Content
Serving Ada, near Oklahoma City, Rolling Hills Hospital is the premier provider of mental health & addiction treatment for adolescents, adults & seniors. Heroin, a central nervous depressant that easily slows down vital bodily functions such as breathing and heart rate, is often abused with a variety of other drugs and alcohol, which serves to increase its potency. When combined with another central nervous system depressant, such as alcohol or benzodiazepines, heroin abuse can lead to life-threatening risks for respiratory depression and failure. Combining heroin with stimulants, such as cocaine or methamphetamines, can lead to severe cardiac complications such as heart attack or stroke. Heroin is a very potent, highly addictive, illegal street drug that can lead to serious complications in all areas of an addict’s life. People who regularly use heroin often develop a tolerance, which means that they need higher and/or more frequent doses of the drug to get the desired effects.
Heroin is an opioid narcotic that is synthesized from morphine, which is a naturally-occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of the opium poppy plant. In 2011, 4.2 million people (1.6% of the population) in the United States age 12 and older had used heroin at least once in their lifetime. Opiate use and addiction is linked to over 50% of major crimes in the United States; at least half of those arrested for violent crimes were under the influence of opiates when they were arrested.
Long-Term Effects
Derived from morphine, a highly potent prescription pain medication, heroin is an illicit drug that inhibits an individual’s ability to experience pain while simultaneously inducing feelings of euphoria. Due to its ability to rapidly cross the blood-brain barrier, the high that this drug elicits occurs almost immediately, making it especially appealing to users. This high not only includes feelings of euphoria, but also brings about immense feelings of relaxation and a sense of detachment from one’s surroundings. However, while many view this experience as being extremely pleasurable, once the high wears off, a person can suffer from intense drowsiness, clouded mental functioning, and improper heart functioning. In order to prevent such adverse effects, individuals will most often use again in order to maintain a consistent high.
Lastly, experts have concluded that the suicide rate among those who abuse heroin is quite high. The prevalence of heroin abuse in today’s world is rising and is currently showing no signs of slowing down. Additionally, research shows that males are far more likely than females to abuse and become addicted to this substance. These outcomes are not guaranteed for every person who becomes addicted to heroin, but they are common effects.
Causes and risk factors for heroin
Heroin is a dangerously addictive drug that can cause serious complications in the life of an addict, including overdose and physical dependence. The rising number of opioid overdose deaths has led to an increase in public health efforts to make naloxone available to at-risk persons and their families, as well as first responders and others in the community. Some states have passed heroin addiction treatment laws that allow pharmacists to dispense naloxone without a prescription from a person’s personal doctor. Heroin is an opioid drug made from morphine, a natural substance taken from the seed pod of the various opium poppy plants grown in Southeast and Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Colombia. Heroin can be a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance known as black tar heroin.
The differences in heroin are generally the result of impurities remaining from the manufacturing process and the presence of additives, such as starch, sugar, powdered milk, and other benign substances. Immediately after heroin is injected, it crosses the blood-brain barrier, where https://ecosoberhouse.com/ it is converted into morphine and binds to opioid receptors. Once consumed heroin is said to create a surge of pleasurable sensations, which is referred to as a “rush” or “high.” The intensity of the rush depends on how much of the drug is taken and how fast it enters the brain.
Learn About Co-Occurring Disorders
As an addiction develops heroin can cause serious damage to an addicts mind, body, and overall quality of life. Heroin is a street opioid narcotic that’s derived from morphine, which is a naturally-occurring substance taken from the seed pods of the opium poppy plant. Opiates are a class of legally prescribed medications that offer powerful analgesic properties that help many people who have chronic pain to lead a more productive life. All opiates, including heroin, have a high potential for abuse and physical dependence. People who use heroin often start by snorting or smoking the drug, which produces intense feelings of euphoria and happiness without the risks of injecting the drug.
Physical dependence happens when a person’s body adapts to the presence of heroin, and leads to withdrawal symptoms when use is dramatically decreased or stopped. Heroin withdrawal can happen as quickly as two hours after the last drug use. When used, heroin delivers a high that produces immediate effects on the body. Potentially lasting for hours, heroin abusers describe feelings of euphoria, relaxation, and detachment from surroundings when under the influence. And while the high is perceived as pleasant by users, the withdrawal from heroin is painful.