• Problems
• How We Help
• Treatment
• Fast Help
• Family Intervention
• Secondary Care
• Accommodation
• Rehab Costs

Effects of Heroin Abuse

Heroin is a very dangerous and addictive substance. Everybody knows that. So notorious is it, that its legend has been glamorised and augmented by singers, writers and filmmakers since it first reached international consciousness in the 1960s. Despite this it is still widely misunderstood. It is regarded by some as a rich man’s play thing that causes little harm to those that can afford it. Others think of it as a violent poison that can cause instant death. Such is the hysteria that surrounds it, that many people have no idea of what its physical affects actually are.

The short-term effects of heroin use disappear within a few hours. After taking the drug, users experience a surge of euphoria which is sometimes accompanied by a flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, or ‘heavy’ feeling extremities. After this the user usually alternates between a wakeful and drowsy state for several hours. Depression of the central nervous system means brain function is reduced, and this can lead to slurred speech, constricted pupils, droopy eyelids, vomiting and constipation.

The long-term effects of heroin use become apparent only after repeated use over an extensive period, and are far more serious. Regular users can develop collapsed veins, heart infections, abscesses, cellulite, and liver disease. Lung problems, including various types of pneumonia, may also arise due to the poor general health of many users, and because heroin effects the body’s breathing patterns.

Heroin, which is derived from opium poppies, is not just dangerous in itself however. Drugs brought from dealers may well have been cut with other substances to make supplies go further. Often these substances do not dissolve in the bloodstream properly and clog blood vessels leading to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death.

Regular heroin use creates a tolerance which means the user must use more and more to acheive the same effect. Heroin is notorious for creating a physical dependence where the body has adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms may occur if use is reduced or stopped. Amongst the most regular users withdrawal can occur within a few hours of the last dose, and cause drug cravings, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhoea, vomiting, cold flashes and uncontrollable kicking. This is one withdrawal you really don’t want to have. Withdrawal symptoms can last between 48 and 72 hours and take a week to subside fully. Sudden withdrawal by heavily dependent users can even be fatal.