Should I Try Heroin? MegaThread
With the recent abundance of “Should I try heroin?” or “Is trying H a good idea?” threads, we have decided it would be worth it to create a megathread discussing the topic, where all posts relating to such debate can be compiled.
If you have this question, or any question specifically about your first time trying H that falls under the category of “Should a non-heroin user suddenly decide to try H for the first time?” please post here.
For basic info about heroin itself, please refer to the
Heroin Megathread. For info on IV and technique/complications, refer to the
IV Megathread.
So, to start off, the basic number one question on your minds if you’re looking at this thread and debating this choice is,
Should I try heroin for the first time?
Obviously, the short and to the point answer would be… NO FUCKING WAY. Of course, we were all young/inexperienced once before we first tried heroin, so we know things are often a lot more complicated then “just say no”.
Some internal questions to ask yourself first:
- Why do you want to try heroin to begin with?
Many people, especially young people, have this glamorous and romantic image of heroin in their head. They see the idea of being a “junky” as this very chic and glorified notion. Maybe your favorite musicians all did heroin, maybe your favorite movies are about heroin, etc.
Using dope is far from glamorous. The reality of heroin addiction is brutal, grotesque, and filthy.
- What do you seek to gain from trying heroin?
Really, what is it you think this drug is going to add to your life? Or are you just bored and want to check it off your list? Here’s where being really honest with yourself is a must. After reading this whole thread, and many of the other heroin related threads on BL, you should have a pretty clear idea of just how ravaged ones life can become from heroin. What positives do you see coming from making this choice?
Justifications to try heroin:
1. I’m only going to try it once.
Famous last words. When evaluating this decision, remember that basically EVERY heroin addict in the world said this at one point in the beginning. Nobody is born with the goal of becoming a raging dope fiend. It is a progressive path and it does not happen over night.
Heroin is one of the most additive drugs, and has ruined so many lives for a reason. The honest chances of you only trying this drug once are incredibly slim to almost non-existent.
2. I will be able to control my use. I won’t get addicted.
Again, this is also something we have all said before. Believe it or not, even long-term heroin addicts sometimes use this justification to relapse. For the beginning user, you may think that because you’ve tried other drugs here and there and didn’t become wrapped up in them, that you’ll be able to control your heroin use as well. This is an incredibly dangerous notion. It is not about will power. Heroin is an incredibly powerful drug with a high so intense, that it makes you want to continue using it, even though it is destroying everything in your life.
Those of us who have been using for a very long time have come across thousands of addicts in our time. Do you want to know how many we have met that were ever able to control their use or “chip” for any real period of time? Practically none. Sure you may be able to hold it together for a few months or even a few years, but almost everybody slips up, and before you know it, you are in way too deep.
3. If I do get addicted, I’ll just stop. How hard can it be?
Stopping heroin is one of the hardest things you’ll ever do in your life. Not only is the psychological aspect incredibly intense and all consuming, but also once you develop a physical dependency, you will have withdrawals, and that is something you cannot be prepared for.
Coming off heroin is an incredibly painful and brutal experience, one that only gets worse the more times you do it. You will not be able to just shake it off. This is why the majority of people who become dependent on heroin, end up having a life long battle.
4. I don’t have regular access to it, so I can’t do it everyday, even if I wanted to.
This is a very common justification. Many beginning users considering trying heroin have come across it out of the blue or have to travel very far to get it. They think that this will force them into being casual users or never trying it again.
The truth is that after getting a taste for heroin, you will slowly start to work on getting more opportunities. Many users end up driving hours and hours from home just to score dope. Believe this, you WILL find a way to do it again, even if it is very sporadic at first, eventually you will get a source for it, and all bets will be off.
Common first-timer questions:
- How long can I use for without getting withdrawals?
This varies from person to person. However, for the majority of people, in the beginning, it takes a good few weeks-months of using everyday before a physical dependency is developed. For some people it happens much sooner, others later.
The danger is you never know when that extra day of using is going to be too much. The more you use heroin, the more your body gets used to it. The fact of the matter is, if you use heroin everyday, or with any real regularity greater than once or twice a week, you will eventually become dependent.
Also, after you pick up your first habit, you become dependent again much faster in the future. It will eventually get to the point where even using 2 days in a row, is enough to create withdrawals.
- How fast does an overdose happen?
There is a common misconception that OD’s, especially from IV heroin, happen instantly. While this is true in a lot of instances, overdoses can happen at any point even up to an hour after using (and if one is redosing throughout a short period of time, can happen even after an hour or more).
- Do you get addicted after one use?
While you do not develop a physical dependency after one use (it takes many days in the beginning of using in a row for this to happen) a psychological addiction can start to develop very early. It is a myth that a person becomes addicted in any way after one use, but it is true that’s all it takes sometimes to start you down a path of future addiction.
***For some stories on how heroin (and other drugs) have impacted peoples lives, check out the
Personal Accounts of Addiction thread. There are some very real and raw entries there on the reality of how heroin can destroy your life.
***Also check out the
Case Studies thread, and realize how easily this all ends up happening.
Note: This thread was meant as a very basic guide. Obviously there is much more to say and talk about, so if you have any specific questions relating to the topic, feel free to make a post here.
Good luck, all.
