What is Heroin?
Heroin is a powerful opiate with a rapid, euphoric effect on the body. Heroin is an illegal, highly addictive opioid sold on the streets and manufactured from the opium poppy. In the United States, nearly 40 people per day die from a heroin overdose. Heroin can be injected, snorted, or smoked. It is common for heroin to be mixed with other drugs such as crack to achieve more of a high. Heroin has been a major contributor to the opioid epidemic.
Heroin Use And Addiction
Heroin binds to opioid receptors in the brain which stimulates the release of dopamine to induce a euphoric feeling. This rush of euphoria is immediate and typically only lasts a few minutes. Heroin can slow your heart rate and breathing and put you in a “dreamlike” state. Heroin use has been on the rise since 2007 due to the rise of prescription painkillers. People oftentimes resort to using heroin as a cheaper alternative to prescription opioids.
Heroin Addiction Signs, Overdose, and Withdrawal
Heroin affects the body detrimentally and may have serious long-term effects including:
- Collapsed veins
- Heart infections
- Skin infections like abscesses and cellulitis
- A higher chance of getting HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C
- Liver and kidney disease
- Mental disorders
- Lung diseases
Symptoms of a heroin overdose include:
Withdrawal from heroin has a number of physical and mental symptoms:
- Pale skin
- Losing consciousness
- Pinpoint pupils
- Weakened or shallow breathing
- Blue lips or fingertips
- Slurring words
- Unresponsiveness
- Changes in mental state
- Low blood pressure
- Uncontrolled muscle movement
- Limp body
Withdrawal from heroin has a number of physical and mental symptoms:
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramps
- Tearing
- Runny nose
- Sweats
- Chills
- Frequent yawning
- Muscle and bone aches
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Agitation
- Restlessness
- Tremors
- Goosebumps
- Fatigue or insomnia
- Anxiety or depression
- Hypertension
- Rapid heart rate
- Muscle spasms
- Muscle spasms
- Impaired respiration
- Difficulty feeling pleasure
- Drug cravings
Heroin Use And Addiction
While detox does not treat addiction, it is an important first step in your treatment and recovery. In most cases, substance abuse treatment centers require detox before you can begin treatment. Heroin is a substance that requires medical detox. It’s best to detox in an environment with medical staff, therapy, and supporting treatment. Once you complete a medical detox program, you can begin rehab and start your journey to recovery.
At Fusion Recovery, our goal is to reduce fatalities, provide effective treatment, and make recovery as smooth as possible. We understand that one of the challenges of recovery is relapse. We want to provide all the tools to effectively prevent relapse, and medication-assisted treatment is one of those tools.
Some of these short-term side effects are:
If you or a loved one are struggling with a heroin addiction, you may need rehab for opioid use disorder, and our treatment center is here to help. Contact us 24/7 with any questions or concerns. Our staff is here to help you during this difficult time.
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