Heroin Addiction Essay

You crave it, you want it and you just can not stop thinking about it or, you just can’t stop doing it, they call it addiction. “Addiction is a chronic, but treatable, brain disorder. People who are addicted cannot control their need for alcohol or other drugs, even in the face of negative health, social or legal consequences. This lack of control is the result of alcohol- or drug-induced changes in the brain. Those changes, in turn, cause behavior changes” (What is Addiction). The behavior change happens when the brain can no longer see the picture as the “big picture”, with out the drug substance. That is when a person that has an addiction starts depending on the drug substance to enhance their experiences.

Heroin, a powerful narcotic, acts upon the brain as a painkiller, increasing physical addiction and ongoing emotional dependence (Schaffer Library of…). Heroin has many challenging and highly risky effects on the user, all the more hazardous if overdosing is present. This extremely dangerous drug, heroin, will never cease being used, but may cease the existence of an individual.

This paper is intended to educate those who almost nothing about heroin and those who use it. Many people have been associated with friends or families who have used some kind of drug. There are many people who have not had any contact with heroin users or if they have, don’t understand much about it. Using various sources about heroin to explain where it came from, how it is used, who uses it and how a person starts on the path towards heroin, preventing addiction, and global issues surrounding this drug. Although the topic of heroin is inexhaustible, it is my hope to spark reader’s curiosity. Knowledge of this drug might just help the reader join in on discussions about heroin.

To begin with, studies show that, “In 12 states there are more opioid prescriptions than people” (Brooks). Abuse and addiction of substances like opioids are becoming more of an issue with each generation. People are allowing for these substances to control them. When will people be satisfied with their life enough to not get dragged by this demon. But who are we to blame?

There is no cookie cutter heroin user. In fact, many of heroin’s newest addicts are in their teens or early 20s; many also come from middle- or upper-middle-class suburban families. Heroin is a dangerous drug that has many different “street names” such as Smack, Mud, Dope, Dragon, and Junk. The scientific names are diacetylmorphine or morphine diacetate, also known as diamorphine.

Society today has been clouded and somewhat overtaken by social drugs. Wherever you may look, a drug is being used, whether it is more commonly a cigarette being smoked on the street, or the covert teens smoking marijuana in secluded areas. In any case, there is not one person who can say drug use is not prevalent, since society has made it clear through news, music and everyday life. However, there are certain drugs that seem to be worse than others, and society once again has taught us that through our laws and restrictions. The worse the drug, the more you pay for having it. Basically, drugs have become a part of our life, and you never know when they can land on your doorstep.

Volunteering and participating in service projects are two of the most rewarding activities in my opinion. Some people may find it was a hassle or only do it because they have to meet the minimum requirement for school or work. Helping others, for me, has always been somewhat second nature to me. Over many years of volunteering I believe I have developed qualities that will stick with me for life and benefit me in my career. As early as freshman year, in high school, I found myself looking for ways to give back. I started by looking for opportunities within school, where I came across the A+ tutoring program, and so my journey of giving back began. While tutoring, my patience for others really evolved, partly by choice and partly because

When the goal of addiction treatment is to provide a behavioral change, it is beneficial to include any treatment that can assist with the recovery process. The utilization of medications can potentially increase the chances of sobriety. The HBO series Opiate Addiction: A New Medications for drug addiction (Hegedus & Pennebaker, 2007), creates awareness of the benefits of pharmaceutical use.

Since the early times, opiates, heroin, and other drugs have been used in providing analgesia as well as substitutes to reach a place of euphoria. Originally, as Yurgelum-Todd et al (2009) has noted, derived from the opium poppy, heroin has been used as an alternative to morphine in dealing with addiction (Yurgelum-Todd, p. 175, 2009). Unfortunately, over the years it has consistently become prevalent that heroin has more negative aspects than anything; heroin is highly addictive, resulting in consequences such as overdoses, infections, violence and crime, deficits in memory, learning, and

The National Institute on Drug Abuse educates society by saying, “People who inject drugs such as heroin are at high risk of contracting the HIV and hepatitis C (HCV) virus.” Users can receive these diseases if they use the same needles with other people. Reused needles could have blood or other fluids still on them from the previous user, which can carry out onto the next person and cause them to get infected with a disease. Another cause of heroin addiction is the tolerance of one’s body. It does not take much for an individual’s body to adjust to heroin. NIDA states that, “Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence.” Eventually when the user intakes heroin, their body slowly adapts and learns to tolerate the substance. Soon enough, the normal dose does not satisfy the user, so to receive the rush and euphoric effect, individuals would have start increasing the doses they take. Increasing the doses that they take can begin to lead them to using too much and the individual may unintentionally overdose.

Heroin is a highly addictive illegal drug, derived from morphine and used by millions of users around the world. It is a naturally occurring opiate found in opium poppies and is primarily grown in Southeast Asia, Southwest Asia, Mexico, and Columbia (National, 2015), but has been illegal in the United States since the early 1900’s. In its purest form, heroin is a fine white powder, but more often, it is found to be rose gray, brown or black in color (Foundation, 2016). The coloring comes from additives which have been used to dilute it (Foundation, 2016). These dilutes can include sugar, caffeine or other substances (Foundation, 2016). In medicine, diamorphine, the main product found in heroin, is used to treat sever pain, such as from a heart

Substance abuse and addiction have become a social problem that afflicts millions of individuals and disrupts the lives of their families and friends. Just one example reveals the extent of the problem: in the United States each year, more women and men die of smoking related lung cancer than of colon, breast and prostate cancers combined (Kola & Kruszynski, 2010). In addition to the personal impact of so much illness and early death, there are dire social costs: huge expenses for medical and social services; millions of hours lost in the workplace; elevated rates of crime associated with illicit drugs; and scores of children who are damaged by their parents’ substance abuse behavior (Lee, 2010). This paper will look at

What is Heroin is it a drug, a plant, or some sort of animal? Heroin is a very dangerous and highly addictive drug made from the seed pods of the opium poppy plant. Heroin is so harmful to your body and it has been a highly sought for and used drug for about 150-200 years. This drug is addictive, dangerous, and extremely deadly drug. Heroin affects the body in very bad ways creating several sensations that include: heavy limbs, a rush of warmth(this is because when it enters the brain it is converted into morphine), drowsiness, a dry mouth, etc. The short-term effects are bad but the long-term are much worse, the effects include: a higher tolerance to the drug, so a much larger dose is needed to achieve “peak high” in result to this the user

One day I was listening to the police radio and I heard 3 overdoses on heroin, so I decided to make this article. What is Heroin? Heroin is drug made in multiple places around the world. It is predominantly made in South America, and to a lesser degree Southeast Asia. It is a white powder that is made from sugar, starch, powdered milk, quinine. Who uses it? Heroin is used by 4.2 Americans over the age of 12 as of 2012. How is it used? Well, heroin is used by injecting it in the vein, muscle, or under the skin. Heroin, once injected and in the brain is turned into morphine and attaches to opioid receptors. As a result there is the "rush", which is warm flushing skin, dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, and severe itching. After the "rush" users

The Poppy plant that bloom with the fragrant red flowers often depicted in paintings, as well as produces Poppy seeds to top breads and bagels, also makes the substance in heroin. Heroin is highly addictive, it is an opioid drug. Organizations estimate 9.2 million people world wide are using heroin. Heroin is most often injected but can be snorted or smoked as well. Research shows around 78 americans die everyday from opioid overdose’s. this ppaper will examine viewpoint one, two and my viewpoint on should cities open supervised injection sites for heroin addicts.