Heroin is a terribly addictive drug that is bad for your health and can be deadly and is illegal in most countries of the world. It has a lot of short term and long term side effects, most of which are centered around the brain. In short, heroin slows blood flow to the brain, thus causing the brain to lose control of many bodily functions, and causing serious side effects within the body.

It is not easy to cure heroin addiction, although some medication oriented therapies have been successful. Not only is heroin addiction itself a problem, but addicts often also suffer with HIV and other diseases such as Hepatitis.

Short Term Effects of Heroin Addiction

Here are some common short term affects from Heroin usage:

• A Rush
• Depressed levels of respiration
• Reduced mental functions
• Nausea and vomiting
• Miscarriage

When someone first injects heroin there is what is referred to as a ‘rush’ which is when the heroin first affects the brain. Heroin damages the skin, brain functions and the mouth. Some heroin users report that they have difficulty breathing, and taking an overdose of heroin instantly stops all breathing.

Long Term Effects of Heroin Addiction

Perhaps the most serious long term effect of heroin is addiction. It takes a very short time for a person to become addicted to heroin. Also, the longer the drug is taken, the more needs to be taken in order to achieve the same effects, thus dosage is constantly increasing. Heroin withdrawal is very painful and difficult to go through, once the habit is established. Women who are pregnant can either kill or permanently damage their unborn child. Other long term effects include:

• Infection by the HIV/AIDS virus
• Bacterial infections, such as pneumonia
• Infection of the heart lining and valves
• Infection with hepatitis B & C viruses

You should avoid all the effects of heroin by not using the drug or by taking action to stop using heroin now before it’s to late because there are several heroin rehab centers available to you to help you get your life back.