Health Hazards of Heroin Addiction
Why Heroin Addiction Is So Dangerous
Heroin is one of the most dangerous drugs in the world. Individuals who use heroin are susceptible to a wide variety of side effects from drug abuse in the short term and the long term. Heroin can cause heart failure, liver failure, suicidal thoughts, depression and other problems. In addition, the heroin addict is always at a great risk for accidental overdose due to the unpredictability of the dosage strength that they are ingesting.
But heroin carries other potential health hazards as well – especially for those individuals who inject the drug intravenously using needles.
Health Hazards of Heroin Addiction
The following represent some of the peripheral health problems associated with injecting heroin.
HIV/AIDSAlthough sexual transmission gets most of the headlines, one of the most common forms of transmission of AIDS/HIV is through sharing dirty needles. And since heroin addicts are the most likely to ingest their drug though injection, that puts them at a great risk for the virus that causes AIDS.
Many communities have enacted clean needle programs to try and offset this problem, but it remains a serious concern. When a heroin addict needs a fix, they do not often wait to find the proper sterile equipment. That means HIV can spread rapidly through groups of drug users, even if they only use an infected needle once.
Hepatitis CHepatitis is another serious infectious disease that can be transmitted through IV drug use and the sharing or reusing of dirty needles. Hepatitis C causes long-term damage to the liver and often leads to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure. Hep C is a highly contagious disease when blood and other bodily fluids are shared between individuals.
Sexually Transmitted DiseasesHIV/AIDS, Hepatitis and a variety of other serious medical conditions can be easily spread through unprotected sex. And heroin users have a tendency to engage in that type of activity. There are several ways that diseases spread sexually among heroin users. First, there is little good decision making going on when an individual is high on heroin. This can lead to unsafe sex in groups that are already at a risk for disease because of their heroin use. Also, multiple partners are a factor for the reasons listed above. Finally, there is a widespread heroin problem among prostitutes around the world. These prostitutes will work in order to pay for their habit – all the while spreading the disease to their customers.
Note: Sexually transmitted diseases are a problem for ALL heroin users, as the opiate effects of the drugs bring about unsafe behaviors such as unprotected sex and sex with multiple partners. IV drug use however, puts heroin users at the greatest level of risk.
Michael's House is a residential drug rehab facility that treats heroin addiction with a combination of compassion and the most modern modalities available. Individuals who complete the drug rehabilitation programs at Michael's House go on to live fulfilling drug free lives. Contact Michael's House today at for more information.
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