How to Tell if Someone is Shooting Up - Signs of IV Drug Abuse

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Introduction
Intravenous (IV) drugs are those injected directly into the body. While you might think that track marks will be easily visible on a friend’s or loved one’s arm, many people are able to hide the marks connected to this type of substance use. Some people hide marks in the skin between the toes and in other areas of the body that you can’t see.

Can You Inject Meth?
Yes, meth can be abused in this manner.  It’s one of the most common ways to take the drug due to the development of a dependence on meth. Many people start by snorting meth, move up to smoking, and then end up injecting it. Injecting the drug provides the fastest and most powerful effects.1

Can You Inject Heroin?
Yes, you can inject heroin. Injecting heroin is the most common methods of taking the drug.  More than 50% of people who reported using heroin said they injected it, as opposed to snorting, ingesting, or smoking.1

Looking for the Signs
If someone you love uses one of these drugs, it’s helpful to know the signs of shooting up and the dangers of addiction.

First Sign of Substance Abuse: Highs and Lows
A common sign that someone you know uses IV drugs is when that person experiences frequent highs and lows. You can think of this in the same you would the crash associated with caffeine or sugar. When you drink several cups of coffee or bottles of soda a day, the sugar and caffeine can leave you feeling wiry and jittery. Once those substances leave your system, though, you’ll feel a crushing sensation that might make you feel tired and worn out. IV drugs can result in feeling and acting the same way through highs and lows. Some prefer injecting drugs to smoking or snorting substances because injecting produces a faster reaction. As the drugs go directly into the bloodstream, the substances effects are felt much faster. This method can also produce a faster crash period because as the drugs leave, the pleasurable symptoms dissipate quickly too. Some of the signs you might notice during the crash period, also known as the cooling period, include:

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