The Short-Term Effects of Heroin Use

The Short-Term Effects of Heroin Use Addiction Drug Use Heroin Print The Short-Term Effects of Heroin Use By Buddy T facebook twitter Buddy T is an anonymous writer and founding member of the Online Al-Anon Outreach Committee with decades of experience writing about alcoholism. Learn about our editorial policy Buddy T Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Steven Gans, MD on January 04, 2017 Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital. Learn about our Medical Review Board Steven Gans, MD Updated on January 02, 2020 Andrew Burton Collection/Getty Images News More in Addiction Drug Use Heroin Cocaine Marijuana Meth Ecstasy/MDMA Hallucinogens Opioids Prescription Medications Alcohol Use Addictive Behaviors Nicotine Use Coping and Recovery As soon as heroin enters the brain, the user experiences a surge of the pleasurable sensation known as a rush. When heroin enters the brain, crosses the blood-brain barrier, it is converted to morphine and quickly binds to opioid receptors, producing that euphoric feeling. How quickly the heroin enters the brain determines the intensity of the rush. When heroin is injected it causes a much quicker reaction than if it is smoked. If it is smoked, the reaction is quicker than if it is snorted. But, no matter how it is administered it enters the brain very rapidly and this is one reason heroin is so addictive. The Dangers of Heroin Remain, No Matter How Its Taken Other Short-Term Effects Other than the euphoric rush, users usually experience dry mouth, a warm flushing of the skin, and their extremities begin to feel heavy. Sometimes users can experience nausea, vomiting, and severe itching. After the initial, short-term effects of the drug, users can feel drowsy for several hours, due to heroins effect on the central nervous system. During this period cardiac function and breathing can slow down. In the case of a heroin overdose, breathing can slow to the point of being life-threatening. How Heroin Use Affects Your Health Street Heroin Is Not Always Pure Because heroin is often mixed with other substances before it is sold on the street level, the short-term effects that users experience can depend on many factors, including how much the drug was cut and what substance was used. Heroin is often mixed with non-harmful substances like baby powder or baking soda, which results in reducing the usual side effects of the drug. However, sometimes it is mixed with other substances that can increase the effects of the drug. Side Effects Can Be Deadly In recent years, healthcare officials have reported an increase in incidents in which heroin was mixed with the powerful painkiller fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is much more powerful than pure heroin. The results were a significant increase in overdose deaths across the United States. The danger lies in the fact that heroin users really have no way of knowing exactly what they may be getting or how pure it may be. They really never know what they are actually taking. Users who are used to using heroin that has been highly diluted by mixing it with baking soda, who unexpectedly use heroin that has not to be cutâ€"or that which has been mixed with other drugsâ€"can accidentally overdose. Symptoms of a Heroin Overdose Taking too much heroin, accidentally or intentionally, can cause an overdose that can affect the airways, lungs, eyes, ears, nose, throat, heart, blood, skin, stomach, intestines, and the nervous system. If you suspect that someone has overdosed on heroin, call 911 immediately, or call the national, toll-free Poison Help hotline (800-222-1222). Here are symptoms of a heroin overdose: No breathingShallow breathingSlow and difficult breathingDry mouthExtremely small pupilsDiscolored tongueLow blood pressureWeak pulseBluish-colored nails and lipsSpasms of the stomach and intestinesComaDeliriumDisorientationDrowsinessUncontrolled muscle movements How to Recognize the Signs of Drug Overdose