An estimated 13.5 million people in the world take opioids including the 9.2 million who use heroin. The 2007 National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported 153,000 heroin users in the US in 2007. Other estimates give figures as high as 900,000.

Opiates were involved in four of every five-drug related deaths in Europe, according to a 2008 report from the European Monitoring Center on Drugs and Drug Addiction. Additionally, opiates account for 18 percent of the admission for drugs and alcohol treatment in the US.

What is Heroin?

Much like cocaine, heroin is a drug that is not deemed socially normal. Using heroin can cause not only severe health problems, but tear apart families and carry drastic consequences from its usage. 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 Columbia.

On the streets, heroin can come in a white or brown powder, or a black sticky substance, known as black tar. Users ingest heroin in many different ways, including via injection, sniffing, snorting, and/or smoking. Some people will also mix heroin with other substances, particularly crack cocaine.

Heroin: The Effects

While the heroin ‘high’ is a sought after experience by its users, the after-effects are extremely painful. Heroin enters the brain rapidly and binds to opioid receptors on cells located in many areas. As a result, heroin use affects specific brain functions, including those that are involved in regulating feelings of pain and pleasure, and controlling heart rate, sleeping, and breathing.

Prescription Opioids as a Gateway to Heroin Addiction

Prescription opioid medicines such as OxyContin and Vicodin have similar effects to heroin. The overprescription and misuse of these pain killers have increased in the last decade and caused a skyrocket in overdose and dependency. Research suggests that the misuse of these drugs tends to open the door for heroin use.

Data from 2011 showed that an estimated four to six percent of people who misuse prescription opioids switch to heroin and about 80 percent of people who use heroin abused prescription opioids first. Still, many heroin addicts report having never used prescription opioids prior to heroin.

In a study of those entering treatment for opioids use disorder, approximately one-third reported heroin as the first opioid they used regularly to get high. These numbers suggest that prescription opioid misuse is just one factor leading to heroin use.

The Short Term Effects

People who use heroin report feeling a surge of pleasure or euphoria. However, there are other common effects including:

• Dry mouth
• Warm flushing of the skin
• Heavy feeling in the arms and legs
• Nausea and vomiting
• Severe itching
• Clouded mental functioning
• Going “on the nod,” a back-and-forth state of being conscious and subconscious

Long-Term Effects

In addition to heroin’s short term effects, there are numerous long term effects and associated health concerns to worry about. People who use heroin consistently over a period of time may develop:

• Addiction
• Insomnia
• Collapsed veins
• Damaged tissue inside the nose
• Abscesses (swollen tissue filled with pus)
• Constipation and stomach cramping
• Liver and kidney disease
• Lung complications, including pneumonia
• Mental disorders such as depression and antisocial personality disorder
• Sexual dysfunction for men
• Irregular menstrual cycles for women

Heroin also contains additives like sugar, starch, and powdered milk. Consistently consuming large quantities of these additives can clog blood vessels leading to the lungs, liver, kidneys, and brain, resulting in permanent damage. Additionally, impaired judgment from drug use can lead to sharing drug injection equipment, increasing the risk of contracting infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

Heroin Addiction

Unfortunately, heroin is highly addictive. People who use heroin often develop a tolerance, which means that they’re doses increase in amount and frequency in order to achieve the desired effects. Once a tolerance has been built, the individual is well on their way to experiencing heroin addiction, known as heroin use disorder.

Those who are addicted to heroin and/or opioids and stop using the drug abruptly may have severe withdrawals. Withdrawal symptoms, which can begin as early as a few hours after the drug was last taken, include:

• Restlessness
• Severe muscle and bone pain
• Irregular sleep patterns
• Diarrhea and vomiting
• Cold flashes with goosebumps
• Uncontrollable leg movements
• Severe heroin cravings

Seeking Help for Heroin Use Disorder

Heroin use disorder and opioid use disorder are a huge problem in the world today. Most people entering recovery as a result of a substance use disorder have used heroin and/or opioids recreationally which led to dependency. If you think you are struggling with heroin and/or opioid addiction, the first step is admitting you need help. Withdrawing from heroin and/or opioids is something that should be done under a medical professional’s care.

Your substance use disorder does not define you. Heroin addiction ruins relationships and can cause you to cross lines you never thought you would in order to get high one more time. However, recovery is possible and you don’t have to do it alone. At The Kimberly Center, we have trained professionals that are here to help you on your recovery journey. We are committed to working with you to build a treatment plan that will best suit your individual needs. Recovery doesn’t have to start tomorrow. You can say yes today and call us at (855) 452-3683.