What are the long term effects of heroin use?

Most people would agree that heroin causes harmful damages to the brain and body organs. What kind of damage does heroin actually do on the body? According to an article I found, "One of the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin use is addiction itself"(Drug Abuse). Most of the time addiction persists over a long period of time. "Heroin also produces profound degrees of tolerance and physical dependence, which are also powerful motivating factors for compulsive use and abuse"(Drug Abuse). Essentially, the heroin user continues to use more and more heroin each time to get high. "As with abusers of any addictive drug, heroin abusers gradually spend more and more time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they are addicted, the heroin abusers' primary purpose in life becomes seeking and using drugs. The drugs literally change their brains and their behavior"(Drug Abuse). This is huge in dealing with a heroin addict and trying to get them to withdraw from the drug. “Physical dependence develops with higher doses of the drug. With physical dependence, the body adapts to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms occur if use is reduced abruptly. Withdrawal may occur within a few hours after the last time the drug is taken. Symptoms of withdrawal include restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), and leg movements. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 24 and 48 hours after the last dose of heroin and subside after about a week. However, some people have shown persistent withdrawal signs for many months”(Drug Abuse). According to Berman, a heroin addict can die from heroin withdrawal and is said to be a brutal, painful process. "Withdrawal symptoms carry a significant risk of seizures known as "tonic-clonic" or "grand mal" which could lead to strokes, and heart attacks. The strokes and heart attacks could be fatal" (Berman).  The user would need to be slowly weened off of the drug because death could occur. Many more harmful side effects include:

• Skin infections, boils or abscesses, and bacterial infections
• Blood-borne diseases such as HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C
• Kidney disease and Liver disease
• Scarred veins or Collapsed veins: repeated injections can cause a vein to swell, and can cut off the blood circulation of that vein. Repeated injury to the vein wall can cause a permanently collapsed vein.
• Arthritis and Rheumatologic complications
• Severe Depression, can potentially lead to suicide
• Overdose, unconsciousness, and without immediate hospitalization can result in death (Treatment4Addiction)

  Obviously heroin is a very harmful drug that can cause dramatic lifestyle changes and can even lead to death. So the lesson learned from this is don't do drugs.

References:
Berman, Mark. "Can You Die from Heroin Withdrawal?" My Addiction.15 May
     2012. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. <http://www.myaddiction.com/articles/
     drug-addiction/can-you-die-from-heroin-withdrawal>.
"Long Term Effects of Heroin." Treatment4Addiction.Web. 6 Nov. 2013.
     <http://www.treatment4addiction.com/addiction/heroin/long-term-effects/#>. 
"What are the long-term effects of heroin use?" National Institute on Drug
     Abuse. N.p., May 2005. Web. 6 Nov. 2013. <http://www.drugabuse.gov/
     publications/research-reports/heroin-abuse-addiction/
     what-are-long-term-effects-heroin-use>. 

Rachael S.W.