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Harm Reduction ⫸Should I Try HEROIN?⫷

Mr.Scagnattie

Bluelighter
Joined
Feb 3, 2004
Messages
12,850
Should I Try Heroin? MegaThread



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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?

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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.


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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.
 
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I just want to preface this post by saying that I've never heard a person say "I'm sure glad that I tried heroin!" It's like those e-cards; "I'm sure glad I tried heroin" said no man ever. I also invite anybody that is thinking about trying heroin to think of what they wish to gain by trying heroin, and how they think that trying heroin will help them achieve such goals.

The 'heroin is just another opiate' justification

A lot of people switch to heroin for the reason being that they think it's just another opiate so it can't be that bad, right?

While many people find heroin to be very similar to other opiates that they have tried, it brings with it extraordinary addiction potential due to its price and availability. With pills most people are limited in their use due to supply and price, as stricter prescribing practices have greatly reduced the abundance of prescription pain killers on the street. With heroin though, these limitations go out the window. With minimal effort most people that switch to heroin can find themselves several dealers that make it so that they have access to cheap heroin 24/7. This is one of the main factors that leads to peoples opiate addictions spiraling out of control.

The 'switching to heroin is more economic' reasoning debunked

People often validate their choice to switch to heroin under the notion that it is a more affordable habit. While this is often true during the beginning stages of 'the switch' I have yet to find a person that has not ended up spending the same if not more on their heroin habit than they did for their pill habit. The truth is that after the switch peoples tolerances will increase exponentially since they will continue to use as much as they can afford, and then some. It's not like a person with a tolerance of say 160mg of oxycodone will just switch to the equivalent in heroin and just stay at that dose. They will use the extra money to get even higher, increasing their tolerance with each high until they quickly find themselves spending the same amount on heroin as they were recently spending on the oxy.

The only time that a person will actually save money from making the switch is the very beginning of it, and then after that it's just cheaper than switching back. But a $120/day oxycodone (or whatever prescription opiate/opioid pain medication a person was abusing) habit will quickly become a $120/day heroin habit, usually taking only a few weeks to achieve. Then when tolerance and physical dependence really starts setting in that amount will stay up there and even increase as you continue to "chase the dragon" in an attempt to continuously achieve that well sought after 'ultimate high' that takes higher and higher doses to get close to (let's face it, that high is really just a 'pipe dream' that never actually comes true once you become strung out) which is why I can say with confidence that it's not worth it to switch to heroin.

The better approach (if you are dead set on continuing to get high) is to set a limit on yourself and space out your doses so that you do not surpass this self-imposed limit. So if you have limited yourself to spending no more than $X to get high yet you find that you are no longer getting the desired effects from the dosages you can afford with that allowance, then instead of breaking your own rules by spending more to get high you should space out your dosing more so that you can once again get high by spending that particular amount you have decided to limit yourself to spending, and then take whatever necessary steps you need to get and keep your tolerance down. This usually means a 'tolerance break' followed by the aforementioned spacing out of doses.
 
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this is a beautifully written intro to heroin and I myself have asked myself the question of whether it is worth it to try heroin once. After reading this, I am much less inclined to try it...EVER. I have thought all of the things that have been written above and the guide could practically be about me SPECIFICALLY, it's so accurate. I applaud this.
 
After reading this, I am much less inclined to try it...EVER.

That's awesome to hear. This is what I hope more people take away from this thread.

I hope you don't mind me throwing my experience out there. (Again sorry about the lack of paragraphs they just seem to disappear when I post with my phone)

I don't mind at all. In fact, I think it's a great idea for others who have been down the road of heroin addiction to post their advice and 2 cents about the whole thing. Thank you.
 
Great post man. But i think the majority of people who start dope (including myself) get into it after the pill habit becomes too expensive. You realize that a few 30s can get you a bundle which will last you way longer. An normally thats the case but soon tolerance goes up and yer in the same shithole again + the withdraws are too damn hard to deal with and you end up fuckin yourself.

But either way, i dont think anyone whos got no experience with opiates should jump into dope rite from the get go. Chances are if theres dope in yer town, than theres pills and if you wanna do any opiates you should start out with that. Also the pic above with the dudes arm thats all fucked up should scare someone who new to it to stop or rethink shooting. I mean damn i shoot but my arm doesnt look anywhere near like that and i cant imagine walking around having yer arm looking like that!
 
I've never been interested in using heroin because of the cuts dealers use and the risks involved. I refuse to IV any drug and I never have, because of my fear of needle-fever.
With that being said, I DO like opiates occasionally. I've used kratom, hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, codeine, and suboxone (subutex). I have never bought pills, I don't have sources for them, and I honestly have no intentions of going out and getting any. I know I can't justify abusing pain relievers, but I use them very rarely (once every two months, if they're available).

