由 home-healthhaven 
When you’re trying to help someone addicted to heroin, the first thing to understand is that you can’t “fix” them. But that doesn’t mean you should lose hope. You can still offer support and encourage them to seek the necessary help and address their addiction.
However, supporting them doesn’t mean making excuses for their behavior or giving them financial aid, as these actions can quickly turn into enabling, which we’ll discuss later. So, what can you actually do to help someone addicted to heroin?
Start by learning about heroin and addiction. It’s crucial to understand what heroin is and what being addicted to it involves. Short-term effects of heroin use include dryness in the mouth and intense itching. Long-term effects are more severe and can include bacterial infections and collapsed veins. Knowing these impacts helps you grasp the importance of dealing with addiction and allows you to better understand the addict’s behavior and provide the necessary support.
Avoid enabling the addict. Watching a loved one struggle with addiction is tough, and you might feel tempted to help them financially or emotionally. However, this can enable their addiction to continue. Heroin addicts must realize they need to take control of their own lives. Some families take drastic measures, like making the addict leave home, to help them understand this reality. You need to find a balance between supporting and enabling.
Assist them in accessing treatment. Although there isn’t a cure for addiction, treatments can help a heroin addict stop using the drug. Popular treatments include methadone, a synthetic opiate, and cognitive behavioral therapy. These treatments can be administered at home or in a treatment center. There’s plenty of information available online from experts like The Recovery Village.
Helping someone addicted to heroin is challenging. They might lie, steal, or be violent to keep up their addiction. It’s important to stay firm. Seeking support for yourself from others in similar situations can be very helpful. Consider getting in touch with Narcotics Anonymous or joining an online forum to feel supported while you assist your friend or relative in dealing with their addiction.