What Does Heroin Do to Your Skin

The skin is the largest organ of the body, and it shows the effects of heroin sooner than many people expect. Heroin is a powerful opioid drug, and it changes how the brain, the blood vessels, and the immune system work. Those changes do not stay hidden inside the body. They appear on the surface, in the way the skin looks, feels, and heals. A person who uses heroin may first notice dryness or itching. Later, the problems can become harder to ignore: skin that looks pale or grey, bruises that stay for weeks, small cuts that do not close, and sores that keep coming back. This article explains, in plain words, what heroin does to the skin, why each problem happens, and why some of these signs point to deeper harm that needs medical attention. It is general information only, not individual medical advice. If you are worried about your health, or about someone else, a qualified health professional is the right person to talk to.

It helps to start with a simple idea. Healthy skin needs a steady supply of blood, oxygen, water, and nutrients. Blood brings oxygen and food to the skin cells, and it carries away waste. The immune system watches for germs and repairs small damage every day. Heroin disturbs all of this at once. It narrows blood vessels and reduces blood flow to the skin. It changes how the body handles water and food, so the skin can become dry and thin. It weakens the immune response, so germs that healthy skin would fight off can settle in and grow. It also causes intense itching, which leads to scratching, and scratching breaks the skin open. Once the skin is broken, germs have a direct way in, and healing becomes much slower. Each of these effects makes the others worse, which is why skin problems linked with heroin often build up over time instead of staying small.

Another point matters from the start. Skin damage from heroin is not only about injecting the drug. People sometimes think that only the injection site is at risk, but the effects reach far beyond one spot on the arm or leg. Heroin travels through the whole body in the blood, so its effects on circulation, nutrition, and immunity touch the skin everywhere. A person who smokes or snorts heroin can still develop dry skin, itching, slow healing, and a tired, aged look. Injection adds a separate set of risks on top of that, because a needle breaks the skin and can carry germs directly into the tissue. Both routes harm the skin, and the harm grows with regular use, because the body never gets a proper chance to recover between doses.

How Heroin Reaches the Skin and Changes It

Heroin works on the brain first, but its reach is wide. After it enters the body, it is carried in the blood to every organ, including the skin. One of its early effects is on the blood vessels. Blood vessels in the skin open and close to control temperature and to deliver oxygen. Heroin can make these vessels narrow, which means less blood reaches the surface of the skin. When skin cells receive less oxygen and fewer nutrients, they cannot renew themselves as quickly. The outer layer becomes thinner and drier. Small injuries that would normally heal in a few days take longer, because the repair work depends on a good blood supply. Over months, this poor supply leaves the skin looking dull and tired, and it makes the skin more fragile, so it tears and bruises more easily.

Heroin also affects appetite and daily routines, and that has a quiet effect on the skin. People who use heroin regularly often eat less, eat at irregular times, and drink less water. They may sleep poorly and spend less time looking after themselves. Skin needs water, protein, vitamins, and rest to stay healthy. When those basics are missing for weeks or months, the skin shows it. It becomes dry, rough, and less elastic. The lips can crack. The hands and face can look drawn. These changes are not caused by one single chemical in the drug alone. They are the result of the whole body running short of what it needs, day after day, while the drug keeps taking priority over food, sleep, and care.

The immune system is the third part of this picture. Healthy skin is protected by immune cells that attack germs and clean up damaged tissue. Heroin weakens that defence. Research and health guidance describe how opioid use can reduce the immune response, which means infections start more easily and last longer. A small scratch that would normally close without trouble can become red, swollen, and painful. A spot that would have faded in a week can turn into an open sore. This is why skin problems in people who use heroin often look worse than the original injury. The injury itself may be small, but the body cannot defend or repair it properly, so the problem grows instead of shrinking.

Dry Skin and Cracking

Dry skin is one of the earliest and most common skin problems linked with heroin, and it is also one of the easiest to overlook. The skin feels tight, rough, and uncomfortable. It may flake, especially on the hands, arms, and legs. In cold or dry weather, the dryness gets worse, and small cracks can open, particularly around the knuckles, heels, and lips. These cracks are painful, and they bleed easily. They also let germs in. A person may try to cover the dryness with cream, and that can help the surface for a short time, but it does not fix the cause. As long as the body is short of water, nutrients, and good blood flow, the skin stays dry underneath, and the cracks keep coming back.

