his is understandable considering the massive smear campaign that has been launched against is. Everyone has heard stories of the horrible things heroin addicts do to get their hands on it. Most people have heard it described as a total body orgasm. Many addicts will tell you that they'd rather die than not use, and often those who do use it die anyway. Even getting it in your system requires a lot of work. Why would someone want to inject themselves 4, 5, 6, 8, 10 times a day if it wasn't just about the best feeling thing on the plant? With all of the risk people willing to take, extreme behavior and negative side effects users put up with just to get it in their veins , it's got to at least feel great, right? Most people aren't willing to put up with all that. They don't want people to think poorly of them and to be rejected by their friends and family. They're not willing to spill blood just to find out what it's like. They don't want to become addicted. They don't want to risk the legal ramifications. And they certainly don't want to risk death. These are all very legitimate reasons. If only because of addiction, it's a smart choice to never take heroin. But with the rumors and hype and propaganda and outright lies spreading like wildfire, it makes for a very uneducated public. Inevitably facts will be eschewed by hysteria, users will be vilified and heroin itself... well, everyone knows it's the "Devil Drug".
For most, all of that negative press is enough to make them steer clear. But for others, it will be seen as the ultimate milestone, a right of passage that will escalate them into the drug using elite. And still another group just won't believe all the government propaganda and will want to find out for themselves. After all, that's what they said about pot, right? Regardless of personal opinion, I think everybody could benefit from a little education. Because heroin users aren't going anywhere. Misinformation will only leads to unnecessary fear, ineffective policies, (which can perpetuate disease and even death, on top of enforcing an inhumane punitive system), glamorization of the drug to those inclined to rebel, a nationwide health concern, addiction programs that don't work and the complete ostracization of a a fairly large group of our society - which in my opinion the worst thing that can happen in a "civilized" country. If there is be any success in addressing heroin addiction, then there needs to be accurate understanding of heroin and why it causes people to act the way they do. Otherwise, addicts won't be receptive to those trying to help because they won't feel understood. And people attracted to the drug because of the misinformation will be ill-prepared to deal with the consequences once they try it.
So, let's start with the basics. How does heroin make you feel? With all of the hype about this drug, it's got to be the absolute best feeling drug on the planet, right? That total body orgasm that people talk about. It must be a mind-blowingly incredible high, right? Wrong. Heroin has a subtle effect. It can be very disappointing to people who are used to MDMA, THC or even alcohol. It doesn't provide a body buzz even remotely similar to things like ecstasy. And the effects are much more subtle than the all consuming, mind dulling high of weed. Don't get me wrong, the feeling is very nice. But it's just that, nice. If you have zero opiate tolerance whatsoever and have ever taken a Vicodine, you have the basic idea of what heroin feels like. It does just what opiates were created to do. Take away severe pain and give you a sense of general well being. It does that very well. If you like harder drugs like MDMA and are looking for something similar, heroin is not the drug for you. There will be no life changing epiphanies on heroin. There will be no sensual body buzz. There will be no communion with the universe. It dulls pain and it dulls the sense. Period. That's why many people are able to try heroin and decide that it's not the drug for them. In fact, many people experience many negative side effects as well. Nausea is extremely common, as is constipation. For many people who try it, those side effects aren't worth the mild euphoria. So they don't use it again. Heroin users can do a shot and then proceed with their normal day, interacting with society, going to work, having dinner with their family, without anyone being the wiser. The notion that we all lounge around luxuriating in our own skin is completely inaccurate. Try MDMA if that's the experience you're looking for. Even with an IV injection, the rush is nice, and the high is nice. It won't knock your socks off and if you have any experience with other drugs, it will probably be disappointing.
So, why do people keep using it then? Why would people decide to throw their entire lives away, be outcasts of society and risk becoming a slave to the opium poppy because it's just "nice"? For many people, that feeling of "nice" is a very real escape from a terrible reality. Many users really do have terrible pasts they are running from. But not all of us. For others, like me, it provided a much more pleasant alternative than the more socially acceptable drugs. There's no hang over (until you develop a physical addiction), you can take it all day long and still work and accomplish all your daily tasks, because it doesn't give you such an intense high. Sure, when I'm partying I wanted that intense MDMA or meth or whatever buzz. But on a regular basis, heroin - and all opiates for that matter - provide a better alternative than getting mind numbingly plastered. All opiates provide that same feeling. But one of the huge downsides of opiates is that tolerance is rapidly developed, causing pill poppers to keep seeking a stronger and stronger alternative, until they finally find heroin. In addition, opiates are extremely addictive. So while you are building your tolerance, you are also building a physically dependency, which will soon lead to addiction. Addiction is a huge downside of heroin use. I do want to address addiction, but it will require a blog of its own. For now, let's continue with misconceptions.
