According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, heroin is an opiate drug that is synthesized from morphine and derived from the Asian opium poppy plant. It is a deeply addictive drug that has serious health consequences on the user. Some of these include infection of the heart lining and valves, collapsed veins, rheumatologic problems, bacterial infections, and infectious diseases, such as HIV. Heroin does not affect the user alone, however. The whole family has to suffer from the consequences of the heroin addiction both mentally and financially.
Financial Consequences
Heroin addiction is expensive. Most users need to get a new dose every few hours, says the HeroinAddiction2.com. Frequently the person addicted to heroin loses his job due to the drug abuse, and in order to finance his addiction, the addict often sells everything valuable and frequently steels from other family members. Heroin addiction also causes serious health consequences that need to be taken care of. This adds to the financial burned of the family with a heroin addicted member.
Mental Consequences
According to the HeroinAddiction2.com, the family members of an addict go through many emotions. They might deny the problem, blame themselves and the addict, and isolate themselves from other people. Family members often feel helpless and depressed when trying to help a heroin addicted person. Dr. D. Jackson and colleagues studies the families of teenaged drug abusers. They reported that the on-going destructive behavior of the drug addicted teenager caused loss of trust and feelings of betrayal in parents. Family relationships were often split and destroyed. Many parents had considered suicide. The study was published in December 2006 in the "Contemporary Nurse" Journal.
Health Consequences
According to Dr. Jenny Keen and colleagues, children of heroin abusers show developmental delay more frequently than children of non-addicted parents. Their health status is low, and they use health services more often than children of non-addicted parents. They are also at high risk of abuse by their parents. This study was published in vol. 17 of the "Family Practice" Journal in 2000. Even when the drug addict is a teenager and not a parent, the other family members typically have health problems. According to the HeroinAddiction2.com, family members often neglect their own heath when they focus their whole energy on the addicted family member. Moreover, the constant stress can increase the risk for many stress related illnesses such as high blood pressure, migraines, heart problems, and digestive disorders.
References
- National Institute on Drug Abuse: "NIDA InfoFacts: Heroin"
- HeroinAddiction2.com: "Effects of Heroin on the Family"
- "Family Practise Journal"; Keeping Families of Heroin Addicts Together; J. Keena, P. Oliver, G. Rowsec, N. Mathers; vol. 17 2000
- "Contemp Nurse Journal"; Fractured Families: Parental Perspectives of the Effects of Adolescent Drug Abuse on Family life; Jackson D, Usher K, O'Brien L., December 2006
