Do opiates Permanently change your chemical balance in your brain?

[Opiatesrarely]

I have done opiates a few times and I was wondering whether or not taking opiates will cause PERMANENT change in your brain.

I'm not talking about tolerance, dependence, or withdrawals, I am talking mainly about the endorphins that are produced naturally in your brain, and the receptors.

Thanks in advance for any responses..

 

[PARooolller]

Nope...I don't have access to any scientifical evidence to support this claim but if used in moderation, opiates (even the strong ones) tend to be harmless to the user both mentally and phsically in terms of long-term effects...

Even if they do chemically change your brain, you have used such a small amount that it will have 0 effect!

 

[wungchow]

If you shoot heroin, even once, you will never forget what it feels like. That's what you gotta watch out for.

 

[Opiatesrarely]

If you shoot heroin, even once, you will never forget what it feels like. That's what you gotta watch out for.

This is what I have heard.

PS: I would rather take a really high dose of Kratom than do anymore opiates.

 

[got beans?]

you have barely scratched the surface of opiate use. it seems virtaully impossible to me that you could've altered the long-term chemical balances of your brain in any way whatsoever. a person who comsumed a large dose of a strong opiate (20mg oxycodone for example) everyday for several months on end would only then be entering the realm of possibly of altering their brain chemistry. if you don't develope significant tolerance, i doubt you brain is anything but exactly the same.

i would be interested to know if this is possible in persons who use very large amounts of opiates daily for years on end without missing a day. it seems like it does happen to an extent then, given personal experience and the testimonies of others

 

[Opiatesrarely]

Fuck opiates.

 

[Amphed Revolution]

It's damn near impossible to forget the "rush" from any drug you IV.

Fentanyl being the most intense, heroin second, and finally methamphetamine. Snorting anything will not even come close to a good shot of any of those chems.

 

[burn out]

if you use opiates every day, they will cause long term changes in your brain chemistry. while they definitely aren't all permanent, these changes will definitely not magically reverse overnight when you stop. this goes for pretty much any drug.

as for using them once, this won't change how your brain functions physiologically but obviously the memory of the intense pleasure you may experience will be in your memory bank.

 

[KStoner6tb]

This is a question I've been wondering for a long time. I've been abusing hydrocodone for over 2 years now. I did acquire quite a nasty little habbit for awhile. I always wondered about the whole 'brain chemistry' affect because I've noticed other changes.

Ever since I discovered opiates, it seems like alcohol is just not that much fun to me anymore. This is kind of hard to explain but, I used to get a real sense of euphoria from drinking up until I started abusing opiates. Now when I get drunk, I just want to pop pills because the euphoria from drinking alone, is almost non-existent.

Now I know some of you are just going to say that booze is a shitty drug to begin with, but I don't want to hear that. My point is, it was always reallyy enjoyable to me until I started with the opiates. So in that aspect, you think you opiates altered my brain chemistry?

Not trying to hijack, just throw in a certain scenario OP

 

['medicine cabinet']

i think if someone did a shot of heroin for their fist time opiate use they would remember it because it would make them feel like shit and they would most likely be too high from it. i know for me it took me a few times to really feel good from opiates, or at least find the right dose.

once you are already on opiates and you get a taste IV, then yeah, its going to be tough to going back to any other ROA. The rush from IV heroin is good and all, but its the taste that always had me hooked on IV. you get that flowery vinegar taste all through your lungs and its the best...just great.

 

[lifeguardsleeps]

If you shoot heroin, even once, you will never forget what it feels like. That's what you gotta watch out for.

people always say that, but shooting heroin was/is such a let down. i was expecting some like huge rush or opiate pleasure like id never felt before, but it actually just feels like snorting it to me. i only shoot cause i think it wastes less heroin and it is a little more of a rush.


but to the person who posted this, dont worry!!! you hardly do opiates at all. it is not going to have any long term consequences as long as you dont keep doing it or keep it at that moderate amount. the danger is that like opiates feel so good you might do it more and more often and get addicted.

