Heroin Detox Now

A typical example of an illegal opiate is heroin. Of all the opiates, it’s the most fast acting and most abused. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seedpod of certain varieties of poppy plants. “Black tar heroin” as it is called on the streets, is sold as white or brownish powder or as a sticky black substance. It is highly addictive as users find that they have a need for persistent, repeated use of the drug (known as craving) and that their attempts to stop using the drug lead to significant and painful physical withdrawal symptoms.

Heroin is Addictive

Heroin is usually injected, sniffed/snorted, or smoked. Typically a heroin user may inject up to four times a day. Maximum euphoria and rapid onset is obtained by intravenous injection(7 to 8 seconds) , followed by intra-muscular(5 to 8 minutes). It takes around 10 to 25 minutes, for peak effects to reach when it is snorted or smoked.

Heroin activates many regions of the brain particularly the regions that are responsible for producing both the sensation of “reward” and physical dependence, hence it is extremely addictive . Together, these actions account for the user’s loss of control and the drug’s habit-forming action.

Heroin – In The Short Term

The blood brain barrier, is crossed, the moment the heroin is injected or inhaled. Morphine is formed in the brain and binds to opioid receptors. Abusers typically report feeling a surge of pleasurable sensation, a “rush”. The intensity of the rush is a function of how much drug is taken and how rapidly the drug enters the brain and binds to the natural opioid receptors. The rush, leading to flushing of skin, heavy feeling in extremities and dry mouth , accompanied by the need to vomit and itching. Drowsiness follows after these initial effects. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac functions slow; Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death.

Heroin – In The Long Term

The addiction itself is one of the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin. It is a chronic and relapsing disease, which is characterized by drug seeking and use, leading to neurochemical and molecular changes in the brain. The motivating factor for compulsive use and abuse is that, it produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence. As in usual cases, more time and energy is spent by theses abusers to procure this drug. Once addicted, these drug addicts’ primary purpose becomes procuring these drugs at all costs.

Medical consequences such as chronic heroin abuse include scarred and/or collapsed veins, bacterial infections of the blood vessels and heart valves, abscesses (boils) and other soft-tissue infections and liver or kidney disease, are few of the long term effects.} Due to the poor health of the abuser and the drug’s depressing effects of respiration, lung complications (including various types of pneumonia and tuberculosis). The blood vessels leading to lung, liver, kidneys, or brain may get clotted as a result of additives in street heroin which do not dissolve readily. Finally, sharing of injection equipment or fluids can lead to diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C and other blood-borne viruses, which can be passed to their sexual partners.

All of the above ought to be more than enough to scare away potential heroin addicts!

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