Originally, heroin was promoted as a non-addictive drug. In fact, the name heroin means “heroic treatment” taken from the German word heroisch. From 1898 to 1910, it was marketed as a non-addictive morphine alternative and cough medicine for children. However, in 1924, the United States’ “Heroin Act” made it prohibited to possess or manufacture heroin in the country.

Today heroin is typically sold as a brownish powder or as the black sticky substance known as the “black tar heroin”.

Heroin is commonly snorted. A heroin dependent individual usually injects himself four times a day. Intravenous injection offers the supreme intensity and most fast set of euphoria. After about 7 to 8 seconds following the injecting, the person would then feel the rush. Intramuscular injection produces as slower onset of euphoria. Injection continues to be the main method of heroin use among addicted users seeking treatment; however, researchers have seen a shift in heroin use patterns, from injection to sniffing and smoking. In fact, snorting heroin is now the most widely reported means of taking heroin among users admitted for drug treatment.

In the brain, heroin is converted to morphine and binds rapidly to opioid receptors. The addict would feel a enjoyable feeling. The intensity of the rush would depend on the amount of the drug. The rush is usually accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and the heavy feeling in the extremities, which may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, and severe itching. After the preliminary effects, abusers usually will be drowsy for a few hours. Mental function is clouded by heroin’s effect on the central nervous system. Cardiac function slows. Breathing is also severely slowed, sometimes to the point of death. Heroin overdose is a particular risk on the street, where the amount and purity of the drug cannot be accurately known.

The long-term effect of heroin is another thing to be discussed. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulites, and liver disease. Moreover, the most detrimental long-term effects of heroin is dependence to the substance itself. Heroin abuser eventually becomes too dependent on the drug that he/she spends most of his/her time and energy obtaining and using the drug. Once they become addicted, the addicts’ main purpose of living is seeking and using the drug. Furthermore, with continuous use, this could cause death to the addict.

Heroin addiction is not free from withdrawal symptoms, once the use is stopped. The withdrawal syndrome from heroin can begin within 12 hours of discontinuation of the sustained use of the drug: sweating, malaise, anxiety, depression, persistent and intense penile erection in males, general feeling of heaviness, cramp-like pains in the limbs, yawning and lachrymation, sleep difficulties, nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, cramps and fever can happen. There is also a significant risk of grand mal seizures, which can lead to stroke possibly resulting in permanent disability which includes blindness or paralysis, or heart attacks which can potentially be fatal.

The drug heroin is quite lethal especially to those users whose health is in poor condition. Heroin can serve as a teratogen among pregnant users. Among pregnant addicts, not only does the drug affect the user, but it greatly affects the baby.

One of the most dangerous substance abuse is heroin dependency because it can be a cause on why an individual continues to live. Consequently, treatment is not that easy. It takes time, effort, and will power for an addict to be treated.

The addict finds it very difficult to quit using meth because of the occurrence of withdrawal symptoms. Both physical and emotional symptoms are hugely apparent with constant use of crystal meth. The effects of meth are primarily connected

to its action as a powerful central nervous system stimulant affecting the body’s mechanisms for regulating heart rate, body temperature, blood pressure, appetite, attention, mood, alertness and alarm responses.

There are many ways in taking in meth. It could be through swallowing, snorting, smoking, and injecting. Methods which boost the brain’s uptake of the substance have been increasing; snorting is faster than swallowing, smoking is faster than snorting, etc. The drug alters the mood in different ways, depending on the route of administration. Immediately after smoking meth intravenously, the user experiences an intense rush that lasts only a few minutes and is described as extremely pleasurable. Swallowing meth resulting in euphoria, described as a high but not a rush. While the effects of smoking and IV injection are very quick, smoking meth produces effects within 3 to 5 minutes and oral injection can take up to 20 minutes to produce a high.

The pleasurable effects of crystal meth disappear even before the blood concentration of the drug falls significantly; in other words, it just stops working. To maintain the high, increasing frequency of use is a requirement. Meth addicts indulge in binge behavior for days at a time; foregoing food, hygiene, sleep and other necessities. In addition, side effect associated with meth overdose include brain damage, meningitis, neurotoxicity, sensations of flesh crawling with bugs, compulsive picking and infecting sores, severe headache, muscle breakdown and kidney failure.There are currently no medications available to treat methamphetamine overdose.

In preventing meth usage, communities have now joined movements to stop this kind of addiction. Family-focused prevention efforts have been discovered to have a huge force than strategies that focus on children only.

Moreover, during treatment, detoxification would entail the removal of toxins caused by the drug from the body. Because of this, withdrawal is also treated by way of providing certain drug that would mimic the effects of meth but not as destructive as meth. Withdrawal from methamphetamine is typically characterized by intense drug cravings, depression, insomnia, and increased appetite.

When carried out on long term, there are several cognitive behavioral intrusions designed to help in modifying the patient’s thinking and behaviors, and to increase coping skills related to various life stressors. The support from family and loved ones is still the most important ingredient in treating meth addicts. With the knowledge that he or she is loved and cared for would encourage him or her to fight for her life despite the discouraging effects of meth. Realizing that you are important in the family ad in the society could inspire you to move on and turn your back from the darkness for good.

Moreover, no matter what kind of treatment the patient gets, the key is the determination and will to change and do away with crystal meth. Cognitive therapy is greatly helpful in allowing the person realize that life does not revolve around the drug. There is more to life than meth. The person would then be taught coping skills and new perspectives in dealing with temptations and starting a new life as the person recovers form the battle with meth.

When faced with crystal meth addiction, one should not panicked because there are help available. One should just be willing and determined to look for the right treatment.