Heroin is an extremely potent and addictive opiate.
It creates an instant and intense relaxation and euphoria in the user and acts on receptors in the brain to suppress feelings of pain. Users can quickly come to depend on these effects.
The drug is also physically addictive. A person’s tolerance will increase as they continue to use the drug, meaning users will require more to achieve the desired effect. This increases the probability of overdose.
Once a person has developed a heroin addiction, it is extremely difficult to stop using it. Most people will require professional support.