The dryness is linked with several things happening at once. Heroin reduces sweating and changes how the body holds water, so the skin loses moisture. Poor eating means the skin gets less of the fats and vitamins that keep it soft and flexible. Poor sleep and constant stress add to the strain, because the skin repairs itself mainly during sleep. When sleep is broken night after night, that repair is never finished. The result is skin that looks older than it should, feels uncomfortable most of the time, and breaks more easily under pressure. Gloves, tight clothes, or even rubbing the skin can leave marks that would not appear on healthy skin.

Cracking matters more than it sounds, because a crack is an open door. The skin is meant to be a barrier, keeping germs out and moisture in. When it cracks, that barrier fails in that spot. Germs from the hands, from clothes, or from the air can enter through the crack. If the immune system is already weak, the germs can cause redness, swelling, and pain. A crack on the hand can make simple tasks hurt, like washing, cooking, or holding something. A crack on the foot can make walking painful. Over time, repeated cracking and slow healing can leave the skin thickened in some places and thin in others, which makes it even more likely to crack again. It becomes a cycle that is hard to break while heroin use continues.

Why the Skin Loses Its Colour and Glow

Healthy skin has a warm colour and a natural glow because blood flows close to the surface and the skin cells are well fed. When heroin reduces blood flow, that colour fades. The skin can look pale, grey, or yellowish. The face often shows it first, because people look at the face most closely, but the change is present across the body. The lips may look paler. The hands may look dull. The skin under the eyes can look darker, because the area is thin and shows poor circulation clearly. Friends and family often notice this change before the person using the drug does, because the change is slow and the person sees their own face every day.

The loss of glow is not only about blood flow. Skin cells renew themselves constantly, shedding old cells and making new ones. That renewal needs oxygen, protein, and rest. Heroin use disrupts all three. With less oxygen reaching the skin, new cells form more slowly. With less protein from food, the new cells are weaker. With poor sleep, the renewal process is cut short night after night. The old, dull cells stay on the surface longer, and the skin looks tired and lifeless. Washing and creams can improve the surface for a few hours, but they cannot replace the blood flow and nutrients that the skin is missing. The dullness returns, because the cause is still there.

Over a longer period, this tired look can start to resemble early ageing. The skin loses elasticity, which is its ability to stretch and spring back. Fine lines appear earlier, especially around the eyes and mouth. The cheeks can look hollow, partly because of weight loss and partly because the skin has lost its fullness. This aged appearance is not only a cosmetic problem. It is a visible sign that the body is under long-term strain. The skin is reflecting what is happening inside: poor circulation, poor nutrition, weak immunity, and constant stress. When someone stops using heroin and their general health improves, the skin often improves too, but the recovery is slow, and some changes, such as deep lines or scars from sores, may remain.

Scratching That Breaks the Skin

Itching is a well-known effect of heroin, and it is more serious than it sounds. Heroin triggers the release of a chemical in the body called histamine, which causes itching, flushing, and a warm feeling in the skin. For some people, the itching is mild and passes quickly. For others, it is intense and constant, especially on the face, arms, and chest. The urge to scratch can be hard to resist, and scratching feels like relief for a few seconds. But the relief is brief, and the cost is real. Fingernails break the surface of the skin, leaving thin red lines that can bleed. Repeated scratching in the same place leaves the skin raw, sore, and open to infection.

The problem grows because scratching becomes a habit. A person may scratch without thinking, while watching television, talking, or trying to sleep. At night, the itching can be worse, because there is nothing else to distract from it, and the person may scratch in their sleep. By morning, the skin is marked with fresh lines and sore spots. Over weeks, the scratched areas become thicker and darker, because the skin tries to protect itself by growing tougher. That thicker skin is still damaged, and it itches more, so the scratching continues. It is a loop: itching leads to scratching, scratching damages the skin, damaged skin itches more, and the cycle repeats.

Broken skin from scratching is dangerous for a simple reason. The skin is the body’s first line of defence against germs. Once it is broken, bacteria that live harmlessly on the surface can get inside. The area becomes red, warm, and tender. It may swell or fill with fluid. If the scratching continues, the wound cannot close, and the infection can spread deeper. In some cases, the infection reaches the tissue under the skin or enters the blood, which is a serious medical emergency. This is why health workers take scratch marks seriously in people who use heroin. They are not just a sign of itching. They are open wounds, and every open wound is a risk.

