More than a decade ago, 32-year-old Aaron Marks was well acquainted with heroin. An addiction to prescription painkillers that started in high school had transitioned into heroin addiction after his pill dealer offered him a free sample.
In active recovery for more than 11 years, Aaron now works with numerous organizations along with local and state task forces to bring resources and help for addicts and educate young people about the dangers of opioid drugs.
And as someone who’s been down that road and back again, he knows the signs of heroin addiction.
People might think first of syringes or evidence of injection sites on the arm, but “most people start by snorting heroin. You want to look for it like you’d look for cocaine, rolled up dollar bills, mirrors taken off walls and on a table or floor, or residue in different places,” he said.
“People also take cotton balls, or remove cotton from swabs to be a filter when cooking it in a spoon. Also missing spoons, or spoons with burn marks.”
Aaron said he also sees a slight discoloration of the skin in heavy users of heroin, almost a greenish-yellow cast. And he said “the pupils will get down to almost little pinpoints, and won’t react to darkness or light, remaining at little pinpoints.”
Addicts also need a lot of money to fund their habits, so valuables may disappear, and they’ll ask to borrow money – coming up with “really bizarre, elaborate excuses for why they need $100.”
Dr. Jason Jerry, a psychiatrist and addiction specialist at the Cleveland Clinic, said people need to check their judgment about addiction to painkillers and opioids.
“My waiting room looks the same as any other waiting room in the hospital. It’s a normal cross section of people. But when in the grips of addiction, they turn into different human beings, who will manipulate and do anything they need to in service of their addiction.”
Marks’ efforts toward harm reduction, with groups including Project Dawn (Deaths Avoided With Naloxone) has this to say about those who would dismiss addiction as a character flaw, or who think that the O-D antidote enables addicts or that they should know better.
“Imagine if someone with Type 2 diabetes came into the ER in diabetic shock, and doctors say ‘No, you drank a 2 liter soda, forget it. We’re not going to help you.’ Let ‘em die? Absolutely not, that’s ludicrous. Why are we not looking at addiction the same way? We know it’s a brain disease, we know it’s a public health issue. Why are we not treating it like one?”
