wonder Barley ran away from this place.”

I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and a quickly growing sense of anger stirring in my spirit. “I don’t care what it takes, there’s no way I’m leaving him here. I’m going to rescue this dog,” I said to myself.

In chatting with the “owner,” it was clear she didn’t care about this precious pup. She said I could “have the damn mutt” if I wanted him. Before she could get out another word, I scooped Barley up, quickly walked away, and never looked back.

Once we got in my car, Barley jumped over the console and into my lap. I looked down and told him, “We’re going home, okay?” He immediately turned his head to the side, stood up on his hind legs, and laid his face on my neck. He knew he was safe. He knew he’d been rescued.

I grew up around dogs my whole life, but Barley was special. He’s the first dog I owned as an adult and, since I lived on my own, I could keep him inside. This sweet rescue dog won my heart, and I never went anywhere without him. We were absolutely inseparable…at least until drugs took over my life.

Loving (and Neglecting) My Best Friend

Like many other people, I started taking prescription opioid painkillers to treat a legitimate injury. In just a few short months, I developed a severe dependency on Vicodin. I was in over my head and, deep down inside, I knew it.

When you’re addicted to opioids, the bulk of your time is spent feeding that addiction. Every day, without fail, my only goal was to avoid withdrawal symptoms. I neglected my family, my friends, my job, my health – and my dog.

I often left Barley with my brother for two and three days at a time. Before I started abusing opioids, I would have been beside myself if I hadn’t seen my best buddy for a whole day, much less two or three. When I wasn’t dropping Barley off with family members, I was sleeping, working, or out looking for more pills.

I’d drive around with my poor dog in the passenger seat, riding shotgun while I was on a mission to find more drugs. And on these Vicodin-fueled trips, Barley would sit to my right, his head proudly stuck out the window, ears flapping in the wind, and nose working overtime to process scents in the air. He was so happy and content to be with me. But I was too sick to see it and too lost in addiction to care.

What an absolute waste of precious time.

Breaking My Opioid Addiction

My addiction to opioid painkillers spanned the better part of two years. And then one day, quite out of the blue, I decided it was time to get sober. I found an outpatient addiction treatment program that offered the specific therapies I needed, called them up, and made my first appointment. It’s the best decision I ever made for myself.

I took my recovery seriously and gave it everything I had to give. I understood that, if I didn’t break the shackles of my addiction, I’d never make it out alive. I honestly couldn’t bear the thought of relapsing.

After a few months went by, my body was rid of the drugs and the withdrawal sickness. Physically I felt wonderful; mentally I was a mess. I  just felt so lost and incredibly unsure of my place in the world.

No matter where I went, I was sure that everyone saw me and knew my dirty little secret. I was an addict in recovery, and I was scared out of my mind.

Why would anyone want to be my friend? How could I ever make up for all the pain I caused? Who would ever want to love someone like me?

And then the answer licked me in the face.

My dog, my Barley, never ever left my side. My precious dog loved me no matter what kind of disease I was fighting. Every day that I didn’t have the self-esteem or courage to show my face to the world, Barley could sense it. And he would bounce around, pawing and prodding me to take him outside. He’d take his wet nose and push me, quite literally, out of the bed.

Looking in his eyes, I knew exactly what he was trying to say:

“Look mom, I love you. I’m here for you. Now get your butt up, stop feeling sorry for yourself, and let’s go live this day to the fullest.”

Embracing Life After Opioid Addiction

Believe it or not, after a few weeks of simply walking my dog and being present in the moment, my whole demeanor changed. And the miracle is that, once I began to go outside, soak up the sunshine, and breathe in the fresh air, I wanted more out of life – more out of myself.

It no longer satisfied me to hide in the house and punish myself for the mistakes of my past. I still had the support of family and real friends. I stopped worrying about things that didn’t matter. I let go of the fear and chose to embrace every day.

For too many years, I walked around believing I rescued Barley. The truth is he rescued me as much as I rescued him.

I am alive and sober today, and I owe it all to my best friend. My Barley.

