-
Addiction
-
Feeling
warm, drowsy and content
-
Relieves
stress and discomfort
-
Relaxed
detachment from pain (increased tolerance to pain), desires and activity
-
Decreased
sexual pleasure, indifference to sex
-
Short-lived
state of euphoria, followed by drowsiness
-
Nodding
off, ‘gouching’ (at very high doses)
-
Small
pupils ('pinned' eyes), droopy eyelids, impaired night vision
-
Constipation
-
Slowed
and slurred speech
-
Itching
(at first few uses, sometimes later at larger doses)
-
Dry
mouth
-
Reduced
appetite / thirst
-
Irregular
menstruation
-
Vomiting
(at first use and later at high doses)
-
Slow,
irregular heart rate
-
Irregular
blood pressure
-
Depressing
of the nervous system, including reflexes such as coughing, breathing and
heart rate
-
Widening
of the blood vessels, which gives a feeling of warmth but reduces bowel
activity
-
As
tolerance develops more heroin is required to achieve a ‘high’
-
As
tolerance develops more heroin is required just to feel ‘normal’ and
not to be ill
-
Sedation
and coma
-
Death
from overdose
-
Respiratory
depression
-
Infectious
diseases i.e. HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and C
-
Can
impair immune system
-
Convulsions
(part of withdrawal syndrome)
-
Collapsed
veins
-
Abscesses
-
Bacterial
infections
-
Spontaneous
abortion / labour
-
Infection
of heart lining and valves
-
Arthritis
and other rheumatologic problems
-
Impair
soft tissues in certain voluntary muscles (i.e. the intestines)
