Side Effects of Heroin

The side effects of heroin can affect the person using the drug in a number of ways. Some of them are related to the method of ingestion, while others are associated with the drug itself.

Heroin users enjoy the rush.

Heroin is an illegal drug that is derived from morphine, a powerful pain reliever. Morphine is made from the seeds of Asian poppies. This drug is typically known on the street as "H," "smack" or "horse."

Heroin can be smoked or ground up and snorted, and some users dissolve it in water and inject it. One of the dangers of using this drug is that people who buy it on the street have no idea how pure the drug is or what the dealer may have used to cut it with. They may be buying something that contains powdered milk or sugar. Recently, heroin users have tended to turn away from injecting heroin in favor of smoking or snorting it, thinking that it is less addictive if ingested in these ways. No matter how a person uses this drug, it is equally addictive.

When people inject heroin, they are putting themselves at risk for contracting Hepatitis B and C. Hepatitis B causes inflammation of the liver and jaundice. People with "Hep B" also experience vomiting. This strain of the virus is usually not fatal.

Hepatitis C is a chronic infection that is responsible for scarring in the liver. Over time, the damage can lead to cirrhosis and/or liver failure as well as liver cancer. The majority of cases of "Hep C" are due to intravenous drug use.

Injecting heroin can lead to scarred and collapsed veins. People who use heroin may also develop infections in the lining of the heart or its valves. Bacterial infections of the soft tissue are not uncommon. Some of the substances that street heroin may be laced with may not dissolve in the body once injected, and this can lead to the veins, lungs, kidneys or brain becoming blocked.

People who smoke heroin run the risk of damaging their lungs as well as getting lung cancer. Pneumonia is another one of the side effects of heroin that most people may not associate with using this drug.

When a woman who is pregnant uses heroin, the drug use can have serious consequences for the developing fetus. The woman is at increased risk of miscarriage or having a premature delivery. A baby born to a woman who uses heroin is at increased risk for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).

Instead of going through detox during the pregnancy and risking a miscarriage or giving birth too soon, a pregnant woman who is addicted to heroin will likely be treated with methadone. Babies born to heroin-addicted mothers go through withdrawal shortly after being born. When the mother is given methadone, the baby is born with a dependence to the drug, but this can be managed after birth.

Along with the side effects of heroin discussed above, the following conditions are also associated with use of this drug:

• Constipation
• Dry mouth
• Hallucinations
• Infertility
• Irregular menstrual periods
• Lowered interest in sexual activity
• Mental instability
• Mood swings
• Respiratory depression
• Seizures
• Stroke
• Tetanus
• Vision problems
• Vomiting
• Weight loss

Some people who try heroin get addicted the first time they use it, while it takes longer for others to become hooked. This drug is physically and psychologically addictive. If the addict doesn't continue taking the drug regularly, he or she will begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

The psychological aspect of the addiction comes into play when the user keeps on taking it to experience the "rush" associated with it. After the initial feelings of euphoria have subsided, the addict feels relaxed and drowsy, and this may be a welcome alternative to the stresses in his or her life. This is just one facet that makes this drug so addictive and, ultimately, dangerous.

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