Author: Gary Jackson

What Is Heroin? Addiction Risk, Safety, and How to Get Support

We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. It should not be used in place of the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare providers. Your brain is wired to want to replicate behaviors that bring pleasure, which is why you feel the urge to use heroin repeatedly. One of the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin use on the brain is the development of a heroin use disorder, which is a chronic brain disease.

• They’re vulnerable to dangerous situations and are at an increased risk for getting into accidents.
• This means it causes health problems, disabilities, and trouble at home, work, or school.
• Track marks from heroin may look like puncture wounds, bruises or scars, and can be discolored or raised.
• Reach out to one of our representatives today to learn how you can start your path to recovery.
• How long the effects last and the drug stays in your system depends on how much you’ve taken, your size and what other drugs you may have also taken.

Many people who experience a heroin high say they became addicted after only one use. Heroin is a part of the opioid epidemic currently impacting the U.S. — about 15,000 people die every year from heroin overdoses, making it a key contributor to overdose deaths in the United States. Heroin also can lead to other health risks, such as an increased risk of contracting HIV through contaminated needles. A heroin high begins relatively quickly after the drug is used, but feelings of pleasure and euphoria usually peak within a few minutes and only last up to a couple of hours. The length of a heroin high is influenced by many factors and can be much shorter or non-existent for someone who is beginning to develop a tolerance for heroin. The feelings of drowsiness and sluggishness that follow the initial heroin high can last several hours.

If you or a loved one are seeking help for addiction, our network of addiction facilities are ready to welcome you.

Heroin doesn’t cause the same type of high that marijuana causes. It won’t make you feel a rush like the high caused by crystal meth or cocaine. It makes you relaxed, but the feeling isn’t comparable to drunkenness caused by alcohol.

Tschacher, W; Haemmig, R; et al. “Time series modeling of heroin and morphine drug action.” Psychopharmacology, January 2003. Joining a support group for people in recovery from substance use may also have benefits. Healthline does not endorse the use of any illegal substances, and we recognize abstaining from them is always the safest approach. However, we believe in providing accessible and accurate information to reduce the harm that can occur when using.

Everything You Need to Know About Heroin

With repeated heroin use, your body can become dependent on this opioid and you can develop a substance use disorder. If you become addicted to heroin, you may experience compulsive, uncontrollable drug-seeking behaviors and may need heroin addiction treatment. Opioids can be prescription pain relief medications or illegal substances. People taking opioids may experience feelings of pain relief, euphoria, drowsiness, and relaxation.

• Healthline does not endorse the use of any illegal substances, and we recognize abstaining from them is always the safest approach.
• If you think a friend or family member is using heroin, don’t wait and hope things will get better.
• However long it lasts, the heroin high is short-lived compared to the long-term, deadly outcomes of heroin use.
• If misuse progresses to addiction, people may find themselves engaging in behaviors to access the drug that has unintended, harmful consequences.
• If you use heroin, it can damage the lining and valves of your heart, which raises your risk of heart infections and pulmonary issues.

When heroin binds to the opioid receptors, the rush of feel-good dopamine is much higher than what you could experience from natural pleasure. Once the initial euphoric rush from heroin wears off, you may experience a period of drowsiness that can last for hours at a time. Confusion, a slowed and irregular heart rate and suppressed breathing — all signs of autonomic neuropathy — accompany the drowsiness. In severe cases of heroin use, the respiratory system can completely shut down.

Does it pose a risk of addiction?

As it’s cut with different substances, the colour of street heroin in the UK ranges from brownish white to brown. This creates a sensation of relaxation in the body and can cause the limbs to feel heavy. The effects of heroin appear quickly and can last for several hours.

Withdrawal occurs when a person who uses heroin regularly stops taking the drug. Heroin makes the brain become dependent on the drug to feel normal. When a dependent person stops taking the drug, it takes several days for the brain to get used to functioning without heroin. People may notice that your nails or skin are blue, that your extremities are limp or that your pupils are small.

If you’re caught driving under the influence, you may receive a heavy fine, driving ban, or prison sentence. Heroin is a very strong drug and the first dose of heroin can cause dizziness and vomiting. Heroin can be dissolved in water and then injected, this is very dangerous and can lead to overdose. Drugs made from opium are called opiates, and are often used as painkillers. Heroin is a drug made from morphine, which is extracted from the opium poppy. Heroin appears as a white or brownish powder “cut” with sugars, starch, powdered milk, or other substances.

People who experience a heroin high may also feel warmth, relaxation and coziness. The euphoric rush and other effects are short-lived, but during the high, heroin intoxication can cause extreme drowsiness, leading the person to slip in and out of consciousness or nod off. The reason people want to experience a high from heroin is because of the euphoria it can bring, especially if they might not otherwise feel pleasure often due to depression or other conditions. The risk of heroin use has increased with additives in the drug supply like fentanyl.