Images courtesy of Pixabay and Nikki Seay

You may have heard about the opioid crisis, and could be wondering, what are opioids, and is heroin an opioid? The dangers of heroin and opioids continue to take a toll on America. In 2020, more than 70,000 people in the U.S. died from opioid overdoses, with heroin accounting for 13,000 of those deaths.¹ Having a better understanding of heroin and opioids may help you avoid addiction or encourage you to seek help if you need it.

In This Article:

• What Are Opioids, and Is Heroin an Opioid?
• What Are the Effects of Heroin?
• What Are the Dangers of Long-term Heroin Use?
• Heroin vs. Opioid Medications
• Heroin Use and Overdose
• Help for Heroin Addiction

What Are Opioids, and Is Heroin an Opioid?

Opioids are a class of drugs that interact with the opioid receptors in your brain.² These receptors are connected to your brain’s reward system. When stimulated, the opioid receptors create a loop that links the stimulus to pleasure. It’s this system that makes opioid drugs very addictive.²

Some opioids are prescribed as medications. These include oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), codeine, morphine, and others. Heroin is also an opioid but it has no medicinal purpose. For this reason, it is listed as a Schedule 1 narcotic by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). Schedule 1 drugs are substances that have a high potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.³

Prescription opioid medications are classified as Schedule 2 drugs because they do have an accepted medical use, but they also have a high potential for abuse that can lead to addiction. ³ Several types of Schedule 2 opioid medications account for a large proportion of overdose deaths. These include fentanyl, oxycodone, morphine, methadone, and hydrocodone.⁴

Regardless of intended purpose, opioids and heroin create a euphoric ‘reward’ experience in your brain.² Opioid medications may be safe if you used them as prescribed by your doctor for a short period. However, if using them for two weeks or longer, you may become physically dependent on them.⁵

What Are the Effects of Heroin?

Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug derived from certain varieties of poppy plants. Pure heroin is a white powder that is made primarily in South America and areas of Asia and smuggled into the U.S. It is normally snorted or smoked. Black tar heroin is made mostly in Mexico. The dark color comes from crude processing methods that leave behind impurities. Black tar heroin is usually diluted and injected into the body.⁶

After heroin is snorted, smoked, or injected into the body, it is converted to morphine, binding to opioid receptors in the brain and nervous system.⁶ The effects of heroin and opioids include blocking pain, increasing feelings of pleasure, and slowing down breathing and heart function.⁶ During an overdose, a shortage of oxygen to the brain can lead to coma, permanent brain damage, or death.⁶

People who struggle with heroin use will experience two stages of addiction—the short-term highs and the long-term lows.

Initially, heroin opioid use delivers a “rush” of pleasure, also called a euphoric high. Still, even in the short term, taking heroin can trigger unwanted side effects such as:⁷

• Dry mouth
• Warm flushing of the skin
• Heavy arms and legs
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Severe itching
• Brain fog
• Drifting between a conscious and semiconscious state

Over time, heroin use may result in more severe side effects. Long-term heroin use can lead to:⁸

• Insomnia
• Collapsed veins (if you regularly inject heroin)
• Damaged nasal tissue (for those who snort heroin)
• Valve and heart lining infections
• Abscesses (swollen, pus-filled areas of skin)
• Chronic constipation
• Stomach cramps
• Kidney and liver disease
• Lung disease and complications
• Depression
• Antisocial personality disorder
• Sexual dysfunction for men
• Irregular menstrual cycles for women

What Are the Dangers of Long-term Heroin Use?