Bruises That Stay Longer Than They Should

Bruising is another common sign, and it tells a story about blood vessels and healing. A bruise forms when small blood vessels under the skin break and blood leaks into the surrounding tissue. In a healthy person, the body clears that blood in a week or two, and the colour changes from dark purple to green to yellow as it fades. In a person who uses heroin, bruises can appear more easily and stay much longer. A small bump that would leave no mark on healthy skin can leave a large, dark bruise. A bruise that should fade in days can still be visible after several weeks. The skin looks marked and sore, and new bruises appear before the old ones have gone.

There are several reasons for this. First, the blood vessels themselves are weaker. Poor nutrition and poor circulation make the vessel walls less strong, so they break under less pressure. Second, the blood may not clot as well. Clotting is the process that stops bleeding and starts repair, and it depends on nutrients and a healthy liver. Heroin use, poor eating, and heavy strain on the liver can all disturb clotting, so bleeding under the skin lasts longer. Third, healing is slower overall, so the body takes more time to clear the leaked blood and repair the vessel. Together, these effects mean that bruises become a regular feature, not a rare accident.

Injection makes bruising worse in a direct way. Every injection damages the vein and the tissue around it. If the needle misses the vein, the drug and blood leak into the surrounding tissue, which causes a large, painful bruise. Repeated injections in the same area damage the vein until it collapses, which means it can no longer carry blood properly. The skin over that area becomes swollen, dark, and tender. People sometimes try to hide the bruises with long sleeves, even in hot weather, because the marks are visible and hard to explain. Hiding them does not make them harmless. A bruise that stays for weeks, grows larger, or becomes hot and painful may be a sign of a deeper problem, such as an infection or a clot, and it needs medical attention promptly.

Sores, Wounds and Slow Healing

When the skin is dry, scratched, bruised, and poorly supplied with blood, sores are the next step. A sore is an open area of skin that does not close. It may start as a small scratch or a spot that is picked at again and again. At first it looks like a minor wound. Then, instead of forming a scab and closing, it stays open. The edges become red and raised. Fluid may leak from it. It may smell unpleasant. It hurts when touched, and it hurts when clothes rub against it. Because healing is slow, the sore can stay open for weeks or months, and it can grow larger over time if the cause is not addressed.

Slow healing has a clear cause. Healing needs new skin cells, new blood vessels, and a strong immune response, all working together. Heroin weakens each of these. Blood flow is reduced, so less oxygen reaches the wound. Nutrition is poor, so the body lacks the protein needed to build new tissue. The immune system is weaker, so it cannot clear germs and dead tissue efficiently. On top of that, the person may keep scratching or picking at the sore, which reopens it each time it starts to close. The result is a wound that never gets a proper chance to heal. It stays in a half-healed state, which is painful and risky.

Sores that do not heal are more than a skin problem. They are a gateway for serious infection. Germs can enter through the open sore and spread into the tissue beneath the skin. That tissue can become infected, swollen, and filled with pus, forming an abscess. An abscess is a painful, swollen lump that needs medical treatment, and it will not go away on its own. In some cases, the infection spreads further, into the blood, which can cause fever, confusion, and a life-threatening illness. Health guidance is clear on this point: any sore that does not heal, grows larger, becomes very painful, or is joined by fever needs urgent medical care. Waiting and hoping it will close on its own is dangerous, because the body is already struggling to heal.

Infections at Injection Sites and Why They Are Serious

Injection carries the highest skin risk of all, because it breaks the skin barrier deliberately, again and again. Each injection is a small wound. If the needle, the skin, or the drug is not clean, germs are pushed directly into the tissue. Even with care, repeated injections damage the skin and the veins, making infection more likely over time. The first sign is often redness and tenderness around the injection site. The area feels warm. It may swell. It may be painful to touch or to move. If the infection stays near the surface, it may form a small abscess that needs draining and antibiotics. If it goes deeper, it can damage muscle, damage the vein, or spread into the blood.

There are other serious infections linked with injection. One is cellulitis, an infection of the skin and the tissue just beneath it, which spreads quickly and causes the skin to become red, hot, and swollen over a large area. Another is a deep vein infection, which can cause a clot and swelling in the arm or leg. A more serious risk is an infection of the heart valves, which happens when germs from the skin enter the blood and settle on the heart. This condition is rare but life-threatening, and it is one of the reasons doctors take injection-site infections so seriously. The skin problem is often the first visible sign of a much deeper infection that has already started.

