What is Heroin?

Also known as diamorphine, heroin is an opioid that is made from the dried latex of the opium poppy. Although some narcotics like codeine, tramadol, and morphine can be legally prescribed for pain relief, heroin is classed as a Schedule 1 substance under the Controlled Substance Act. This is because the drug has no medical applications in the United States and is highly addictive.

Heroin causes a “high” that some LGBTQ+ use to escape the stress that comes from daily struggles with stigma and discrimination. Beyond this, members of the community looking to give up substance abuse lack access to culturally competent healthcare services. 

In this article, we’ll discuss what heroin is, how to tell if someone is using the drug, and how Q Space Detox can help you toward recovery.

What Happens When a Person Uses Heroin?

Once heroin is consumed, it quickly gets through the blood-brain barrier and attaches to brain receptors. This binding alters the way pain signals are transmitted between the body and the brain, resulting in reduced pain perception. It also triggers a release of dopamine that produces euphoria, relaxation, and a profound sense of well-being. The dopamine surge plays a key role in the drug’s high addictive potential by activating the brain’s reward system. 

In the short term, heroin use can lead to nausea, vomiting, itching, and diminished mental function, along with physical signs such as skin flushing and periods of extreme drowsiness, often referred to as "nodding off." Over time, prolonged use may result in severe health complications, including liver and kidney damage, mental health disorders like depression, and even heart infections.

How is Heroin Used?

The most common way people use heroin is by injecting it directly into their veins or muscles. This method is often called "mainlining" because it produces a rapid, intense high. Since heroin usually comes in powder or tar form, it must first be dissolved in a liquid and heated before it can be injected, which delivers the drug to the brain in just a few seconds.

Some users choose to smoke heroin instead. This involves heating the substance in a pipe, joint, or cigarette and inhaling the smoke through a straw. Smoking makes the effects take a bit longer to set in, peaking at about 10 to 15 minutes.

Why Heroin Use is so Risky

Whether occasional or chronic, using heroin can drastically affect your physical and mental well-being. It can impair decision-making, lead to frantic mood swings, and even soul-crushing paranoia. Those who snort heroin risk damaging their nasal passages, while injecting the drug can result in complications such as:

• Scarred or collapsed veins
• Infections in blood vessels and heart valves
• Abscesses or other soft tissue infections

Using heroin also increases the risk of contracting infections like HIV or hepatitis, often due to behaviors such as needle sharing. Additionally, harmful additives in the drug can block blood vessels and damage vital organs, and high doses can lower oxygen levels in the brain.

For pregnant people, heroin use poses further risks. Exposure during pregnancy can lead to neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), where the newborn may experience excessive crying, fever, irritability, seizures, difficulty gaining weight, tremors, diarrhea, vomiting, or even death.

What are the Symptoms of Heroin Addiction

No matter how it is used, heroin quickly reaches the brain and triggers a massive release of dopamine—the “feel-good” chemical that makes the drug so addictive. Even after only one or two uses, an individual can find it difficult to resist the pull of heroin again. Regular use over a period of just two to three weeks can develop into a substance use disorder, leading to serious health issues, disability, and problems in personal, work, or school life.

Additional signs of heroin addiction include:

• Using heroin daily or several times a day
• Being unable to control the amount consumed
• A persistent desire to quit without success
• Spending much of the day thinking about or seeking heroin
• Experiencing overwhelming urges to use
• Continuing to use despite adverse consequences
• Engaging in risky behaviors to get or use the drug
• Being frequently intoxicated

If a loved one has a substance use disorder, one might notice that they:

• Miss school or suffer declining academic performance
• Avoid work or lose their job
• Neglect personal hygiene, such as wearing dirty clothes
• Regularly ask for money
• Become defensive or secretive about their behavior
• Experience significant changes in appearance, like weight loss or gain

Ultimately, a person addicted to heroin may continue using even when the drug no longer provides the same pleasure, trapping them in a cycle that is hard to break.

Finding Help for Heroin Addiction

Heroin is so addictive that many people find themselves hooked after just one use. Because it quickly leads to physical dependence, discontinuing the substance can cause intense withdrawal. Despite its powerful hold, effective treatment is available.

If you or a loved one is battling heroin addiction, take the first step toward a brighter future by reaching out to Q Space Detox. Our comprehensive, LGBTQ-focused treatment options address not only the addiction itself but also any co-occurring disorders, such as anxiety or PTSD. Call us on 305-745-7768 so we can help you on your journey to recovery.