Taking too much heroin can cause an overdose or even become fatal. Heroin affects the central nervous system. It also slows down the user’s breathing. If the dose is too high, the user may lose consciousness. Typically, a lethal dose can be between 200 to 500 mg. This all depends on the purity and the user’s history with heroin. There have been addicts that could survive doses of 1800 mg and more. A tolerable dose for an addict can be incredibly fatal for a first time user. See this heroin addiction video.
Heroin Tolerance
With heroin, the tolerance to it is easily obtained and easily lost. Even if someone uses only on the weekends, they usually need to take more every couple weekends in order to achieve the same high. However, it is dangerous because the tolerance is also lost quickly. If one stops using for as little as a few weeks, a dose that was once tolerable can become fatal.
Heroin overdose can easily result in death. Sometimes overdoses happen to those who have been addicted for a long time because they push themselves to taking more than their body can handle in order to satisfy the craving. Over time, it takes more and more heroin to achieve the same result because their body is not affected as intensely. Although some might think that overdosing happens only to those who have been addicted for a long time; that is not entirely true.
Heroin Purity
Using heroin bought off the streets is always dangerous because a user can never be absolutely certain of the purity. Even when the drug is from the same dealer, it can have a different purity level because it is not an exact science and many dealers are not as careful as they should be. This can catch many off guard and can lead to an accidental overdose on the same amount that they used the previous time. Ultimately it depends on the user’s tolerance and how careful the dealer is when mixing.
Often, a first-time user turning to heroin is the victim of an overdose because certain heroin is purer than less expensive buys. When a user receives the purer heroin, it often leads to an overdose because they don’t realize that it is purer or they don’t understand that they do not need as much heroin to satisfy the need.
Buying heroin off the street is dangerous in itself because the seller may add other things to it. If the heroin is not pure, there are different additives, which can cause many kinds of problems for the user.
Heroin Overdose Fatality
It has been proven that fatal overdosing on heroin is rarely immediate; it usually takes some time before the user dies of an overdose. To be safe, no one should ever use heroin when they are alone because it could cause one to lose consciousness. If someone is with them, they can see the warning signs and transport the user to a hospital; this way the overdose does not become fatal.
It is also more likely to overdose when mixing heroin with other drugs. It is hard to gauge how much of each drug to use safely.
When a user switches dealers, they are also more likely to overdose because the purity may be completely different than their previous dealer. If a user doesn’t try a smaller amount to test it, they can easily overdose.
If you or a loved one is addicted to heroin and need heroin detox rehab, it is important to seek help. Once addicted, the effects are devastating. Most lose their jobs, dreams, and ambitions. In some cases, it only takes one shot to become addicted. But, there is hope. If you are interested in receiving information on heroin detox or rehab, please call our toll free number at (866) 872-6491.