Repeated use of heroin changes the physiology of the brain, creating imbalances in the body’s neuronal and hormonal systems.⁶ Studies have shown that prolonged heroin use results in deterioration of the brain’s white matter.⁹ This may detrimentally affect a person’s ability to control their behavior, respond to stressful situations, and make decisions. ⁹ During an overdose, a shortage of oxygen to the brain can lead to coma, permanent brain damage, or death.⁸

People who use heroin and opioids through injection are also at risk of contracting infectious diseases such as hepatitis and HIV/AIDS, if sharing non-sterile needles.⁶ Use of heroin during pregnancy can lead to a baby born with fetal effects.⁶

Since 2007, heroin use in the U.S. has steadily increased. In 2016, approximately 948,000 Americans reported using heroin in the past year, and 626,000 met the criteria for heroin use disorder.⁷ The age group driving this increase the most is 18–25 year-olds.⁷

It appears this trend is related to the widespread misuse of opioid pain killers in the U.S.⁶ After becoming dependent on opioid medications, many turn to the more readily available—and more affordable option—heroin.⁶

Heroin Dependency and Addiction

Heroin dependency can happen quickly, after just two weeks of using the drug.⁵ Dependency means you will experience withdrawal symptoms, which normally occur 24-48 hours after the last dose.⁵

Signs of heroin and opioid withdrawal include:⁵

• Restlessness
• Muscle and bone pain
• Problems sleeping
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Cold flashes
• Goosebumps
• Leg movement you can’t control
• Severe cravings for heroin

Using heroin and opioids regularly can also cause you to develop tolerance.⁶ This is when you need to take larger and more frequent doses of heroin to experience the high you used to get from smaller, less frequent doses.

Once you become dependent on heroin or other opioid drugs, you may develop an addiction, which is defined clinically as an opioid use disorder (OUD). This is when having and using heroin becomes the central focus of your life. A person is diagnosed as having an OUD when some of the following signs are present within a 12-month period:¹⁰

• Taking heroin in larger amounts or for longer than prescribed
• Wanting to reduce or stop using heroin but not managing to
• Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from heroin use
• Having cravings and urges to use heroin
• Experiencing withdrawal effects when stopping heroin use
• Needing to use heroin in larger amounts to attain the effects your experienced when you first started using it
• Not living up to obligations at work, home, or school because of heroin use
• Continuing to use heroin despite the problems it causes problems in relationships
• Giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of heroin use
• Using heroin even in situations where it is dangerous to do so
• Continuing to use heroin when you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the drug

An OUD diagnosis is ranked by severity according to the number of symptoms listed above that a person has. Having 2-3 symptoms indicates a mild OUD, 4-5 symptoms indicates a moderate OUD, and 6 or more symptoms indicates a severe OUD.¹⁰

Heroin vs. Opioid Medications

Because heroin and opioid medications have the same effects on the body, more people are misusing both types of drugs.⁶ Some people may turn to heroin after their prescription for an opioid medication runs out and they are unable obtain more prescriptions. Evidence suggests that almost 80% of people who have used heroin previously misused prescription opioid medications.¹¹

On the other hand, some people may start with heroin and turn to stronger opioids, such as fentanyl, after developing a tolerance to heroin. This is indicated by studies showing that about 33% of people entering opioid addiction treatment misused heroin before misusing opioid medications.¹²

The severity of effects can change when using heroin vs. opioid substances. Turning to stronger opioid drugs such as fentanyl is even more risky than using heroin. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid often made illegally, is 50 times more potent than heroin.⁷ This is one reason fentanyl has become the leading cause of drug overdose in the U.S. In 2020, 57,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses involving fentanyl.¹³ Some of these deaths are likely due to dealers cutting drugs like heroin or cocaine with fentanyl, since all of these substances come in the form of white powder. In such cases, it’s impossible for a buyer to know if heroin has been mixed with more potent drugs such as fentanyl.³

Heroin Use and Overdose

While fentanyl has become the No. 1 drug to cause overdose deaths, heroin is close behind. In 2019, nearly a third of all overdose deaths in the U.S. involved heroin.¹⁴

When a person overdoses on heroin, it means the amount of heroin they have used is more than their body can manage, resulting in death or a life-threatening condition. During an overdose, a shortage of oxygen to the brain can lead to coma, permanent brain damage, or death.⁶ Mixing heroin with alcohol, other opioid drugs such as fentanyl, or other drugs including benzodiazepines can also lead to overdose more easily than many people may realize.⁶

