As we know, addicts are very good at hiding things. Making everything look good on the outside is an addict’s specialty. That is until we are too far into our addiction to turn back. We could on for years without anyone knowing we were injecting heroin or prescription pills. But we tend to get sloppy when drugs start to become the essential thing in our world.
We become less aware of our appearance and more concerned with our next fix. Multiple missed days of work and the physical signs of our lack of cleanliness and track marks and bruising on our arms suggest intravenous drug use. But there are more signs to watch out for when it comes to IV drug use.
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Which Drugs Can Be Taken Intravenously to Get High?
Nearly all drugs can be injected. This is done by dissolving pills, powders, or salts into a liquid solution and using a hypodermic needle to get the liquid into a vein. This method is often preferred to ingest a drug orally because injecting a substance gets it to the brain much faster. The administration of street drugs by injection has been the more significant, faster, and better way to get that high. Smoking, swallowing, and snorting are less preferred because injecting Is the quickest and results in the most intense “high.”
Other methods of administration generally provide a slower onset and a less Intense “rush.” This other methods also waste a good amount of the drug being used: when given orally, a proportion of the dose may not be absorbed or may be metabolized by the liver before reaching the brain; smoking or vaporization usually destroys some of the drugs; nasal inhalation wastes the percentage of the drug that passes down the throat to be absorbed more slowly later.
Serious Danger with Abusing Drugs Intravenously
Injecting is the riskiest way to use drugs. When you inject street drugs, the majority of the risk is related to the needle. The drugs are dangerous, and usually, there’s no way to know how strong they are or what else may be in them. It’s even unsafe to use them along with other substances like alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs.
Some drugs that can be injected are:
- Bath Salts
- Heroin
- Cocaine
- Methamphetamine
- Ecstasy
- Ketamine
- PCP
- Prescription drugs like Vicodin and Adderall
When an addict has switched over to this form of administration of drugs, it is usually a sign of a progression of addiction. Besides being addicted to the drug, having a higher chance of overdosing, other major health concerns follow the repeated injection of drugs.
Diseases You Can Catch from IV Drug Use
Addicts are usually not in their right mind and don’t think of infection or diseases when they are in the process of getting high, so sharing needles or using unsanitary tools are of very little concern. This leads to many infectious diseases and viruses such as Hepatitis B & C and HIV.
Besides the viruses, other health issues can evolve with the repeated injection of drugs. There is damage that can be done to internal organs, of course, but there are many different types of damage a user can do to their skin. This can result from regularly injecting, using potentially tainted needles, injecting into fat or muscle by accident due to missing the vein, and being injected right under the skin called “skin popping.” This can result in a painful lump that could potentially cut off blood flow to the area.
Other skins problems that can arise are:
- Heavy bruising
- Abscesses
- Severe bacterial skin infections like cellulitis
- Fungal infections
Are you worried about a loved one and wondering if they are using drugs in the intravenous form? Here are some common signs:
- Sudden neglect of responsibilities
- Neglect of personal hygiene
- Track marks on arms
- Wearing long sleeves in warm weather (to hide marks)
- Swollen or puffy hands and feet
- Extreme hyperactivity or lethargy
- Bloodstained water or tissues
- Knotted pantyhose or shoestring (used as a tourniquet)
- Sudden withdrawal from usual activities
- Irritability or anxiety
- Borrowing or begging for money
- Finding spoons with the underside black
- Smalls balls of cotton, size of a small pea
- Small spatters of blood
- Spoons or bottle caps with residue may be colored if it’s from a prescription pill.
Allure Detox is Here to Help
If you or a loved one are intravenously using drugs and think there is no way out, let Allure Detox show you the way. We understand that the idea of going through withdrawals can be daunting and scary; at Allure Detox, our medical detoxification, first and foremost, help patients stop using drugs and alcohol safely. But Allure’s Medical detox offers more: a renewed love of life.
We look forward to working with you and your family to get your lives back on track. Contact us around the clock for a confidential assessment, and let’s see if Allure Detox is the right treatment center for yourself or a loved one.