Summary:
This article reviews whether heroin is a stimulant or a depressant, how it functions in the body and the brain, and what options there are for individuals with heroin addiction to find treatment.
Is heroin a stimulant or depressant? It is classified as a central nervous system depressant. This means that it impacts your central nervous system, and it does so by depressing its functions rather than stimulating them.
Highly illegal and addictive, heroin is derived from the poppy plant or opium, and it binds to opioid receptors that naturally occur in the brain. These opioid receptors in the brain control vital functions within the body, like breathing and heart rate. When heroin connects to these opioid receptors, it disrupts communication from other neurotransmitters, effectively blocking their ability to connect and communicate with the brain.
Why is Heroin Mistaken for a Stimulant?
This results in an initial rush that many people mistake for stimulation, followed by an intense level of sedation that makes it very dangerous. Those who are struggling with addiction to heroin are at a high risk of respiratory depression, where the body stops breathing entirely, leading to a fatal overdose as well as secondary mental health issues or polysubstance abuse.
The Dangers of Untreated Heroin Addiction
With the right type of treatment, individuals can go through their initial detox to rid the body of any remaining toxins from heroin use and participate in a combination of individual and group therapy to help deal with the underlying causes of addiction. It’s not uncommon for people to find themselves drawn to heroin because of the physical and emotional detachment they get, the sense of relaxation, but these sensations come from a dangerous function. Therapy provides a safer alternative to utilizing coping mechanisms that help individuals process physical or emotional pain more safely.
Finding Heroin Treatment with Sequoia Recovery
At Sequoia Detox Centers, we offer a full range of care, with many clients being able to go through each program, starting with heroin detox to aftercare in a step-down process during treatment. This makes it possible for those struggling with heroin addiction to find the right level of support, whether it is their first time seeking help or not.
If you or someone you love has experienced a relapse with heroin or any other drug, our team can offer a full range of care so that clients can return to detox and inpatient care, where necessary, or come back to an outpatient program.
Heroin Detox
At our facilities, we start with Heroin detox, a process by which individuals are able to flush any residual toxins and compounds from their bodies. During this process, clients will experience mild to severe withdrawal symptoms, but our team provides constant supervision, interventions for any medical emergencies, and medications to ease this discomfort.
Residential Care
After our detox process, individuals can start with the highest level of care and support through our residential or inpatient program. With this level of care, clients receive constant supervision and reside full-time at our treatment centers, allowing the opportunity to detach from daily obligations or stresses and explore personal causes of addiction or other mental health disorders.
Outpatient Care
From there, our clients have the opportunity to step down to a lower level of care, transitioning to an outpatient treatment plan where they can reside at home but still receive part-time or full-time support from our treatment center and staff. This provides a chance to continue building coping skills, processing personal triggers, and learning healthier alternatives to drugs and alcohol.
Our teams are here when you are ready. Call us at 1-866-824-0709 to get started.
FAQ
Is Heroin a Stimulant or Depressant?
Heroin is a very powerful depressant, so it is classified as something that depresses or slows down communication between your body and your brain.
How Is Heroin a Depressant When It Causes a High?
Heroin produces an initial euphoria, which leads many people to mistakenly classify it as a stimulant, but in reality, it suppresses neural activity and acts on the central nervous system. This is why it is classified as a depressant. While users might initially feel a rush, that very quickly leads to drowsiness, reduced physical function, and sedation.
What Makes Heroin Different From Stimulants?
Stimulants stimulate or speed up the heart rate and other bodily functions, leading to increased energy and alertness, whereas heroin depresses these activities. Heroin often induces feelings of calm and sedation by slowing down brain and body activity like breathing and heart rate.
How Does Heroin Affect the Central Nervous System?
Heroin binds to opioid receptors in the brain, receptors that are responsible for regulating the reward and pain signals sent by the brain to the body. This means that certain neurotransmitters are not released that should otherwise be released. When this happens, the central nervous system does not work as much as it should, leading to slowed heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. This often results in things like constricted pupils, nodding off between conscious and semi-conscious states, and slurred speech.
Is It Bad to Mix Heroin and Depressants?
Yes, it is extremely dangerous to mix heroin with other depressants like benzodiazepines or alcohol because all of these suppress the central nervous system and all of these function as depressants that can lead to a fatal overdose, lethal shallow breathing, and lethal heart rate or blood pressure drops.
Is It Worse to Mix Heroin with Depressants or Stimulants?
Mixing heroin with a stimulant like cocaine is very dangerous because it increases the risk of heart attack or stroke due to the severe strain on the heart and reduced breathing rate, while mixing heroin with depressants can lead to a dangerous depression of key functions like breathing and heart rate. Neither mixture is safe, and both increase the risk of severe complications like a heart attack or overdose.
