Heroin addiction is a chronic disorder characterized by intense and compulsive heroin-seeking behavior and use despite its harmful consequences on the user. It involves a physical and mental dependence on heroin, a highly addictive opioid. According to the CDC, from 2002 to 2013, the annual average rate of past-year heroin use rose from 1.6 per…
Heroin withdrawal can be very severe and even fatal. Dehydration due to persistent vomiting and diarrhea can lead to elevated blood sodium levels, which can cause heart failure. This is not a common occurrence, but it is a possibility if you attempt to detox on your own without proper medical supervision. When done under the…
Heroin is not a stimulant. It depresses the central nervous system, which slows down breathing and the functioning of the brain. Heroin users experience a rush when they first take it, and those who have not taken the drug may confuse this reaction to mean that heroin is working as a stimulant. This, however, is…