The pattern of injection sites also tells a story. When veins in the arms collapse from repeated use, people may inject in other places, such as the legs, hands, or groin, where the veins are harder to reach and the risk of damage is higher. Each new site brings new risks, because the skin there may be thinner or the veins may be close to arteries and nerves. Damage in these areas heals even more slowly, and infections there are harder to treat. The skin can develop scars, dark marks, and thickened areas that remain long after the injection. These marks are sometimes called track marks, and they are a lasting record of repeated damage to the skin and veins. They do not fade quickly, and they are a reminder that the harm is not only on the surface.

When Skin Problems Are a Warning to Get Help

Not every skin change means an emergency, but some signs should never be ignored. A sore that grows, a wound that leaks pus, skin that becomes very red and hot, swelling that spreads, severe pain, or fever alongside a skin problem all point to infection that needs prompt medical care. Numbness, pale or blue fingers or toes, or a limb that becomes cold and painful can point to a circulation problem. Any of these signs means the person should seek help the same day, not wait to see if it gets better. Health services can clean and dress wounds, prescribe treatment for infection, and check for deeper problems. They can also offer support to stop using heroin, which is the only step that addresses the cause of the skin damage.

Stopping heroin is the most important step for the skin, because it allows blood flow, nutrition, sleep, and immunity to recover. The skin does not heal overnight, but it does improve over weeks and months once the body is no longer under constant strain. Eating regular meals, drinking water, sleeping properly, and keeping wounds clean all help, but they cannot fully overcome the effects of continued use. That is why health workers talk about skin problems as a reason to seek help, not only as a reason to use more cream. The cream treats the surface. Stopping the drug treats the cause. If you are worried about your own skin, or about someone else, speaking to a doctor, a pharmacist, or a local addiction support service is a safe and sensible step, and it does not have to be done alone.

My Take:

I want to be plain about this, because the skin is where the harm from heroin becomes visible, and visible harm is harder to ignore. When I look at what heroin does to the skin, I do not see a small side effect. I see a chain of damage that starts inside the body and ends on the surface, where everyone can see it. Dry skin, itching, bruises, sores, and infections are not separate problems. They are different signs of the same strain: poor blood flow, poor food, poor sleep, and a weak immune system, all happening at once, month after month. That is why I think skin problems deserve more attention than they usually get. They are not cosmetic. They are the body showing, in the clearest way it can, that it is struggling.

The itching is the part I think about most, because it seems small until you live with it. Imagine itching so strongly that you scratch until your skin bleeds, and then scratching again the next night, and the next. It is not a lack of self-control. It is a chemical effect of the drug, and it is relentless. The scratching breaks the skin, the broken skin gets infected, and the infection makes the itching worse. I find that cycle cruel, because the person is caught in it through no fault of their own, and the damage builds up while they are trying to cope with a feeling they did not choose. If more people understood that the itching is a real effect of the drug, not a habit or a weakness, I think there would be less judgement and more help offered.

Bruises and sores are the signs that stay with me, because they change how a person lives in public. A person with bruises on their arms learns to wear long sleeves in summer. A person with a sore on their leg learns to walk carefully and to avoid showing it. That hiding takes energy, and it adds shame to an already hard situation. I do not think shame helps anyone heal. The bruises and sores are medical problems, and they deserve medical care, not hiding. A sore that will not close is not a sign that a person is careless. It is a sign that their body cannot heal properly, and that is a reason to seek help, not a reason to feel embarrassed.

I also think the slow healing is the most frightening part, because it means small injuries become big ones. A healthy body fixes a scratch in days. A body under the strain of heroin may take weeks, and in that time, the scratch can become an infection, the infection can become an abscess, and the abscess can become something that threatens the whole body. That progression is not a rare accident. It is the expected result of poor blood flow, poor nutrition, and a weak immune system working together. When I think about it that way, I understand why doctors take even a small sore seriously in someone who uses heroin. They are not overreacting. They are seeing the first step of a chain that can end badly if it is ignored.

