Symptoms of Heroin - Can You Recognize Them?

Among the opiates, heroin is particularly addictive due to the speed with which it enters the brain and the user experiences the “rush”. Symptoms of heroin differ when discussing short-term use, long-term use or abuse, and withdrawal. These differences are attributed to neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain and the degrees of tolerance and physical dependence that eventually motivate a user to become compulsive in heroin use/abuse.

A recent ground-breaking study of online search queries for information relating to the symptoms of heroin showed a surprisingly nominal amount of searches over a one-year span. This study, using two and three word combinations found in online searches, showed only 2,100 inquiries for symptoms of heroin, as opposed to over 74,000 for heroin addiction.

Signs of Heroin Abuse - Differences between Signs and Symptoms?

Advanced addictions research shows that the top two exact phrases used in online searches are “signs of heroin” and “symptoms of heroin”, as evidenced in Graph 1. Even though the words “signs” and “symptoms” are often interchangeable in everyday conversation, it is worthy to note that there is an 8% difference in the amount of searches using the terms “signs of heroin” (searched 2,033 times) and “symptoms of heroin” (searched 1,870 times).

The search for information about the signs or symptoms of a heroin overdose is of interest, perhaps suggesting users' confusion over whether the side-effects constitute a typical side-effect or an official overdose.

Symptoms of Heroin - Prevalent Search Topics - Graph 1

(Continued on Graph 3 at the bottom of this page)

Top 30 two and three word combinations



  estimated searches/year across all search engines     
 0  2100
signs of heroin    2033
symptoms of heroin    1870
heroin abuse    1509
heroin withdrawal    1333
heroin addiction    967
heroin withdrawal symptoms    959
signs of heroin abuse    939
addiction signs    586
addiction symptoms    560
heroin addiction symptoms    560
symptoms of heroin abuse    385
symptoms of heroin withdrawal    370
addiction signs of heroin    366
heroin addiction signs    220
heroin overdose    209
heroin overdose symptoms    193
heroin abuse symptoms    183
heroin withdrawl    123
heroin withdrawl symptoms    122
heroin signs    98
heroin symptoms    85
withdrawl symptoms of heroin    75
heroin signs of abuse    73
heroin withdraw    43
signs of heroin addiction    36
signs of heroin withdraw    36
symptoms of heroin addiction    31
heroin user    21
heroin drug    19
heroin drug dealer    18
drug dealer    18
0 2100

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms - More Light from Simplicity

Graph 2 plots the frequency of specific words used in online searches for heroin symptoms. One of the most commonly searched terms is “withdrawal”, indicating curiousity either about what to expect in an upcoming detoxification or to help identify someone suspected of currently going through withdrawal.

The word “symptoms” appears twice as often as “signs”, indicating a dominance of one term over the other. Interestingly, the ratio of searches for alcohol signs and symptoms to heroin is approximately 20:1, while meth to heroin is approximately 10:1. It would seem that people searching for signs and symptoms of substance abuse (perhaps suspicious parents or concerned peers) are more commonly concerned about alcohol and meth abuse than heroin.

Symptoms of Heroin - Prevalent Words and Concepts Study - Graph 2

Top 100 words used in symptoms of heroin searches
(Top 1000 can be found at Top 100 symptoms of heroin exact phrases and top 1,000 concepts/words - Graph 5)



  estimated searches/year across all search engines     
 0  4200
symptoms    4050
signs    2570
abuse    1590
withdrawal    1339
addiction    1336
overdose    209
withdrawl    199
treatment    113
withdraw    57
what    32
drug    23
user    21
dealer    18
neighbors    18
addict    16
usage    13
users    11
using    10
sign    10
physical    6
easing    6
intranasal    6
taking    5
from    5
warning    3
synthetic    3
detox    2
medicine    2
recognizing    2
infection    2
awareness    2
us    2
symptom    2
relapse    2
addition    1
infant    1
hot    1
100    1
homeless    1
exact    1
addictions    1
being    1
drugs    1
aneurysm    1
dependence    1
cold    1
blood    1
chronic    1
addicts    1
phrases    1
widthdral    1
visual    1
use?    1
turkey    1
Top    1
telltale    1
symtoms    1
snort    1
skin    1
site    1
min    1
pictures    1
initial    1
people    1
org    1
newborn    1
1,000    1
methamphetamine    1
methadone    1
look    1
load    1
lapse    1
intake    1
injections    1
relief    1
0 4200

Progressive Programs & Addictions Research - Montreal Drug and Alcohol Rehab Center

Located near Montreal, Quebec, Canada is Clear Haven Center, a renowned drug and rehab facility that provides progressive development and delivery of detox programs and addictions rehabilitation. In pursuit of continual growth and increased knowledge, Clear Haven Center has conducted unprecedented addictions research focused on internet search topics and phrases.

This research provides a resource for professionals and individuals in helping identify what people are using in searches to locate signs and symptoms of heroin use, abuse, and withdrawal. Perhaps this insight will lead to recognition of an addiction and professional intervention.

Symptoms of Heroin - Prevalent Search Topics, Continued - Graph 3

Top 31 - 114 two and three word combinations
(Top 30 are in Graph 1 above)



  estimated searches/year across all search engines     
 0  20
heroin addict    15
withdraw symptoms of heroin    14
heroin usage    13
symptoms of heroin overdose    12
heroin users    10
using heroin    10
signs of heroin usage    9
symptoms of heroin users    9
symptoms heroin    8
heroin withdraw symptoms    7
heroin use symptoms    6
intranasal heroin    6
signs heroin addiction    6
symptoms of intranasal heroin    6
signs of heroin addict    5
easing heroin withdrawal    4
easing heroin withdrawal symptoms    4
symptoms of using heroin    4
taking heroin    4
symptoms of the heroin    4
treatment of heroin    3
drug abuse    3
symptoms of synthetic heroin    3
signs of drug abuse    3
synthetic heroin    3
abuse of heroin    2
heroin detox    2
heroin symptom    2
heroin awareness signs    2
withdrawal symptoms of heroin    2
heroin sign    2
symptoms of heroin us    2
signs of using heroin    2
signs of heroin overdose    2
sign of heroin addiction    2
symptoms of heroin usage    2
heroin dependence    1
heroin cold turkey symptoms    1
heroin cold turkey    1
symptoms during heroin intake    1
heroin addition signs    1
heroin addition    1
heroin addicts    1
heroin addict symptoms relapse    1
heroin addict and symptoms    1
symptoms heroin abuse    1
symptoms heroin addiction    1
easing withdrawal symptoms heroin    1
chronic heroin    1
addiction abuse    1
heroin drug users    1
aneurysm symptoms from heroin    1
easing heroin withdraw symptoms    1
drugs symptoms heroin    1
drugs symptoms    1
drug users    1
blood infection from heroin    1
drug addict    1
heroin abuse signs    1
symptoms of heroin withdrawl    1
methadone symptoms    1
symptoms on heroin    1
initial heroin withdrawal symptoms    1
homeless heroin addicts signs    1
homeless heroin addicts    1
homeless heroin    1
heroin warning signs    1
heroin users signs    1
withdrawal symptoms with heroin    1
signs o heroin addiction    1
heroin dependence symptoms    1
heroin taking signs    1
heroin signs and symptoms    1
snort heroin    1
heroin usage symptoms    1
heroin on a sign    1
heroin newborn symptoms    1
heroin injections signs    1
heroin injections    1
heroin effects symptoms    1
heroin drug users signs    1
people with heroin    1
snort heroin signs    1
heroin usage signs    1
0 20