Long Term Effects of Using Heroin

Heroin is a powerful, fatal drug. There are long-term effects that can be devastating. However, it should be noted that even short-term use could end up tragic. Learning about the long term effects of using heroin can help people to know more of what can happen to their body if they continue to use this drug. If you are ready to stop using heroin and get into recovery, our Blue Hills Recovery team can help.

Binding to Opioid Receptors in the Brain

Heroin is an intoxicating, dangerous drug. It is very addictive because of the way it attaches to the opioid receptors in the brain. Being that this drug helps to relieve pain so much and cause extreme euphoria, users often get hooked after the first time using it. There is a reason it’s called one of the deadliest drugs out there.

Building Tolerance

Those who use heroin often build a tolerance to it, so the drug doesn’t work as well as it used to. In addition, they usually look for similar effects they had when first using the drug which never happens. Between these two things, people often end up overdosing on heroin.

Other Long-Term Effects of Heroin

Ultimately, heroin does change the brain’s physiology. While recovery from this type of drug addiction is possible, there may be some long-term effects that don’t go away. However, the sooner someone quits using heroin, the more likely they will be to have fewer of these long-term side effects:

• Memory loss
• Difficulty making decisions
• Trouble focusing
• Organ issues (lungs, kidney, and liver)
• Heart disease
• Oral health issues (gum swelling, damaged teeth, losing teeth, etc.)
• Skin issues (increased risk of infections and skin sores)
• Malnutrition
• Weakened immune system
• Sexual function problems
• Sleep issues
• Brain damage
• Coma
• Higher risk of tuberculosis
• Irregular or no menstrual cycles
• Pneumonia
• Collapsed veins
• Soft tissue damage
• Death

If you have been using heroin long-term, you can still overcome the addiction. It might mean you need to go to treatment for longer, but the possibility of recovery is still here for you. You can reach out to our Blue Hills Recovery team to get more information on overcoming heroin addiction today.

Withdrawing from Heroin

Some people continue using heroin because they experience withdrawal symptoms when they go even a short time without the drug. Sometimes, this causes them to use more of the drug than intended, so they don’t have to feel uncomfortable from the withdrawals.

It is important to note that you may experience withdrawal symptoms when you get clean, as well. However, there are professional detox programs with medication-assisted treatment that can help you to get through the withdrawal stage a bit easier. Some of the withdrawal symptoms you might have include:

• Moderate to severe generalized pain
• Symptoms that mimic the flu
• Diarrhea
• Constipation
• Stomach pains
• Stomach cramping
• Flank pain
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Dizziness

If you have been experiencing any of these symptoms already, don’t wait any longer to get a hold of our professional rehab center team. We want to help you get through this stage, so you can get your life back on track.

If you have never been in withdrawal since you began using this drug, we can help you to be as comfortable as possible during this stage of your recovery. We have resources to help you go through withdrawal and move through the rest of your recovery treatment program, too.

Get Treatments for Heroin Addiction

As noted, our Blue Hills Recovery team has resources that can help you to get clean from heroin. If you haven’t been using this drug long-term yet, that is a good thing. You can overcome the addiction before you develop these health issues. If you have already been using heroin for a long time or began experiencing these symptoms already, getting clean can prevent more issues from occurring and possibly reverse some issues you already have. However, it is important to stop using the drug right away. Some treatments we can get you into include:

• Medication-assisted detox
• Inpatient rehab programs
• Day treatment program
• Evening program
• Outpatient treatment

Reach out to us to get the help you need to finally overcome heroin addiction. We can get you into the treatment program that is best for you and your life situation.

Get Help to Stop or Prevent Long-Term Effects of Heroin Use Today

While there is no guarantee that all effects you already experience can be stopped or reversed, the sooner you quit using this drug the better chance there will be to do that. If you are ready to overcome an addiction to heroin or you want to know more about getting treatment for this type of addiction, contact our Blue Hills Recovery team. We can discuss the treatment options with you or get you into a treatment program today.