How does Heroin/opiate use affect cravings in the long term?

[Cohesion]

Since even short term use of heroin changes the neuronal pathways and changes how dopamine is received, would this in turn cause the ex-heroin user to have stronger and more unbearable cravings than someone who has never used opiates?

Cravings stronger than it seems they should be.. for anything one is dependent on- in my case marijuana.

 

[Larc]

I can only speak for myself. I generally feel addicted to anything now adays, coffee, alcohol, and weed. This feeling was never there before heroin.

I believe it has to do more with social pressure saying that Im an addict then it does with changes in my brain chemistry.

When you take a step back though, everyone uas a vice, Im just happy that mine is now longer heroin. If I need to drink a pot of coffee, a few beers, and some weed through out my day, fuck it.

 

[TheLostBoys]

Since even short term use of heroin changes the neuronal pathways and changes how dopamine is received, would this in turn cause the ex-heroin user to have stronger and more unbearable cravings than someone who has never used opiates?

Cravings stronger than it seems they should be.. for anything one is dependent on- in my case marijuana.

Are you asking whether an ex-heroin user has an easier chance of falling into an addiction of other stuff in life than someone that hasn't used heroin before?

I don't know anyone that uses heroin do I couldn't answer your question directly but I do know people that have addictions like gambling & drinking & both of those vices go hand in hand with the people that gamble & drink.

It seems that people that have addictions are more vulnerable to fall into something else easier if they dont have a stable family group around them that doesn't do either the drinking or gambling.

 

[legalizeall]

Since even short term use of heroin changes the neuronal pathways and changes how dopamine is received

Could you show the source where it says that short term use changes the neuronal pathways and dopamine receiving areas in the brain.