The question I have is: is heroin REALLY that different from other opiates? Or can we group all opiates (at least the harder ones) into this?
 
For those who smoke heroin, you can develop a disorder known as leukoencephalopathy, which is the progressive damage of white matter in the brain that leads to death.

Long term heroin abuse results in changes in an addict's brain that changes brain function after long term use.

Heroin users are also 20-30x more likely to die than non drug users according to WHO, which can be found in the above link.
 
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I've never been interested in using heroin because of the cuts dealers use and the risks involved. I refuse to IV any drug and I never have, because of my fear of needle-fever.
With that being said, I DO like opiates occasionally. I've used kratom, hydrocodone, oxycodone, tramadol, codeine, and suboxone (subutex). I have never bought pills, I don't have sources for them, and I honestly have no intentions of going out and getting any. I know I can't justify abusing pain relievers, but I use them very rarely (once every two months, if they're available).

The question I have is: is heroin REALLY that different from other opiates? Or can we group all opiates (at least the harder ones) into this?

The info in this thread can definitely be related to opiate abuse in general, especially the heavier ones. We focused on heroin specifically here because that has been the drug many people have been posting about, asking about advice via trying it for the first time, and it does tend to be the end step for many people who are messing with other opiates. A lot of users who start out with things like hydrocodone, oxy, etc, end up graduating to heroin use.
 
The info in this thread can definitely be related to opiate abuse in general, especially the heavier ones. We focused on heroin specifically here because that has been the drug many people have been posting about, asking about advice via trying it for the first time, and it does tend to be the end step for many people who are messing with other opiates. A lot of users who start out with things like hydrocodone, oxy, etc, end up graduating to heroin use.

I live in Florida, which is considered the "pill mill" of the US. Heroin isn't all too big around here, but IV dilaudid hit us like a plague. I understand the frustration behind the over-posting of this specific topic, but in the spirit of harm reduction, I think this should be changed to a hard opiate/ IV awareness thread. Many of friends who are daily users would only touch heroin if it was their last option, hours into withdrawal, but I know plenty of people who would IV an unfiltered dilaudid, regardless of whether or not they were addicted at the time.
 
about time we created this thread

There should be links to some of the more popular "Should I try Heroin" threads, and I also have 1 more point to make:

Once you go down the road of addiction, there is literally no turning back. It does not matter how long you've been clean and sober, but after a heroin habit people will look at you different. They will also talk about you differently, treat you differently, etc. It sucks... a lot.
 
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Once you go down the road of addiction, there is literally no turning back. It does not matter how long you've been clean and sober, but after a heroin habit people will look at you different. They will also talk about you differently, treat you differently, etc. It sucks... a lot.

Yeah very true. It not only changes you personally, but how others look at you.
 
Coming from a guy who almost lost his life several times due to heroin abuse a few years ago, It's a terrible idea to start using heroin. In my opinion, it's literally a death sentence and if you're lucky, at least a prison one. It's a downward spiral and all it will lead to is addiction, incarceration, poor health, social stigma, rehabs, and ultimately death. I just shake my head at the people who tell me that they can shoot up with no repercussions like addiction. Don't do it, take it from someone who's lost plenty of friends because of it.
 
I have always wanted to do Heroin, but the fact that its illegal has stopped me. I have a job that requires a clean criminal record and as such I was just too afraid to go and buy some, just in case I got seen by a police officer. That, and where I live, the drugs are overpriced and crap quality. If anyone knows where I mean: my closest area to find drugs is Camden in North London.

However, recently I've been contemplating it more and more. My reasoning is because I want to reawaken my creativity. I used to write...a LOT. Since I was like 7 years old I had an amazing imagination. However, as I went though the schooling system, my curiosity became aimed at the sciences, and as a result I feel like I've list the creative edge I once had. I try to write now, but nothing comes out. My thoughts are really not the same anymore, and I'm stuck in a world of order and routine.

Do I still want to try heroin? Yes. Will I actually be trying heroin? Unlikely. The post by one member kace (?) yesterday about what happened to her after trying heroin, was horrifying to read. I also read another bluelighter write out in steps how one eventually becomes a junkie, saying thats the inevitable end to trying it. That was powerful.
 
However, recently I've been contemplating it more and more. My reasoning is because I want to reawaken my creativity. I used to write...a LOT. Since I was like 7 years old I had an amazing imagination. However, as I went though the schooling system, my curiosity became aimed at the sciences, and as a result I feel like I've list the creative edge I once had. I try to write now, but nothing comes out. My thoughts are really not the same anymore, and I'm stuck in a world of order and routine.
Sounds to me like you grew up. Most 7 year old's have crazy imaginations.
 
linking heroin to creativity wasn't exactly a huge stretch; there have been many talented people who have been opiate/general drug addicts.
 
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