How Long Does a Heroin High Last? Duration and Effects

Over time, the brain adapts to the stream of heroin-induced dopamine, causing the person to feel like they are functioning normally when high. It’s not only a hit to their health drug abusers and heroin addicts face when taking the drug. Heroin is typically injected into the veins, which puts people at risks for blood-related diseases, such as hepatitis C and HIV, due to shared or used needles. Addicts also risk the chance of blood poisoning, bruising, and other complications as it results from shooting heroin via needles. Chronic users of heroin face severe health issues, such as cardiovascular damage, insomnia, and mental health concerns, including depression or bipolar disorder. After extended use, users high on the drug will feel like they are functionally more normally than when they aren’t using.

ADDICTION TREATMENT

When I finally decided to seek treatment at Changes Healing Center in Phoenix, I was at death’s door and really didn’t see much of a path to any sort of new life. Unfortunately, the cases of overdose deaths in the U.S. have increased in recent years. Some studies have linked this to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. If you notice someone you’re worried about is likely high on heroin, try to keep them safe until their high fades away. While you may be angry in the moment, confronting them while they are high isn’t likely to be productive due to their affected mental state. When deciding what type of treatment facility will work best for you or someone you love, consider what’s most important.

Seeking professional help through addiction treatment centers or community resources is crucial for those struggling with heroin use. Secondly, an individual’s tolerance and body chemistry also influence the duration of a heroin high. Over time, regular heroin users may develop a tolerance, requiring larger doses to achieve the desired effect. This increased tolerance can impact the duration of the high, as the body metabolizes the drug differently. Medical assistance and support can be crucial in managing these symptoms effectively.

What Does Heroin Feel Like?

• This often necessitates professional intervention for a safe recovery process.
• Opioid drug abuse alters the limbic system, which can reinforce drug-taking behavior.
• When sold in the streets, the drug is often mixed with other substances like fentanyl which can make it even more deadly.
• The monthly antidepressant dispensing rate for young people increased 66.3% from January 2016 to December 2022, according to a 2024 study in the journal Pediatrics.
• Yes, GBAC provides aftercare planning to help patients transition successfully back into the community.
• Heroin users often chase the high, seeking to replicate the intense euphoria of early use.
• Withdrawal symptoms can be severe, including intense cravings, physical pain, and mental distress.

Whether it’s the first time experimenting with heroin or someone who has used for months, every person is at risk for problems to their health, up to and including, death. Typically, dopamine is naturally released from the brain where it is recycled and returned to the cell it is initially released. However, dopamine released due to heroin use is not recycled, which results in excessive amounts becoming stored in the brain. This is disruptive to regular brain functioning and releases the feelings of euphoria. During a heroin high, a person will also experience side effects such as a decreased heart rate, how long do heroin highs last dry mouth, drowsiness, and a drop in blood pressure. If you or a loved one in the New England area is addicted to heroin, we may be able to help.

Biggest Open-Air Drug Markets in the U.S.

In order to understand how long a high on heroin can last, it is important to understand the effect heroin has on the body, brain and why it produces such a euphoric feeling for individuals who use heroin. Addiction recovery centers are usually recommended for overcoming any type of opioid drug use disorder, even though the withdrawal symptoms are not considered life-threatening. Heroin has an intense high that can last anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours, after which withdrawal may set in. It is a highly addictive substance that can quickly lead to drug abuse and addiction.

Why Do People Abuse Drugs and Alcohol?

• For this reason, if you are seeking help for a loved one, make sure they know that medications and detox will be provided to make them as comfortable as possible.
• This is your time to make positive choices for your long-term health and well-being.
• Treatment begins with a medically-supervised detox and is immediately followed by a transition to a long-term residential stay at our center.
• The white powder form of heroin is distributed mostly along the East Coast and originates from South America and Southeast Asia.
• « I know people, including members of my family, who’ve had a much worse time getting off of SSRIs than they have getting off of heroin, » Kennedy said in the hearing.

Factors such as stress levels, physical activity, and the presence of other substances in the body can all interact with heroin and impact its duration. Different routes of administration, such as injecting, smoking, or snorting heroin, can lead to variations in how quickly the drug enters the bloodstream and how long the high lasts. When someone smokes heroin, its effects are typically felt within a few minutes of inhaling the smoke. The peak effects usually manifest around 10 minutes after smoking and can persist for 4-5 hours.

When heroin enters the body and binds to the brain’s opioid receptors, it quickly produces feelings of intense pleasure, satisfaction, and painlessness. At Carolina Center for Recovery and affiliates, we aim to provide readers with the most accurate and updated healthcare information possible. Our certified medical reviewers are licensed in the mental health and addiction medicine fields and are dedicated to helping readers and prospective clients make informed decisions about their treatment. We adhere to strict accuracy guidelines and only reference credible sources when providing information on our website. These symptoms can last for a week or more depending on the severity of the person’s addiction. While heroin withdrawal is not life-threatening, it is best to detox at a licensed medical detox facility.

Peak high phase

When heroin is snorted, the effects usually kick in around 10 minutes later. These effects can include a warm and euphoric sensation, decreased pain perception, a sense of relaxation, and slowed breathing and heart rate. They typically peak between 30 minutes to an hour, providing an intense and pleasurable experience.