Injection is the part I find hardest to write about honestly, because the risks are so severe and so preventable. A needle breaks the skin, and if germs get in, they can travel to the heart, the bones, or the blood. I know that people who inject are often already in a difficult place, and I do not want to add to their fear. But I also do not want to soften the truth. An infection at an injection site is not a minor problem that will clear up on its own. It is a warning that germs are already inside the body, and it needs medical care quickly. I would rather say that plainly than leave someone thinking they can wait it out. Waiting is what turns a treatable infection into a dangerous one.

What gives me hope is that the skin can recover. The body is remarkably good at repairing itself when the strain is removed. Blood flow improves, appetite returns, sleep gets better, and the immune system strengthens. The skin does not heal in a day, and scars may remain, but the dryness eases, the itching fades, the bruises stop appearing so easily, and sores finally get a chance to close. I have read enough health guidance to know that this recovery is real, and it is one of the clearest rewards of stopping. It is visible proof, in the mirror, that the body is healing. That matters, because recovery from addiction is long and hard, and visible progress helps a person keep going.

I would say this to anyone who is worried about their skin and heroin: do not try to fix it with creams alone, and do not hide it because you feel ashamed. Creams can soothe the surface, but they cannot restore blood flow, nutrition, or immunity. Hiding the problem does not make it go away, and it delays the care that could stop an infection from spreading. The right step is to speak to a doctor, a pharmacist, or a support service, and to show them the skin problem honestly. They have seen it before. They will not be shocked. They will treat the wound, check for infection, and talk about help to stop using heroin. That conversation is not a judgement. It is the start of healing, for the skin and for the rest of the body.

If you love someone whose skin is showing these signs, I would ask you to be kind rather than critical. Pointing at bruises or sores and demanding explanations will not help. The person already knows the marks are there. What they need is someone who sees the marks as a health problem, not as proof of failure, and who offers to go with them to a clinic or to help them find support. That offer can make a real difference, because many people delay getting help for skin infections out of fear or shame, and a kind person beside them makes the step easier. You do not need to have all the answers. You only need to say that you have noticed, that you are worried, and that you will help them get care.

Finally, I think the skin tells a truth that is worth hearing early. Long before the deeper damage becomes obvious, the skin shows that something is wrong. Dryness, itching, bruises, and slow healing are early warnings, and they are warnings that should be taken seriously, not dismissed as minor. If you notice them in yourself, take them as a reason to seek help now, while the problems are still treatable. If you notice them in someone else, take them as a reason to speak up kindly and to offer support. The skin is not the whole story of heroin, but it is a clear and honest part of it, and listening to what it is showing can prevent far worse harm later.

I also want to say something about the way skin problems affect work and daily life, because that part is rarely discussed. A person with cracked hands finds it hard to wash dishes, to hold tools, or to shake hands without pain. A person with a sore on their foot finds walking to work a struggle. A person with itching that keeps them awake at night arrives at work tired and unable to concentrate. These are not dramatic events, but they add up, day after day, into a life that feels smaller and harder. Work suffers, income suffers, and confidence suffers. I think that is worth naming, because it shows that skin damage is not a side issue. It reaches into every part of a normal day, and it makes ordinary life more difficult in ways that are easy to miss from the outside.

The cost of treating skin infections is another point I think about. An abscess that needs draining, antibiotics, or a hospital stay costs money, time, and worry, and it can mean days away from work. A person who is already struggling financially because of heroin use may delay seeking care because they fear the cost or the judgement, and the delay makes the infection worse, which makes the treatment more expensive. I see that as a trap, and I think the way out is to seek help early, when a problem is small and cheap to treat, rather than waiting until it becomes large and dangerous. A clinic visit for a small red sore is far easier than a hospital stay for a spreading infection, and I would urge anyone to take the earlier step.

I am also honest about the fact that stopping heroin is hard, and I do not want to pretend that the skin will heal the moment someone decides to stop. Withdrawal is uncomfortable, cravings are strong, and the habits around using are deeply woven into the day. The skin will not improve in a week. It may take a month before the dryness eases, and longer before sores close and bruises fade. But the direction matters. Each week without heroin is a week in which blood flow improves a little, sleep improves a little, and the immune system gets a little stronger. That slow improvement is real, even if it is not visible on the first day. I think people who are trying to stop deserve to know that, so they do not give up when the mirror does not change immediately.