To continue, turn to my next blog post, Everything You Know About Heroin is Wrong, Pt 2!
For most, all of that negative press is enough to make them steer clear. But for others, it will be seen as the ultimate milestone, a right of passage that will escalate them into the drug using elite. And still another group just won't believe all the government propaganda and will want to find out for themselves. After all, that's what they said about pot, right? Regardless of personal opinion, I think everybody could benefit from a little education. Because heroin users aren't going anywhere. Misinformation will only leads to unnecessary fear, ineffective policies, (which can perpetuate disease and even death, on top of enforcing an inhumane punitive system), glamorization of the drug to those inclined to rebel, a nationwide health concern, addiction programs that don't work and the complete ostracization of a a fairly large group of our society - which in my opinion the worst thing that can happen in a "civilized" country. If there is be any success in addressing heroin addiction, then there needs to be accurate understanding of heroin and why it causes people to act the way they do. Otherwise, addicts won't be receptive to those trying to help because they won't feel understood. And people attracted to the drug because of the misinformation will be ill-prepared to deal with the consequences once they try it.
So, let's start with the basics. How does heroin make you feel? With all of the hype about this drug, it's got to be the absolute best feeling drug on the planet, right? That total body orgasm that people talk about. It must be a mind-blowingly incredible high, right? Wrong. Heroin has a subtle effect. It can be very disappointing to people who are used to MDMA, THC or even alcohol. It doesn't provide a body buzz even remotely similar to things like ecstasy. And the effects are much more subtle than the all consuming, mind dulling high of weed. Don't get me wrong, the feeling is very nice. But it's just that, nice. If you have zero opiate tolerance whatsoever and have ever taken a Vicodine, you have the basic idea of what heroin feels like. It does just what opiates were created to do. Take away severe pain and give you a sense of general well being. It does that very well. If you like harder drugs like MDMA and are looking for something similar, heroin is not the drug for you. There will be no life changing epiphanies on heroin. There will be no sensual body buzz. There will be no communion with the universe. It dulls pain and it dulls the sense. Period. That's why many people are able to try heroin and decide that it's not the drug for them. In fact, many people experience many negative side effects as well. Nausea is extremely common, as is constipation. For many people who try it, those side effects aren't worth the mild euphoria. So they don't use it again. Heroin users can do a shot and then proceed with their normal day, interacting with society, going to work, having dinner with their family, without anyone being the wiser. The notion that we all lounge around luxuriating in our own skin is completely inaccurate. Try MDMA if that's the experience you're looking for. Even with an IV injection, the rush is nice, and the high is nice. It won't knock your socks off and if you have any experience with other drugs, it will probably be disappointing.
So, why do people keep using it then? Why would people decide to throw their entire lives away, be outcasts of society and risk becoming a slave to the opium poppy because it's just "nice"? For many people, that feeling of "nice" is a very real escape from a terrible reality. Many users really do have terrible pasts they are running from. But not all of us. For others, like me, it provided a much more pleasant alternative than the more socially acceptable drugs. There's no hang over (until you develop a physical addiction), you can take it all day long and still work and accomplish all your daily tasks, because it doesn't give you such an intense high. Sure, when I'm partying I wanted that intense MDMA or meth or whatever buzz. But on a regular basis, heroin - and all opiates for that matter - provide a better alternative than getting mind numbingly plastered. All opiates provide that same feeling. But one of the huge downsides of opiates is that tolerance is rapidly developed, causing pill poppers to keep seeking a stronger and stronger alternative, until they finally find heroin. In addition, opiates are extremely addictive. So while you are building your tolerance, you are also building a physically dependency, which will soon lead to addiction. Addiction is a huge downside of heroin use. I do want to address addiction, but it will require a blog of its own. For now, let's continue with misconceptions.
To continue, turn to my next blog post, Everything You Know About Heroin is Wrong, Pt 2!