Opiates: Drug Addiction and Heroin Essay Example

have a slower onset of around 5-8 minutes. Snorting and smoking are also options for consumption, with snorting being the most common method among those seeking treatment because it can produce effects within 10-15 minutes.

There are different ways to consume heroin, including smoking which is also referred to as "chasing the dragon." Even though it's not as quick or powerful as snorting or injecting, smoking heroin results in an instant sense of euphoria. Once inside the body, heroin effortlessly reaches the brain and quickly converts into morphine that rapidly binds to opioid receptors.

After entering the brain, individuals undergo a pleasurable sensation of a "rush", accompanied by warmth in the skin, heaviness in limbs, and dryness in the mouth. However, this is soon followed by unwanted side effects such as nausea, vomiting, itching, difficulty concentrating, apathy and drowsiness.

The use of heroin can result in the pupils becoming constricted, which gives them a pin-point resemblance. When taken in larger quantities, it has the ability to cause extreme sleepiness and disconnection from reality - also known as "bringing on the nod" (Guide4Living, p.1). Additionally, this drug possesses pain-relieving attributes and may lead to an increase in both sexual desire and appetite for food; however, these effects are only temporary before withdrawal symptoms appear along with intense cravings for more drugs. The rapidity at which heroin addiction can develop often catches users off guard.

Using higher doses to achieve the same effect creates physical dependence. The body adjusts to the presence of the drug, and removing it causes shock. Withdrawal symptoms arise within 24-48 hours of last use and persist for up to one week. Some users report feeling symptoms

for months after cessation. Although heroin withdrawal does not cause death in healthy users, it can provoke suicidal thoughts due to psychological effects. Tolerance for heroin increases in addicted individuals.

When users constantly require larger doses to achieve the desired effect, it increases their chances of overdosing. This can lead to uncertainty about what amount is considered dangerous. As a result, each use becomes a risky proposition with potentially deadly consequences.

Differences exist in the treatment of Opiate Addiction among various countries. In terms of heroin use, recovery rates for individuals are higher in the United States compared to other nations. However, Dr. Eugeny Krupitsky, a psychiatrist at Leningrad Regional Dispensary of Narcology, notes that some countries such as Russia may not have access to or permit methadone and buprenorphine medications used for treatment. Treatment methods for drug abuse in the Russian Federation focus on abstinence-based approaches. Methadone was introduced as a public medication in China in 2004 (The Methadone Fix, page 1).

By the end of 2007, China had established 503 methadone clinics in 23 provinces that catered to approximately 60,000 heroin-addicted patients. However, doctors intend to discontinue methadone due to its addictive properties and replace it with buprenorphine (also known as suboxone) in 2008. The primary aim is to alleviate withdrawal symptoms and offer relief to addicts while avoiding narcotics.

Medical professionals and scientists are continuously working on developing new treatment strategies to address addiction, as even with the use of methadone or buprenorphine, addicts will still experience mild withdrawal symptoms upon cessation with less severity. Addiction is primarily a mental issue, accounting for 85% of it while physical elements make up only 15%. Dr. Ron L.

Hubbard's

"Clear Body Clear Mind" book outlines a plan to help individuals overcome opiate addiction through exercise, nutritional supplements, and dry sauna sessions. This approach addresses the accumulation of drug residues in fat cells after prolonged drug use, which can lead to depression and persistent cravings that hinder sobriety. Oxy-contin, Percocet, vicodin, percodan, and loratab are prescription pain pills that are abused by long-term drug addicts and unsuspecting patients seeking relief from pain.

Since its introduction in 1996, Oxy-contin has quickly become a significant contributor to the pain pill epidemic. This potent pain medication is comparable in strength to pure heroin and is often crushed for snorting or injection purposes due to its time release coating. The treatment options for addiction commonly involve methadone or buprenorphine plans similar to those utilized for heroin addiction.

Withdrawal symptoms from prescription pain pills, containing opiates that cause high addiction rates, are similar to those encountered during heroin withdrawal. To prevent addiction, physicians must join drug awareness initiatives. Methadone is a synthetic substitute for opioids.

Methadone is an opiate medication utilized for managing symptoms related to opiate addiction, including withdrawal and cravings. Its gradual daily administration in decreasing doses helps users taper off the drug but does not cure addiction. Despite its benefits, methadone can be more addictive than even the most potent heroin. Withdrawal from any opioid can be unpleasant; however, methadone withdrawal can be especially unbearable and excruciating. Misusing methadone without medical supervision may lead to worse outcomes than heroin addiction.

Medical professionals and researchers continuously seek novel methods of treating drug addiction, as methadone was once an effective treatment for opiate addiction but now suboxone and other alternatives have emerged. Despite

efforts to combat drug abuse, some individuals still misuse medications intended for treatment. Additionally, heroin use can result in enduring physical effects regardless of the duration of usage.

