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Heroin effects essay
Heroin effects essay
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In the YouTube video titled “Heroin Dangers – Mayo Clinic” the affects of heroin are explained, it is derived from morphine and is highly addictive. It can be smoked or injected; when it’s injected it can be very dangerous. It enters the brain and then stimulates the brain to release dopamine. The high will last about a thirty minutes on average. The problem is that it also can be contaminated with dangerous substances. There have been deaths in several states because of the contaminants that have been found in heroin. The respiratory system can be slowed down which can cause the heart to stop and can lead to death. After heroin usage there is a very quick spike of dopamine levels, so this is a reinforcement for the user that will cause
them to want to continue to use the drug (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Watching this video is very disheartening for me. I can’t understand how anyone would ever want to get involved with a drug like this when it has such terrible risks involved. I know that not everyone knows these affects so maybe that has a lot to do with it. Educational campaigns to spread awareness of the affects should be used so that these unnecessary heroin usage deaths can be avoided if at all possible. It probably won’t be able to stop all of the usage, but if it can help save even a small number of lives, it would be worth it. I have a friend from a small town in Ohio that currently has a large heroin problem. She told me that there have been several pregnant mothers who have used the drug so that when their child is born, the child is born addicted to heroin. It’s very sad to hear that this is happening. An educational campaign to raise awareness of the effects of heroin may be able to help in her community. Even something as simple as sharing this video on social media may be able to get the ball rolling to get the word out on the dangers of heroin usage.
Chasing Heroin is a two-hour documentary that investigates America’s heroin crisis. The documentary details the opioid epidemic and how police offers, social workers, and public defenders are working to save the lives of addicts. The documentary explores the origins and continuing causes behind the heroin epidemic such as; massive increases in opioid painkillers starting at the turn of the century, Mexican drug cartels who are now rooted in upper-middle-class neighborhoods, and the cheap price of heroin when compared to prescription pain killers. A program in Seattle called LEAD is explored. This program channels addicts into a system that points them toward help (rehab, temporary housing, counseling, methadone treatment) instead of prison
For one, addiction would be the biggest problem due to a person's need for more and more opioids in order to function. Opioid abuse has also been known to weaken a person's immune system and in turn making they more likely to get sick. Also, if a person did not die from a opioid related overdose, they could end up in a coma because of it. Even if a person were to stop using opioids all together, they could have lifelong health problems due to their previous use of opioids. This is more common with the opioid Heroin since it is often used by syringe. Many Heroin users have contracted HIV/AIDS as well as Hepatitis because they tend to share needles with other people who may have these diseases.
Heroin, the drug that has been around for centuries has been making a come into American street. It popularity is growing to the size coke and crack had in the eighties. This time how ever its happening in the rural parts of America. Instead of the the cities like most drug out breaks.
It is eight a.m. and she has been up for hours at this point. The diarrhea is uncontrollable and her stomach is killing her. She needs to vomit again. Her bed is covered in sweat. Her body feels hot, but she is freezing cold. Her hands are shaking. Her legs are restless and her entire body aches as if she had been run over by a semi. She feels weak, both physically and mentally. Tears stream down her face because she hates herself. Addiction is the reason her mother has custody of her daughter, Abby. Most of her family and friends disown her. This drug has taken over her life. At this point, she is debating if everyone, including herself, would benefit from her suicide. Jenny was dope sick, suffering
Heroin can be taken in three different ways. It can be snorted, smoked, and injected. Heroin can take minutes or even seconds to kick in, no matter the form though. The snorted form is a chopped up form of it’s original state and looks like pale brown dust. The smoked form is in rolled, marijuana-like joints. The injected form is a liquid and is made with mixing the heroin with warm water and putting it into a syringe. Taking the injected form is the most addictive way to take the drug because it hits faster and is put directly into your bloodstream. Many get addicted after the first try. Heroin itself is not the only thing dangerous about it, diseases can be spread by users who use the same
Smith, Tony. "How dangerous is heroin?" British Medical Journal 25 Sept. 1993: 807. Academic OneFile. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.
