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a man stares at drug use paraphernalia and wonders what is heroin

What is Heroin?

Do you really know the answer to the question, ‘What is heroin?’ If you use this substance, you know that it gets you high. Do you really know what is in it, and the true dangers associated with this drug? What is the heroin overdose rate in the U.S.? What is the death rate of individuals that use it?

The Promises Behavioral Health professionals understand the devastating effects of heroin on a person, and on the family members of those that use it. When you need treatment, the team at Promises Behavioral Health is here to welcome you into a comprehensive treatment program.

What is Heroin?

Heroin is an illegal opioid-based drug made from morphine. Morphine is a substance that occurs naturally and is extracted from the seed pods of specific poppy plants. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) explains that this drug, sold as a white or brown powder, is ‘cut’ with a variety of substances. Sometimes the substance is sugars, or powdered milk, for example. What is heroin known as ‘black tar?’ It is a sticky, black substance.

Heroin users smoke, snort, inject or sniff the drug to get high from the substance. Whatever means that a person chooses to use it, it enters the brain quickly, which is why it induces the pleasurable effects within such a short time. The pleasure quickly goes away, leaving the person wanting to experience the feelings again, and again. This contributes to the highly addictive nature of the drug.

Heroin has a variety of common names, including smack, horse, Big H, or hell dust. If you mix it with cocaine, that is a ‘speedball.’ No matter what term you use to describe heroin, Promises Behavioral Health is here for you. We will help you learn to live your life without it, a highly addictive drug.

What is Heroin Addiction?

Heroin addiction occurs very quickly once a person uses the drug. Medline Plus, a publication from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), explains that once a person starts using the drug, they can quickly develop a tolerance to it.

The tolerance leads to needing more of the drug to achieve the desired effect. This process often leads to dependence and addiction to it.

What are the Short-Term Effects of Heroin?

The questions surrounding “What is heroin questions?” often involve questions related to addiction and the effects.

The short-term effects of using heroin include:

  • Restlessness
  • Skin flushing
  • Severe itching
  • Cold flashes
  • Vomiting and diarrhea
  • Feeling of heaviness in the extremities
  • State of consciousness and semi-consciousness known as on the nod

There are other potential short-term side effects, which vary from one user to another user.

Long-Term Effects of Abuse

The long-term effects of using this drug are dangerous and potentially lead to death. Stop the addiction cycle by contacting Promises Behavioral Health, where our specialists help you through your treatment, and addiction therapies.

The long-term effects of heroin include:

  • Changes in the physical structure and physiology of the brain
  • Abscesses
  • Stomach and kidney disease
  • Muscle or bone pain
  • Heart or lung infections
  • Damaged tissue inside the nose
  • Collapsed veins
  • Mental health disorders

The long-term effects vary from one person to another individual with a heroin use disorder.

Contact Promises Behavioral Health

Many people go through medical detox before actually starting their comprehensive treatment program at Promises Behavioral Health. We are there for you through your detox and every stage of your treatment program.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were more than 15,000 heroin-related deaths in the U.S. in the year 2017. The CDC also reported that the number of heroin-related deaths increased ‘five-fold’ between the years 2010 and 2017 in the U.S.

Do not become another statistic. Learn to regain control of your life. Contact Promises Behavioral Health at 844.875.5609 and get started on your path to recovery today.

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