Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid that is derived from morphine (which is used in patients who require round-the-clock pain relief)- however heroin is not legal, but provides similar effects. Heroin users tend to look for “the rush,” as many people tend to call it, and what this rush does is hits the user with intense pleasure- this usually doesn’t last too long, but the euphoria that opioids produce last anywhere from three to four hours. Euphoria is a relaxing state of happiness and pleasure, which tends to makes the user feel like they are on top of the world via the increased sense of well-being.
Heroin obviously takes away pain, which in a lot of users is a main reason they use the drug. Opioids bind to receptors in the brain that blocks pain, while providing pleasure. While heroin is an effective painkiller, it is a schedule I drug according to the Controlled Substances Act. Schedule I drugs have a high potential for abuse and they serve no medical purpose in the United States.
Heroin can be abused in several different ways including injection, smoking and snorting. Each one of these methods will get one high and give them a rush, but the “preferred” method is injection. Injecting the heroin directly into one’s bloodstream allows the drug to directly access the user’s pleasure center, which not only intensifies the strength of the rush but allows it to occur almost immediately- seven to eight seconds after the heroin is injected. Snorting and smoking heroin will take a bit longer before the rush occurs, and it won’t be as intense, although it will still make the user feel great.
Since injection is the preferred method of use, there are obviously dangerous risks when using heroin intravenously. Sharing needles with other heroin/drug users can increase the risk of HIV/AIDS and hepatitis B and C. Heroin users that usually snort or smoke the drug on a regular basis tend to graduate over to injection so that they could receive the same rush that they were receiving when they first started snorting or smoking it. Another dangerous fact that people tend to ignore is when the heroin doesn’t work as well as it used to, users usually use more in a shorter period of time, which can possibly lead to overdose- which can be potentially fatal.
Overdosing is a common risk among heroin users because it’s impossible to know the purity of the heroin that they are using. Heroin is usually cut (mixed) with other substances such as starch, sugar, or quinine, as well as other drugs such as marijuana. Unfortunately for heroin abusers, the pleasure that they receive when taking the drug doesn’t last forever- especially when one develops a tolerance to heroin. If this happens, users would need to take more of the drug to feel the same effects, but once the tolerance becomes high enough, users must take heroin just to feel normal, otherwise they will go through intense withdrawal.
One major problem that a lot of heroin users tend to suffer through is withdrawal. The symptoms of withdrawal are very uncomfortable, and this happens a lot because users may either be unaware of the withdrawal that occurs if an opiate dependant person becomes tolerant to their drug or they don’t have the money to continue their habit. One thing that should never be done is stopping heroin abruptly- this is known as “cold turkey.” Withdrawal symptoms of heroin include but are not limited to:
Severe restlessness; muscle/bone pain; dilated pupils; watery eyes; intense cravings for the drug; excessive yawning; loss of appetite; nausea; vomiting; stomach pains; diarrhea; cold flashes; fever; excessive sweating; unwanted leg movements; extreme anxiety; tremors; panic; shaking; irritability; goose bumps; flu-like symptoms
A heroin addiction not only causes all of these problems, but also causes people to go broke. Heroin might not be the most expensive drug on the streets, but when users are going through four or more bags a day, or however they are using the heroin- it tends to add up quite quickly. Heroin was officially recorded as the most dangerous drug/substance in the world, and the problems stated in this article are the main reasons why it is so dangerous. Heroin, as stated above (withdrawal symptoms), cause users to be irritable, which in term make other people around you irritable. It’s quite hard to have any type of relationship(s), friendships aren’t easy to come by, and users generally lead a quiet lifestyle. The euphoria may be extremely pleasurable, but there are more negative effects that negate the positive ones.
Please seek medical help if you or someone you know has a heroin or other drug addiction. There are people that can help, and it’s a lot better than going through it alone. Drug addiction is similar to any other addiction, and users are normal people just like everyone else. I hope this write-up was informative- and good luck to anyone trying to overcome this nasty drug addiction.
