What Are The Long-Term Effects Of Heroin Use?

Heroin is a dangerous drug when abused recreationally, and there are many serious potential health consequences associated with long-term heroin use. Physical effects range from withdrawal symptoms to serious problems linked to needle usage. The alteration of brain chemistry can lead to considerable mental health difficulties.

Although not every heroin uses needles to inject the drug, a large number of chronically addicted users will use injections. Long-term needle usage is associated with problems such as collapsed veins, which is caused by repeated injections. Using needles also increases the risk of hepatitis, hepatitis C2 and AIDS, as well as abscesses of soft tissue and bacterial infections.

Heroin addicts also often suffer from dental problems, with inflamed gums a particular issue. Long-term heroin use causes memory loss and severe disruption of appetite, while respiratory infections like pneumonia and even tuberculosis are frequently suffered by users. The drug weakens the immune system, and impurities and additives which are injected along with the drug can cause blood vessel clogging and cardiac infections.

The habitual use of heroin over a significant period of time leads to considerable chemical disruption of the brain's function too. Heroin causes the brain to release unnaturally large amounts of dopamine, which, over time, leads to the brain producing increasingly less quantities of dopamine of its own. Eventually, the brain's own production will decrease to nothing at all, at which point the addict needs heroin simply to feel normal and to function.

Withdrawal from the drug for an habitual user can be painful, with sweating, nausea and other more traumatic physical effects experienced by users who are trying or have been compelled to cease using. Withdrawal needs to be handled carefully, in a safe environment, and preferably by medical professionals. Addicts need to be safely weaned from their usage, causing them the absolute minimum of harm.

Treatment for heroin addiction includes prescription of substitution drugs, as well as behavioural and psychological therapies. A combination of approaches is most often used in a medical setting. Long-term heroin use is a serious health problem, which can often in end in fatality, whether from overdose or other associated health issues.