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OTHER NAMES FOR HEROIN:
Some common names for Heroin are: Al Capone, Antifreeze,
Aries, Aunt Hazel, Bart Simpson, Big doodig, Big H,Big Harry,
Blue star, Bombs away, Brain damage, Brown crystal, Brown
rhine, Brown sugar, Brown tape, Bull dog, Capital H, Choco-fan,
Dead on arrival, Dead president, Deck, Diesel, Dog food, Dogie,Doogie/doojee/dugie,
Dooley, Doosey, Dr. Feelgood, Dreck, Duji, Dujra, Dujre, Dyno,
Dyno-pure, Ferry dust, Galloping horse, Gallup, Golden girl,
Golpe, Good and plenty, Good H, Good Horse, H Caps, Hairy,
Hard candy, Hard stuff , Heaven, Heaven dust, Hell dust, Hero,
Horse, Horsebite, Hospital heroin,Hot dope, Hot heroin, Jerry
Springer, Jive doo jee, Jolly pop, Joy, Joy flakes, Joy powder,
Junk, Lady, LBJ, Lemonade, Little bomb, Little boy, Load,
Love boat, Mac, Mayo, Money talks, Monkey, Mortal combat,
Mud, New Jack Swing, Nice and easy, Nickel bag, Nickel deck,
Noise, Nose drops, Old garbage, Old navy, Old Steve, Orange
line, Perfect High, Poppy, Predator, Pure
Rambo, Raw hide, Rush hour, Second to none, Shoot, Silk, Spider,
Sweet Jesus,The beast,The witch,Thunder,Tootsie roll, Train,Twin
towers, White junk,White nurse, Wicked, Witch hazel
Heroin is an opiate drug that is synthesized from morphine,
a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod
of the Asian opium poppy plant. Heroin is an addictive drug
that can be injected, snorted, or smoked. Heroin usually appears
as a white or brown powder or as a black sticky substance,
known as “black tar heroin.”
Short-term effects of heroin include a surge
of euphoria and clouded thinking followed by alternately wakeful
and drowsy states. Heroin depresses breathing, thus, overdose
can be fatal. Users who inject the drug risk infectious diseases
such as HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.
How Does Heroin Affect the Brain?
Heroin enters the brain, where it is converted to morphine
and binds to receptors known as opioid receptors. These receptors
are located in many areas of the brain (and in the body),
especially those involved in the perception of pain and in
reward. Opioid receptors are also located in the brain stem—important
for automatic processes critical for life, such as breathing
(respiration), blood pressure, and arousal. Heroin overdoses
frequently involve a suppression of respiration.
After an intravenous injection of heroin, users report feeling
a surge of euphoria (“rush”) accompanied by dry
mouth, a warm flushing of the skin, heaviness of the extremities,
and clouded mental functioning. Following this initial euphoria,
the user goes “on the nod,” an alternately wakeful
and drowsy state. Users who do not inject the drug may not
experience the initial rush, but other effects are the same.
With regular heroin use, tolerance develops, in which the
user’s physiological (and psychological) response to
the drug decreases, and more heroin is needed to achieve the
same intensity of effect. Heroin users are at high risk for
addiction—it is estimated that about 23 percent of individuals
who use heroin become dependent on it.
What Other Adverse Effects Does Heroin Have on Health?
Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including
fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, and—particularly
in users who inject the drug—infectious diseases, including
HIV/AIDS and hepatitis. Chronic users may develop collapsed
veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses,
and liver or kidney disease. Pulmonary complications, including
various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health
of the abuser as well as from heroin’s depressing effects
on respiration. In addition to the effects of the drug itself,
street heroin often contains toxic contaminants or additives
that can clog the blood vessels leading to the lungs, liver,
kidneys, or brain, causing permanent damage to vital organs.
Chronic use of heroin leads to physical dependence, a state
in which the body has adapted to the presence of the drug. If
a dependent user reduces or stops use of the drug abruptly,
he or she may experience severe symptoms of withdrawal. These
symptoms—which can begin as early as a few hours after
the last drug administration—can include restlessness,
muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold
flashes with goose bumps (“cold turkey”), and kicking
movements (“kicking the habit”). Users also experience
severe craving for the drug during withdrawal, which can precipitate
continued abuse and/or relapse. Major withdrawal symptoms peak
between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose of the drug and
typically subside after about 1 week. Some individuals, however,
may show persistent withdrawal symptoms for months. Although
heroin withdrawal is considered less dangerous than alcohol
or barbiturate withdrawal, sudden withdrawal by heavily dependent
users who are in poor health is occasionally fatal. In addition,
heroin craving can persist years after drug cessation, particularly
upon exposure to triggers such as stress or people, places,
and things associated with drug use.
Heroin abuse during pregnancy, together with related factors
like poor nutrition and inadequate prenatal care, has been associated
with adverse consequences including low birthweight, an important
risk factor for later developmental delay. If the mother is
regularly abusing the drug, the infant may be born physically
dependent on heroin and could suffer from serious medical complications
requiring hospitalization.
What Treatment Options Exist?
A range of treatments exist for heroin addiction, including
medications and behavioral therapies. Science has taught us
that when medication treatment is combined with other supportive
services, patients are often able to stop using heroin (or
other opiates) and return to stable and productive lives.
Treatment usually begins with medically assisted detoxification
to help patients withdraw from the drug safely. Medications
such as clonidine and, now, buprenorphine can be used to help
minimize symptoms of withdrawal. However, detoxification alone
is not treatment and has not been shown to be effective in
preventing relapse—it is merely the first step.
We at Inspirations understand the unique challenges
of being a parent. If you have any questions, please know that
we are here to provide you with support and guidance, 24 hours
a day, seven days a week. We welcome the opportunity to answer
your questions free of charge about teen drug rehab, teen substance
abuse, adolescent addiction, teen behavior, or other related
matters. If you would prefer, please fill out
our short form and one of our counselors will respond.
Toll free teen treatment center helpline:
1-888-757-6237
or e-mail
us. |
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