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Negative Effects of Heroin Use

The negative effects of heroin use far outweigh the positives, but thanks to a combination of the human body building up a dependency and the addict themselves having an overbearing desire to experience another feeling of intense euphoria, these negative aspects are often overlooked. The common effects of taking heroin can include intense drowsiness, a mild delirium, a feeling of disorientation, many cardiovascular and respiratory effects (shortness of breath, increased heart rate, a weak pulse), nausea and vomiting, constipation, a dry mouth, confusion and itching of the skin, amongst many others.

The minor ailments associated with heroin use pale into insignificance when compared to the major effects a hit can have - be it through bad product, an overdose or simply a poor reaction by the user's body, the use of heroin can have severe effects including seizures, respiratory arrest, comas and death, and pregnant users have been known to suffer spontaneous abortions after using heroin.

The psychological and physiological dependence on heroin makes it unlikely that these negative factors will enter the mindset of many an addict though, and the insatiable necessity for heroin held by heavy users means they risk their very lives just to get another high.

Heroin related deaths are quite common, and only stringent control of intake will assure any semblance of safety for regular users - obviously this isn't possible for the vast majority of users, and addicts living in the company of other addicts are even more at risk thanks to their surroundings. There have been a number of high profile persons and celebrities through the ages that have died as a result of (or at least as a suspected result of) heroin use - be it accidental overdose, heroin being involved indirectly, heroin induced suicide or even - in the case of the serial killer Dr Harold Shipman - murder. Despite these overwhelming negative aspects associated with heroin use, the drug still has something of a cult status in popular culture - a number of writers have been accused of 'romanticising' the drug and, while it still remains irregular in 'polite' society, there is still an air of mystique around heroin use.