What does a heroin overdose look like? After using too much heroin or opioid drugs, your breathing may slow or even stop. This cuts off oxygen to your brain—a condition known as hypoxia.  So, even if you survive an overdose, you may emerge with permanent damage to your brain and nervous system.⁸ Alternatively, you may remain in a coma due to the effects of hypoxia.⁸

An overdose from heroin and opioids can be treated, if done immediately, with a medication called naloxone. It is available as an injectable medication, used by emergency medical personnel, or as a nasal spray, available to consumers. In either form, this medication binds to opioid receptors, which blocks the effects of heroin or other opioids, reversing overdose symptoms.¹⁵

Naloxone in the nasal spray form is available in some states without a prescription. If the state you live in requires a prescription, ask your primary doctor for a naloxone prescription if you are concerned that you or a loved one may be at risk for opioid overdose. Be sure you know in advance how to properly use naloxone. Keep in mind that naloxone only works on overdoses caused by heroin or other opioids.¹⁵

More than one dose of naloxone may be necessary to help you breathe after an overdose, and other medical care may be required. For these reasons, always seek immediate emergency medical care for an overdose.

Help for Heroin Addiction

If you struggle with heroin and opioid use, help is available. Today, a range of effective treatment options, including medication and different forms of therapy, are used to help people stop using heroin.⁸ Because of the variety of opioid and heroin treatment options available, you can find treatment that meets your specific needs and preferences.

Medications for Heroin Addiction

To help you through the withdrawal process, when detoxing from heroin and opioids, your treatment specialist may prescribe lofexidine.⁸ This is an FDA-approved, non-opioid medicine that reduces opioid withdrawal symptoms.⁸                 

There are also opioid agonist medicines, such as buprenorphine and methadone, that can help you stop using heroin.⁸ These medications also bind to your brain’s opioid receptors, but they do so in a weaker way than heroin, so they may reduce your heroin cravings and lessen your withdrawal symptoms.⁸

Alternatively, your doctor may recommend naltrexone, a medication that blocks opioid receptors.⁸ When you take naltrexone, opioid drugs will not affect your body.

Studies show that buprenorphine/naloxone combinations are similarly effective to solo use of extended-release naltrexone.^8,15

Behavioral Therapy During Opioid Addiction Treatment

In addition to medications, your treatment program may involve behavioral therapies for heroin addiction. Two popular methods often used in addiction treatment are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and contingency management.⁸

With CBT, you learn to change your thoughts about drug use and your behaviors surrounding heroin misuse. In this way, you can learn to effectively manage your drug-use triggers so that you don’t relapse in times of stress.⁸

With contingency management, you can earn motivational incentives, such as vouchers or small cash rewards, when you engage in positive behaviors by avoiding heroin and opioid use to maintain sobriety.⁸

A variety of other types of therapy for opioid addiction, including holistic approaches, are available in many treatment centers today. The methods of therapy that work best for you will depend on your individual situation and personality. What is most important to know is that behavioral treatment is highly effective when combined with medication for heroin addiction.⁸

For more information about treatment for heroin dependency, or to find a treatment center that meets your needs, call 800-934-1582(Sponsored) today.