The use of drugs can result in dependence or addiction due to the stimulation of the brains reward system. Prolonged use can cause a higher tolerance to a drug and withdrawal symptoms when not stimulated. Withdrawals from drugs such as alcohol can cause the brain to become sedated and lead to epileptic seizures. However, the withdrawals symptoms from drugs such as heroin does not generally cause death but can interfere with the GI Tract causing extreme diarrhea. The use and abuse of drugs usually follows the following order: drug use, repeated use, dependency on the drug to feel good, addiction, withdrawal and
Heroin was originally synthesized in 1874 by a man named C.R Alder Wright. Created as a solution to opium, a drug that had plagued many American households. It was originally produced for medical purposes evidently becoming highly addictive. Heroin “... was originally marketed as a non-addictive substance” (“History of Addiction”) which inevitably increased its popularity. It became especially popular in places of poverty. Heroin became a solution to struggle. So common it was almost as if heroin was a prescribed medicine for hardship. Known as “[a] treatment of many illnesses and pain” (“A brief history of addiction”) but later revealed that it caused more harm than good. Being so easily accessible it became immensely common among musicians.
...ss the body. This brief but intense rush is then followed by a deep, drowsy state of relaxation and contentment that is marked by a clouding of consciousness and by poor concentration and attention. This state lasts two to four hours and then gradually wears off. Some individuals do react negatively to heroin, experiencing only anxiety, nausea, and depression. Additionally some addicts may experience the burning out or detrition of muscles from injection sites intramuscularly (mainlining).
Heroin poses many threats, not just to the user, but to the people around them. If a woman is pregnant and she is abusing heroin it could affect the unborn child. The baby could have decreased birth weight, prematurity and intrauterine growth retardation and neonatal withdrawals, and possible death, are some of the effects on the fetus. If the mother used dirty needles while abusing heroin, she could have contracted hepatitis C or HIV, which she can pass on to the baby. The baby could have poor nourishment, vitamin deficiencies, or anemia.
Drug abuse is part of everyday life, most of us know someone who is or was abusing drug at some point. A way to simplify a difficult time in our life, we find an exit in a product that numbs our brain to the surrounding. People find addiction through drugs, activities and action that creates chemical reaction within our bodies. Whether you love jumping off the empire state building or inject yourself with a drug, you are looking for a high that your body enjoys. The body creates chemicals which stop our self-control. According to the CDC website, “Deaths from drug overdose have been rising steadily over the past two decades and have become the leading cause of injury death in the United States.” (Birnbaum HG, web).
Abusing drugs can cause you to have health issues because it affects the lungs, heart, and sometimes even the brain. In the article Long-Term Drug Addictions Effects by Lauren Brande it claims that drug abuse can affect “The lungs. The respiratory system can suffer damage related to smoking or inhaling drugs, such as marijuana and crack cocaine. In addition to this kind of direct damage, drugs that slow a person's breathing, such as heroin or prescription opioids, can cause serious complications for the user.” (Brande)This quote shows that the lungs can be affected by drug abuse and it can cause serious health issues and can shorten your breath which can eventually lead to death.
Being addicted to heroin is a very difficult situation to be in. Luckily, there is a lot of help out there specifically aimed towards helping individuals that have addictions to various drugs. If you or someone you love is addicted to heroin and needs professional assistance, there are various options available. The first step to finding a rehabilitation facility is to search in your city. There are usually clinics and centers throughout major cities, so visit a few or give them a call. From there, you will be able to get an idea of heroin addiction costs for treatment. The prices vary upon the area of the facility and the services being provided. There is usually a monthly rate to pay, or could be bi-weekly or weekly, depending on how long the individual has to stay in the
The use of heroin continues to increase, in 2012 about 669,000 Americans have reported using heroin. The biggest increase of use is among ages 18 to 25. The effects of heroin include drowsiness, and slowed breathing. The withdrawal from heroin can be very intense. Overdosing from heroin may result in death from respiratory arrest.
When first introduced to the world, Heroin was made as a non-addictive substitute to morphine, which proved to be the opposite of the intended cause. (Deeney) Used as a cough suppressant and the non-addictive substitute, it was first tested on dogs and rabbits. Causing slower respiratory action slowing, and heart function was diminished and almost seen as abnormal due to the heartbeat. Heroin was seen to be much more addictive than Morphine itself. This caused the government to control the sale and distribution, making it illegal outside of the government's k...