Why Heroin is So Addictive
Even among people who do not use illegal drugs, it is well known that heroin is both widely used, and incredibly destructive. It is also common knowledge that it is highly addictive, with most people assuming it to be second only to crack cocaine in its addictive nature.
Why is heroin so addictive?
What is less widely known is the reason that heroin is so addictive. The easy answer is that it's because heroin is an opiate drug. This means it is synthesized from other opium-rich substances, and can act directly on the brain.
When heroin is injected (the typical method of use), it crosses the blood-brain barrier almost immediately, and binds with the opioid receptors, taking over the parts of the brain that control pleasure and physical dependence. In this way, the heroin provides a jolt of pleasure, often described as a "rush," then stops the body from being able to produce similar sensations (referred to as "reward feelings") on its own.
Without the ability to have organically created reward feelings - essentially the ability to feel pleasure - without taking heroin, users continue to take the drug, gradually increasing the amount necessary to restore those pleasurable sensations. If heroin use were to stop without an equally gradual weaning process, the user would begin feeling negative symptoms (also known as "withdrawal symptoms") like cramping, seizures, coma, and even death.
Need for "reward feelings" not the only cause of addiction.
The other reason people become addicted to heroin so quickly, and so thoroughly, is that pure heroin is very rare. The heroin sold illegally is usually a white or brown-ish powder or a black sticky substance known as "black tar." Either way, the heroin, which is derived from the morphine that comes from the seed pods of some kinds of poppies, is typically "cut," or mixed with another substance like sugar, powdered milk, starch, or even quinine, which acts as a carrier, and allows for smaller quantities of the actual drug to be used.
Unfortunately, this means that heroin users are often unaware of the ratio of heroin to carrier in their drugs, which means some doses may be far more potent than others. As well, some heroin is cut with strychnine, or other poisons, which may cause the user to become sick and/or die.
What else should you know about heroin addiction?
Because heroin can cause a dependency after a single use, and because the withdrawal symptoms can be so severe, it's important to seek help getting "clean." Common treatments for heroin addiction include monitored withdrawal, where symptoms are treated by a medical professional, or treatment with buprenorphine or Suboxone (a combination of buprenorphine and nalaxone) to help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce dependence on heroin in a controlled fashion.