 

[lifeguardsleeps]

This is a question I've been wondering for a long time. I've been abusing hydrocodone for over 2 years now. I did acquire quite a nasty little habbit for awhile. I always wondered about the whole 'brain chemistry' affect because I've noticed other changes.

Ever since I discovered opiates, it seems like alcohol is just not that much fun to me anymore. This is kind of hard to explain but, I used to get a real sense of euphoria from drinking up until I started abusing opiates. Now when I get drunk, I just want to pop pills because the euphoria from drinking alone, is almost non-existent.

Now I know some of you are just going to say that booze is a shitty drug to begin with, but I don't want to hear that. My point is, it was always reallyy enjoyable to me until I started with the opiates. So in that aspect, you think you opiates altered my brain chemistry?

Not trying to hijack, just throw in a certain scenario OP

me too i used to be an alcoholic until i started opiates but now drinking isnt fun anymore.

 

[Opiatesrarely]

I'll keep it in mind.

 

[edarrin]

My point is, it was always reallyy enjoyable to me until I started with the opiates. So in that aspect, you think you opiates altered my brain chemistry?

Not in those amounts. You just found a better drug.

 

[KStoner6tb]

Ok, that's cool, thanks for the info... I understand that the opiate feeling will always be in my memory bank, but I was also wondering about whether or not it will make other drugs seem not enjoyable... mainly weed and alcohol, since I never want to get into any other drug use, expect for the occasional hallucinogens, maybe a rare E.

Some people answered that, so thanks, I'll keep it in mind.

Just know OP, that this was caused by extended abuse with opiates; not just the occasional use. Might be a drastic difference between the use and abuse affects.

 

[Opiatesrarely]

JJ - Still. good song. Youtube it.

 

[Unknown]

Any drug you put into your system alters brain chemistry to a point. Eventually, people who really abuse opiates need the drug to feel normal. On the TV show "Intervention", there was a guy who shot 5 times a day, just to feel normal. Opiates, in particular, increase the amount of mu, delta, kappa receptors. This is why we become tolerant. If you develop a large tolerance, chances are you are dependent. Once you stop taking narcotics, you feel like shit. Eventually, your mu, kappa, deltas will go down in number and you can function. I haven't heard of life-long brain chemistry changes. I know long term use could lead to other problems, like renal failure. Also, your tolerance kinda stays with you. If you quit using, and picked it up a year later, your tolerance will soon return to what is was beforr.

 

[Mr Blonde]

Opioids aren't neurotoxic.

The changes that will occur have to do with how your tolerance will develop again; most addicts and chronic users will know that your tolerance never really goes back down to 'baseline', and once you start up again that tolerance will skyrocket pretty quick.

The other changes, such as cravings and lack of pleasure from real life after you quit, go away after a while; well, maybe not the cravings.

I know long term use could lead to other problems, like renal failure.

I can't think of many opioids that are taxing on the liver... methadone maybe? Oh and dextropropoxythene. Most opioids are perfectly non-toxic unless you overdose.

 

[johanneschimpo]

^ "renal failure" means kidneys, not liver


Anyway, to the OP, long-term use of opiates will affect your brain in some way, but using opiates six times isn't going to do anything.

So, for your ridiculous post,
I present to you the "hypochondriac of the year" award
It looks like this:

 

[SummerBabe]

Opioids aren't neurotoxic.

The changes that will occur have to do with how your tolerance will develop again; most addicts and chronic users will know that your tolerance never really goes back down to 'baseline', and once you start up again that tolerance will skyrocket pretty quick.

^ This makes me wonder about permanent damage, though, like the OP was asking about. If you quit and eventually all of your receptors are supposed to go back to normal levels, then why would tolerance skyrocket if you start using again? Shouldn't you go back to the way you were before if there are no permanent changes? Why would your tolerance come back so fast if your brain is back to normal?

Can anybody explain what I'm not getting here?