Not only does heroin use cause increased sadness, it also poses various long-term risks such as the fatal destruction or collapse of veins, bloodstream and heart valve infections, abscesses at injection sites and in the brain. Furthermore, intravenous heroin usage raises concerns regarding disease transmission including HIV, hepatitis A,B,C and sexually transmitted diseases like syphilis according to the Heroin Awareness foundation.

Simply undergoing treatment at a clinic is insufficient for treating life-altering illnesses caused by prolonged heroin use. The rehabilitation of damaged brain cells resulting from heroin abuse can prove challenging. Research shows that even after the drug has left the system, symptoms like motor impairment, slowed thinking and depression may persist. Typically, opiate users do not realize any adverse effects on their bodies until they undergo withdrawal symptoms.

According to Professor W. G. Karr from the University of Pennsylvania, addicts who have normal morphine tolerance are considered medically healthy. Upon conducting thorough examinations through numerous medical tests to detect pathological changes, it has been concluded that with adequate drug intake, addicts generally maintain good health, barring a few negligible cases.

According to Chapter 2 page 9 of "The Effects of Opiates", the patient reacts to work normally, has a normal weight, and a normal cardiac and vascular system. Additionally, he is an agreeable patient compared to others in the hospital. However, when abruptly withdrawn from the drug, he becomes very ill. It is stated that mental addiction contributes to 85% of the battle against addiction.

The effects of heroin

use are largely influenced by an individual's mental state, often resulting in feelings of euphoria. An experiment conducted by Thomas Beecher with non-addicts revealed varying results among participants. Half were administered actual heroin while the other half received placebos. Some who received placebo reported experiencing symptoms such as sweating, vomiting, and severe itching due to their expectations, while some individuals who were given real heroin experienced no effects at all. It is crucial to note that opiate users are inherently at risk for overdose and its accompanying complications regardless of the substance used. This risk is so great that some people even resort to overdose as a form of suicide due to the severe depression caused by opiate use.

Excessive consumption of opiate-based substances can lead to several symptoms such as elevated heart rate, slowed breathing, coma, pinpoint pupils and even fatality. Furthermore, the body's weakened immune system due to these substances increases susceptibility to infections and diseases. At Harlem Hospital in New York City, patients who underwent treatment for overdose had a higher incidence of pneumonia and hepatitis. As per the New York Academy of Medicine (page 6), compulsive seizures and heightened intracranial pressure are typical complications that impede seizure management during opiate overdose; seizures persist for as long as the drug is being used.

Experiencing an overdose is a devastating event for the body, as it cannot handle such intense treatment. Moreover, opiate users who survive an overdose have a diminished likelihood of surviving future overdoses. Also, those who build up a tolerance to opiates require higher doses to achieve the same enjoyable effects.

While opiates like heroin and morphine have been used as medicines for

some time, their misuse significantly raises the likelihood of overdose. Fortunately, there are several available treatments for individuals dealing with addiction.

Although opiates can be advantageous for some people, they also carry the possibility of harm and should only be used under appropriate medical supervision. This emphasizes the importance of recognizing their potential risks. Source: 1. Anonymous.

The source titled "Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms" from 2007 can be accessed at http://www.softlandingrecovery, as of April 12, 2008. The information pertains to the symptoms of heroin withdrawal.The publication date of "Opium" by Anonymous is unknown, and it can be found on com/articles/heroin_withdrawal.html.

Access to the "www. a1b2c3" website was made on April 12th, 2008.

According to Anonymous' article (source: http://www.com/drugs/opi013.htm, 2005), the use and dependence on heroin have significant consequences.

The Australian Drug Foundation cites information about the effects of heroin abuse from a website called "guide4living/drugabuse/heroin-effects.htm" on April 12, 2008. The information is enclosed in a paragraph tag.

Information regarding Heroin: Drug Facts on September 20, 2006, retrieved on April 12.

The article was published in 2008 on the website http://www.druginfo.adf.org.au/article.

Visit asp?ContentID=heroin; for an article titled "The Methadone Fix" by Chatterjee Patralekha in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization, issue 86.

The Library of Michigan has access to Academic OneFile, which contains an article published in March 2008 with the citation 3 (March 2008): 164(2), according to Gale. The information is presented within a paragraph tag.

On May 22nd, 2008, the URL "http://find.galegroup.com" was accessed.

Retrieve the full text of a document regarding methadone therapy via the following link: 6.

The DEA and a pharmaceutical company have partnered in an atypical effort to curb OxyContin abuse, according to Claudia Kalb's article

in Newsweek (May 14, 2001). The citation for the article is from Academic OneFile and can be found on page 38.

Gale. Library of Michigan. May 22, 2008. <http://find.galegroup.

The following HTML tag content presents a link to com.bakerezproxy.palnet.info/itx/start.do?prodId=AONE with the title "7. Leduc, Marc."

On May 25th, 2008, the website "http://www." provided information on addiction to Methadone and other opiates in 2003.

The source website is healingdaily.com and the specific page is about exercising while taking methadone. The content includes a reference to the effects of opiates by Alfred R. Lindesmith in Chapter 2.

"Addiction and"