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, August 1). Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. National Center for Health Statistics.
2. Merrer, J. L., Becker, J. A. J., Befort, K., & Kieffer, B. L. (2009). Reward Processing by the Opioid System in the Brain. Physiological Reviews, 89(4), 1379–1412.
3. Drug Enforcement Administration. (2020). Drugs of Abuse: A DEA Resource Guide/2020 Edition. U.S. Department of Justice.
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019, October 25). Regional Differences in the Drugs Most Frequently Involved in Overdose Deaths: United States, 2017. National Vital Statistics Reports, 68(12).
5. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Opioid Addiction. The Science of Addiction.
6. Volkow, N.D. (2014). Heroin. Research Report Series. National Institute on Drug Abuse.
7. National Institute on Drug Abuse. Heroin Research Report: What is the scope of heroin use in the United States? National Institutes of Health.
8. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2020, July 24). Heroin DrugFacts. National Institutes of Health.
9. Qiu, Y., Jiang, G., Su, H., Lv, X., Zhang, X., Tian, J., & Zhuo, F. (2013). Progressive white matter microstructure damage in male chronic heroin dependent individuals: a DTI and TBSS study. PloS One. 8(5).
10. American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.).
11. Cicero, T. J., Ellis, M. S., & Kasper, Z. A. (2017). Increased use of heroin as an initiating opioid of abuse. Addictive Behaviors, 74:63-66.
12. Carlson, R. G., Nahhas, R. W., Martins, S., & Daniulaityte, R. (2016). Predictors of transition to heroin use among initially non-opioid dependent illicit pharmaceutical opioid users: A natural history study. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 60:127-134.
13. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, August 8). Provisional Drug Overdose Death Counts. National Center for Health Statistics.
14. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021, March 5). Drug Overdose: Heroin Overdose Data.
15. National Institute on Drug Abuse. (2021). Opioid overdose reversal with naloxone (Narcan, Evzio).
16. Lee, J. D., Nunes, E. V., Mpa, P. N., Bailey, G. L., Brigham, G. S., Cohen, A. J., Fishman, M., Ling, W., Lindblad, R., Shmueli-Blumberg, D., Stablein, D., May, J., Salazar, D., Liu, D., & Rotrosen, J. (2016). NIDA clinical trials network CTN-0051, extended-release naltrexone vs. buprenorphine for opioid treatment (X:BOT): Study design and rationale. Contemporary Clinical Trials, 50:253-64.

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, “1 in 15 people who take non medical prescription pain relievers will try heroin within 10 years.” Many make the switch because the latter is less expensive, easier to obtain, and can create a stronger, longer-lasting high. Especially if your loved one is already abusing prescription narcotics, it is important to be able to recognize the signs that they have switched from these drugs of abuse to heroin.

Behavioral Signs of the Switch to Heroin

A person who is abusing heroin may begin to behave slightly differently than those who only abuse prescription drugs. For example, many individuals crush the prescription pills they abuse in order to snort them while only some then prepare the crushed pills for injection. Heroin is much more often injected than abused in any other way, and you will likely begin to notice that your loved one shows signs of injecting drugs when they switch to heroin. If so, they will only wear long sleeves and long pants (to hide their track marks), and you will likely be able to find used needles, spoons, syringes, lighters, balloons, and other paraphernalia to suggest this switch in their rooms or home.

Other behavioral signs associated with the switch include:

• More secretive actions
• Stealing or lying to cover their heroin abuse
• Longer periods of time where they sleep or are unresponsive
• Longer periods where they exhibit the signs of being high
• Spending time with different people
• Engaging in riskier behavior
• More intense withdrawal symptoms

Physical Signs of the Switch to Heroin

Prescription opioids can cause many of the same issues that heroin can cause when abused, such as constipation, respiratory depression, dependence, addiction, etc. But heroin can cause many issues that are often specifically related to the drug and the way it is prepared. According to the Center for Substance Abuse Research, “Infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses (pus-filled infections), liver disease, and lung-related complications such as pneumonia” are all conditions that are strongly associated with heroin use. A person’s risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis B and C, and other transmittable diseases will also increase with the switch to heroin. Weight loss is common as well.

How Can I Know My Loved One Has Moved on to Heroin?

It may be difficult to know for certain at first, but you will begin to recognize that your loved one’s behavior and physicality has changed as a result of their switch to heroin. They will likely become even less involved in the daily minutiae of their life, including anything that is not related to their drug use. This is because they are only focused on getting a stronger high that can combat their tolerance and allow them to use for a lower cost.

The switch to heroin often intensifies the amount of danger your loved one is in from abusing narcotics. Call 800-934-1582(Sponsored)  if you think your friend, family member, spouse, etc. is abusing any type of narcotic, and we will help you find a treatment option that meets their needs and will help them return to a happier, safer life.