Heroin addiction

Heroin addiction is one of the most dangerous parts of Ohio’s opioid crisis. In 2023, there were 4,452 unintentional overdose deaths across the state, and heroin was listed in dozens of those cases. Fentanyl is now involved in the majority of fatal overdoses, because it is often mixed into other drugs like heroin without the user even realizing. This means even “small” amounts of what they thought was heroin can be enough to kill. If you’re caught up in heroin addiction, or you’re watching someone you care about slip further into it, this page will walk you through the signs, dangers, and Armada Recovery’s treatment options.

What is heroin addiction? 

Heroin addiction is when the drug has taken over to the point where stopping doesn’t feel like a real option anymore. It is described scientifically as compulsive heroin use despite harm. This may mean using heroin even when you’re scared of overdosing, are losing your family or job, or you’re becoming physically or mentally unwell. Heroin addiction has been a major issue in Ohio for decades, leaving a long trail of grief. Armada Recovery is here to help individuals and their families build a better future without heroin.

What are the symptoms of heroin addiction?

Heroin affects every part of life, but the early signs of heroin addiction can be quite subtle.

If something in your gut is telling you things aren’t right, here are some heroin addiction signs that people often notice:

• Falling asleep constantly during the day
• Very small pupils and a glazed look in the eyes
• Needle marks, scabs, or infections on the skin
• Drug paraphernalia lying around, like needles, burned spoons, bits of foil, or tourniquets
• Slurred or slow speech or movement 
• Selling belongings or stealing to buy heroin
• Suddenly changing friends or spending a lot of time alone
• Mood swings
• Ignoring hygiene or appearance
• Feeling extremely unwell, anxious, or restless when heroin wears off
• Repeatedly saying you will cut down or stop, then going back to using

How does heroin addiction develop?

Heroin addiction often follows a pattern, even though each person’s story is personal. However, for most people, drug addiction builds up step by step:

Heroin abuse

Some people start using heroin after painkillers, while others try it to relax, switch off, or cope with anxiety, depression, ADHD, or other mental health conditions. At this stage, you may only be using heroin now and then, but it is not a drug where “casual use” lasts for long. Most people try it once or stop, or see their use escalate incredibly quickly. 

Heroin dependence

With more frequent heroin abuse, your body comes to expect heroin, believing that you “need” it. This is heroin dependence, and it means if you go without it, you enter heroin withdrawal. This involves cravings, stomach cramps, sweating, a runny nose, body aches, and intense restlessness. When this happens, using heroin becomes less about getting high and more about just avoiding those withdrawal symptoms.

Heroin addiction

In this final and most dangerous stage, heroin abuse continues even when you see the damage. You may want to stop and even try, but you can’t. That is when heroin addiction is firmly in place, and outside help becomes essential.

Heroin addiction and abuse in Ohio

• In 2023, 75 Ohio residents died due to overdoses involving heroin, accounting for about 2% of all overdose deaths.
  
• Heroin-involved overdose deaths in Ohio have dropped from 1,196 deaths in 2014, a fall of more than 90%. However, this is because fentanyl and other opioids have taken over the drug supply.
  
• Even with this decline, opioids as a whole were involved in 82% of Ohio’s unintentional overdose deaths in 2023 (3,664 out of 4,452 deaths).

What causes heroin addiction?

Heroin is an opioid, so it latches onto the same systems in your brain that deal with pain and comfort. If you use heroin often, your brain doesn’t know how to control those systems on its own anymore. When heroin wears off, this leaves you feeling sick and desperate to use again. But this is only the chemical bit of heroin addiction, and there are multiple other causes that put you at higher risk:

• A family history of addiction
• Starting on opioid painkillers and then switching to heroin
• Untreated mental health issues like depression, anxiety, or PTSD
• Using heroin to cope with physical or emotional pain
• Living with high stress, poverty, or unstable housing
• Spending a lot of time with friends or partners who use heroin
• Easy access to heroin in your area
• Past trauma or difficult childhood experiences

What are the dangers and side effects of heroin addiction and abuse?

Heroin addiction and abuse are extremely dangerous and can harm almost every part of your health and life in general. Some of the biggest dangers include:

Fatal heroin or fentanyl overdose

• Slowed or stopped breathing
• Collapsed veins and blood clots
• Heart infections and valve damage
• Skin infections, abscesses, and ulcers
• HIV and hepatitis from needle use
• Chronic constipation and stomach pain
• Liver and kidney damage
• Severe weight loss and malnutrition
• Depression, anxiety, and paranoia
• Memory and concentration problems
• Increased risk of self-harm or suicide
• Insomnia
• Miscarriage
• Lung disease
• Mental disorders
• Menstrual irregularities

What does heroin addiction recovery involve?

Heroin addiction recovery is a lifelong process that begins with heroin detox. This is safest at an inpatient detox center like Armada Recovery because “cold turkey” on your own carries a huge risk of relapse and dangerous withdrawal. You may then also switch to a safer opioid medication like methadone or buprenorphine to replace heroin.

You can then start rebuilding your life in heroin rehab. At Armada Recovery, that means attending outpatient therapy at one of our Akron or Dayton treatment centers. Our team will help you work through everything that has been going on in your life so you can start fresh without heroin.

When that main stretch of rehab is finished, we keep supporting you in the months and years to come. That may be through a short partial hospitalization, more outpatient care, or staying in touch through our aftercare and alumni groups.

Get help for heroin addiction today

If you’re ready to make a change or you’re trying to help someone you care about, Armada Recovery is here to listen. Contact us today and we’ll answer your questions and walk you through the next steps.

References

https://www.methadone.org/drugs/ohio-drug-alcohol-statistics/

https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/OHIOGOVERNOR/2024/10/30/file_attachments/3052169/2023%2BUnintentional%2BDrug%2BOverdose%2BAnnual%2BReport_FINAL.pdf

https://www.samhsa.gov/data/sites/default/files/reports/rpt39467/2021NSDUHsaeSpecificStatesTabs122022_0/NSDUHsaeOhio2021.pdf

https://ccbh.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/IncreasingRacialDisparitiesInOhioOverdoseRates_3.2025.pdf

https://www.apha.org/getcontentasset/9d45c5ab-4694-4401-9683-40288bb58147/7ca0dc9d-611d-46e2-9fd3-26a4c03ddcbb/ohio_pdo.pdf