Heroin Addiction: Signs, Symptoms, Risks, and Treatment Resources

Heroin is a synthetic opioid drug made from morphine. Morphine is commonly used in hospitals to treat patients after surgery and those with conditions that cause severe pain. While morphine has medical use, heroin does not. It is primarily a street drug and is considered a Schedule I substance according to the Controlled Substances Act.

Regarding heroin usage in the US, more than 70,000 people overdosed on synthetic opioids, including heroin, in 2021.[1] Heroin targets the brain’s pleasure center to induce a powerful sense of euphoria. This keeps the brain from producing its own pleasure hormones and instead forces it to rely on the presence of the drug.

Side Effects of Heroin

While heroin might cause a strong sense of euphoria at first, it is then followed by a variety of painful side effects. These include tremors, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps, body pain, headaches, and confusion.

Using heroin will first make a person feel euphoric. This feeling is followed by a crash, which makes the person feel extremely sick and depressed. This may compel you to seek out more heroin to escape the negative feelings of the crash and return to the drug’s euphoria. This creates a cycle of addiction that is very difficult to overcome alone.

Can You Overdose on Heroin?

Yes, it is possible to overdose on heroin, even the first time you try it. Due to the cyclical nature of heroin addiction, you may need to take higher doses to keep experiencing the strong euphoria from past uses. Without intervention, taking increasingly higher doses will eventually lead to overdose. An overdose is more likely when other substances are taken with heroin.

Signs and Symptoms of Heroin  Overdose

A heroin overdose will cause a person to become confused and ill. They may start vomiting or experiencing abdominal cramps. Many will lose consciousness. Some will have seizures or heart attacks, while others may die on the spot.

What to do if you suspect someone is overdosing on Heroin:

Because of the high fatality risk associated with heroin overdoses, it is important to ensure that they get medical treatment as soon as possible. Call 911 and stay with the person until the paramedics get there.

Talk and behavioral therapies are a cornerstone of addiction treatment. Under the guidance of a licensed professional, they help patients understand themselves better and learn valuable coping skills for managing mental health and substance use disorders.