What is Heroin?

Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug that is produced from the seed pod of poppy plants. It is typically found in either a white or brownish powder form, or as a black, sticky substance. Heroin is a street form of opioids and is known by many different names, the most common nicknames including smack, big H, and horse. The purest form of heroin is a fine, white powder typically originating in South America or parts of Southeast Asia. This pure form of heroin can be smoked or snorted. Consuming heroin in this way removes some of the stigma associated with injecting the drug. Heroin in the black, sticky, tar-like form, referred to as black tar heroin, is most often produced in Mexico and distributed in the United States. This impure form of heroin is usually injected into veins or muscles after a process involving the dissolution and dilution of the substance.

Oftentimes users will consume heroin in conjunction with crack cocaine, drug use known as “speedballing.”

Heroin works by binding to the opioid receptors in the brain and body, particularly those associated with feelings of pain and pleasure, and those parts of the brain that control breathing, sleeping, and heart rate.

Heroin Use in the United States

Heroin use has continued to rise throughout the United States in recent years, leading to increased numbers of addictions, overdoses, and deaths associated with the drug. A comprehensive survey conducted in 2012 found that roughly 670,000 Americans had used heroin in the last year, with 156,000 individuals trying heroin for the first time in this year.

For many years, heroin has been associated with low income, urban areas. However, heroin use and abuse is no longer just an urban issue. In fact, use among individuals living in suburban and rural areas has steadily increased. Recent studies have found that use of this harmful drug is on the rise among all ages, sexes, and social groups, challenging past perceptions of what the typical heroin addict looks or acts like.

Who Develops a Heroin Addiction?

It is important to acknowledge the existence of certain risk factors that put some individuals at a higher risk for developing a heroin addiction. One of the most common characteristics for heroin addiction is the existence of a pre-existing mental health disorder. A number of individuals suffering from mental health issues such as depression and anxiety go on to develop a heroin addiction. An addiction can result in these individuals because they may try to self-medicate using heroin as a way to cope with the negative side effects of their illness. The high associated with heroin use may offer a temporary relief and distraction, but it does not effectively treat the root cause of their issues.

Another risk factor for developing a heroin addiction is a family history of substance abuse. Research has found that individuals with a blood relative that has experienced an addiction to drugs or alcohol are more likely to face addiction issues themselves. The case for a genetic component to addiction is widely supported amongst scientific circles, though the existence of a family history of addiction does not guarantee addiction issues for everyone.

Peer pressure is also a widely recognized risk factor for heroin addiction, as adolescents and teens who associate with others their age who engage in the consumption of drugs and/or alcohol may be driven to use as a way to fit in. This misuse of drugs at an early age can lead to further challenges with drug abuse as they get older.

What Causes Heroin Overdose?

Heroin overdose is a real risk among users, and the number of those experiencing overdoses has continued to increase in recent years. Overdose occurs when the amount of heroin in the system is too high for the body to process. Typically, breathing will slow or stop, decreasing the amount of oxygen traveling to the brain. If intervention does not occur quickly, permanent brain damage, coma, and death can occur.

Withdrawal from Heroin

The first step in any heroin addiction treatment program is withdrawal from the drug. Heroin withdrawal is intimidating to recovery patients, as it is a very uncomfortable and unpleasant process. However, when heroin withdrawal is done under the care of medical professionals in a safe and supportive treatment facility, proper guidance and care can be administered.

Detoxification begins once the body starts to adjust to a state free of heroin. The body, which has become accustomed to daily doses of heroin, will begin to go into shock. Heroin withdrawal symptoms start within hours of the last dose, though the specific severity and duration of withdrawal symptoms varies between recovery patients. Some of the most common heroin withdrawal symptoms experienced by patients include muscle and joint pain, sweats, fever, diarrhea, vomiting, goose bumps, and chills.

During this step in the heroin treatment process, it is crucial that the recovery patient has support from medical staff, friends, and family. During this stage, patients are at the greatest risk for relapse as they recognize their heroin withdrawal symptoms would cease if they began using again.

Once withdrawal is complete, recovery patients can move on to the next phases of heroin addiction treatment, which typically includes therapy and maintenance in an intensive inpatient program.