Can Heroin Cause Brain Damage?

It’s hard to pinpoint the moment you become addicted to heroin. What starts as a way to escape pain, difficult feelings or simply the boredom of the daily grind can take you far, far away from where you intended to go.

But what started as something that felt incredible and freeing has now turned you into someone you and your loved ones no longer recognize. How did you get here without realizing it?

The answer has to do with how heroin affects the brain. Heroin can cause significant changes to the way your brain operates, affecting your mood and damaging your brain’s ability to function normally without heroin. And in some cases, heroin can even cause serious brain damage.

How Heroin Affects the Brain

Your brain utilizes natural chemicals to deal with pain on its own, but in some cases, that may not be enough. Synthetic opioids like prescription painkillers or naturally occurring ones like heroin interact with the same areas of the brain that are normally in charge of this response.

As you continue to use heroin, your brain loses the ability to create these naturally occurring feel-good chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, leaving you dependent on the drug to feel better.

As this dependence grows, you no longer feel good from natural and healthy stimuli, such as interactions with loved ones, eating your favorite foods or participating in your favorite hobbies.

More Research Connects Heroin and Brain Damage

Unfortunately, these aren’t the only changes heroin can have on your brain as you continue to abuse the drug. Some research has suggested that heroin addiction can have similar effects on the brain as Alzheimer’s disease, showing inflammation and protein buildup in the brain that is seen in Alzheimer’s patients. Based on these findings, heroin addiction may damage the brain so much that it leads to a form of dementia.

Can You Get Brain Damage from a Heroin Overdose?

Beyond the damage heroin abuse causes on the brain, an overdose effects the brain even more. It’s possible to survive a heroin overdose, but the severe lack of oxygen can wreak havoc on your brain.

Most people who die in these circumstances do so from respiratory failure. When you stop breathing for an extended period of time, brain cells begin to die. Depending on the extent of the brain damage, you may experience permanent issues with mental faculties, cognition, speech, body control and much more.

Signs You Might Be Addicted to Heroin

Opioids like heroin are incredibly addictive. Many people who start using heroin have some past experience with other opioids like prescription painkillers. Others may have experimented with heroin one time and immediately felt the pull of addiction.

Take an honest evaluation of yourself and your situation. If you’re using or have used heroin and are experiencing any of the following symptoms, it’s important to seek help right away:

Trouble performing on the job or at school
Altercations with loved ones
Sleeping more and more often
Decreased self esteem
Lack of personal hygiene and personal upkeep
Disinterest in hobbies or goals

Get Help with Heroin Addiction at Footprints Beachside Recovery

Heroin addiction isn’t and shouldn’t be something you try to defeat on your own. That’s because continuing to abuse heroin exposes you to risks like fentanyl overdose, and trying to quit on your own may result in an even greater relapse and an eventual overdose.

Fortunately, there is a way for you to recover from heroin addiction and help your mind recover from the drug’s effects. It starts with seeking treatment at Footprints Beachside Recovery.

We understand addiction because we’ve been there. That’s why we believe in a personalized approach to addiction recovery that targets your specific needs. Our program delivers one-on-one attention that larger facilities can’t provide and gives you a beautiful, safe and private setting for you to recover peacefully.

Brittany Forbes

17:28 07 Feb 24

I went to and completed footprints it’s a great program where I learned to thrive in my recovery and built a foundation that I continuously rely on and made friends as well who continue to save me!

Denis Psatha

00:32 07 Feb 24

I never thought getting sober was a option until I went to footprints, it’s a great environment,I felt like I was at home while staying in house because everyone was very friendly,also all the therapists are very good at helping you out with any problems u may have ,they have fun activities every weekend and for the first time I’ve actually made sober friends which is very helpful even after u leave the program there always a call away!!

Marina Scruby

17:28 26 Jan 24

I graduated Footprints Beachside recovery center in Oct 23’ and am going on 9 months clean and sober. This wasn’t my first time being in treatment and i was having a hard time remaining sober for more than 2 months. If it wasn’t for this treatment center, the staff, and therapist, doesn’t matter… i wouldn’t be living the sober life i am today. Walking into Footprints was the best decision i have ever made for myself, from bowling to kayaking and going to the movies or outside AA meetings you don’t really feel like you’re in a treatment center but you also get the knowledge and tools that u need to stay sober.. the support the staff offers for the clients on a day to day basis was so helpful during my time there!!! I am forever grateful for my time at Footprints! i would suggest this place to anyone who struggles with addiction/alcoholism and is wanting to get better. Coming from Georgia was nerve wrecking but it was for the best choice for my own recovery. The foundation, sober connections and tools this rehab gave me to start my recovery journey is not something you’ll get somewhere else (in my experience)!

Just Me

22:27 12 Dec 23

I went to Footprints for 120 days and it more then likely saved my life. The therapists are great and really care about the patients. There is a lot of freedom while in treatment but it is earned. All the staff are good people and really care and help. This was the place that finally got me over my hump. Thanks Footprints for all the help and support I have received.Glenn

Mahmoud Mokhtar

18:20 29 Oct 23

Kelly was so helpful and the staff made the process easy when helping my family member. Thank you Kelly and Footprints.

Francis Weber

01:55 25 Sep 23

Footprints Beach Side Recovery goes far and above all rehabilitation centers. From Leaders to Therapists to Technicians, everyone is focused on recovery, tools, methodologies, support and genuine, loving care for it's clients.Footprints invests in the classiest, devoted and certified therapists and they are always available.Rehabilitation activities centered around sport, adventures, special guests, art and education add flavor and fun to a strong curriculum.I would vouch 100% for Footprints and recommend, without hesitation to anyone in search of care - 1 day at a time.

Riley White

14:27 22 Sep 23

footprints is like the disney world of rehabs. the clinical team truly cares about you & personalizes the course of treatment to every individual’s specific needs. i can honestly say i would not be alive today if it weren’t for this program, they gave me hope when i was hopeless & loved me when i couldn’t love myself. it’s more than just a paycheck for these people, they truly care about the clients & help cater to them in whatever way possible. 10/10 would recommend

Edward Rios

15:59 14 Apr 23

Great place for recovery. Great staff and management. Provides all the needed stepping stones to recover, from inpatient to outpatient to sober living. The sober living executive manger Paul Romero is very professional and dose a great job running the house.The president John Templeton makes sure everybody gets the individual attention they deserves. You can tell he has a passion for helping peopleThey changed my life for the better and gave me another shot at life.