Support makes a difference here, and I would say so plainly. Stopping alone, with no one to talk to, is the hardest way to do it. Talking to a doctor, joining a support programme, or telling a trusted family member can provide practical help: someone to go to the clinic with, someone to notice if a wound gets worse, someone to encourage the person when cravings are strong. I do not think asking for that support is a weakness. It is a sensible step, like asking for help to carry something heavy. The weight of addiction is heavy, and no one should be expected to carry it alone. The services exist because the problem is hard, not because the person is weak.

One more thing I want to add is about children and families. A parent whose skin is marked with sores and bruises may worry about what their children think, and children do notice. They may ask questions, or they may become frightened without saying anything. I think honesty, in simple words, is better than silence. A parent does not need to explain everything, but saying that they are unwell, that they are getting help, and that the marks are part of getting better can reassure a child far more than pretending nothing is wrong. Children are good at sensing when something is hidden, and a calm, honest answer, even a short one, is kinder than a secret.

Finally, I come back to the simple point I started with. The skin shows what the body is going through, and it shows it early. That is a gift, in a way, because it gives a warning while there is still time to act. A dry patch, an itch that will not stop, a bruise that lingers, a sore that will not close: each of these is the body asking for help. I hope anyone who reads this and recognises those signs will hear that request and act on it, by seeking medical care and by seeking support to stop using heroin. The skin can heal, the body can recover, and the sooner help is sought, the better the chance that healing will happen.

I also think it is worth remembering that skin problems can be the first reason a person seeks help, and that first visit can open the door to wider support. A person who goes to a clinic about a sore may, for the first time, talk honestly about heroin use with someone who can help. That conversation can lead to treatment, to support, and to a plan for stopping. In that sense, the skin problem, painful as it is, can become a turning point. I hope anyone reading this sees it that way, not as a mark of failure, but as a reason to walk through a clinic door and ask for help.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is most at risk of skin that loses its glow from Heroin?

Anyone who uses heroin regularly is at risk of dull, pale skin, because the drug reduces blood flow and disrupts sleep and eating across the whole body. The risk is higher with longer use, poor nutrition, and poor sleep, and people who inject face extra damage around the injection sites. The change is gradual, so it is often noticed by family or friends before the person using the drug sees it themselves.

What should I do if Heroin is causing sores that heal slowly?

Do not ignore a sore that stays open, grows larger, or becomes painful, red, or swollen. Keep it clean and covered if you can, avoid scratching or picking at it, and seek medical care promptly so a health professional can check for infection and advise on treatment. The most important step is to speak to a doctor or a local support service about stopping heroin, because continued use keeps slowing healing.

Does sores that heal slowly from Heroin go away after stopping?

Many skin problems improve after stopping, but the recovery takes time. Blood flow, appetite, sleep, and immunity usually improve over weeks and months, which allows sores to close and the skin to look healthier. Some scars or dark marks may remain, and deep sores need medical care even after stopping. A doctor can check how the skin is healing and whether any infection still needs treatment.

Can Heroin really cause wounds that refuse to close?

Yes. Heroin reduces blood flow to the skin, weakens the immune system, and is often linked with poor eating and poor sleep, all of which slow healing. Scratching from heroin-related itching can also reopen a wound again and again. A small cut or sore that would normally close in days can therefore stay open for weeks or months, and it can become infected if it is not treated.

Is bruises that linger from Heroin dangerous?

Bruises that linger can be a sign that blood vessels are weak, healing is slow, or clotting is disturbed, and a bruise that grows, becomes very painful, hot, or swollen, or is joined by fever may point to a deeper infection or a circulation problem. Anyone with a bruise like that should seek medical advice promptly rather than waiting to see if it fades on its own.

How soon can infections around injection sites appear after using Heroin?

An infection at an injection site can appear within days of an injection, especially if the skin or equipment was not clean, and repeated injections in the same area raise the risk further. Redness, warmth, swelling, pain, or pus around the site are warning signs that need prompt medical care, because an infection that starts in the skin can spread deeper into the tissue or into the blood.

Sources

• National Institute on Drug Abuse — https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/heroin
• U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration — https://www.dea.gov/drug-information
• Mayo Clinic, Drug addiction — https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/drug-addiction/symptoms-causes/syc-20365112
• World Health Organization, Substance abuse — https://www.who.int/health-topics/substance-abuse
• NHS, Drug addiction: getting help — https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support/drug-addiction-getting-help/

This article is general information only. It is not medical advice. If you are worried about your health or about someone else, speak to a qualified health professional.