Heroin

The “rush” of heroin has been described as a sudden moment of extreme pleasure. But after the rush, people using heroin can feel very drowsy to the point of the body being too heavy to move. The drug goes to the brain, causing a clouded mental state, slowed heart function and decreased breathing, almost becoming life-threatening, according to NIDA. Long-term heroin use causes severe damage to the brain and impacts people’s ability to make decisions, regulate feelings or respond to stressful moments. Additionally, because heroin causes so much impairment when used, people risk getting infected with HIV and hepatitis. Continued heroin use also leads to abscesses, heart and valve infection, collapsed veins, and liver and kidney disease.