Heroin use is up in the Capital Region. And substance abuse professionals want you to know there is help for those struggling with an addiction. Curtis Schick has more.

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"It's the type of drug that makes you only care about yourself you don't worry about nothing else," Love said.

Love was in her teens when she started using to deal with the death of her sister. And she didn't stop until she was well into her 30s.
Love runs St. Peter's Halfway House and isn't shocked more and more people are on the drug,

St Peter's Addiction Recovery Center administrators say people looking for help getting off heroin habit has jumped 75 percent since 2007 With the biggest rise in people under age 30.

"Young people don't know what they are getting themseleves into. They think they are having fun. But in the long run, you become addicted and you can't let it go," Love said.

St. Peters says two years ago 261 people entered their rehab program with a heroin addiction. Last year it jumped to 370. And this year as of August, 334 heroin addicts entered the organizations rehab program.

SPARC officials say the people coming looking for help are from all walks of life.

The Albany County DA says the drug dealers are selling it and other prescription opiates as an alternative to crack cocaine.

As for Love, she says support from friends and family keep her from going back, along with the memories of many lost years.

It could cause you incarceration. It will cause you to commit crimes that you never thought of or dream about," said Love.

For more information about getting help, visit http://www.iamrecovery.com/.