Dying From heroin overdose?

Question

i lack any understanding in science. so a little help please.

ive been reading debates as to wether heroin overdose (or a mixture with other drugs, speedball) is a painfull way to go.

most say that it is painless, and they fall asleep and die.

but ive read that heroin overdose causes 'respiration depression' and the person basically can't breathe as its brain is not sending the required messages to the lungs.

so how is it painless,? isn't it just like suffocating to death?

..my friend passed away 2 years ago becuase of this. i just want to understand this.

Answer 1

i have known a couple people who oOD'd but lived. they said the only way to know that you OD'd is when you wake up in the hospital.

its starts with a nod, and the next thing you know everything stops and you dont even realize it.

Answer 2

I don't think the brain is able to receive the signals of pain the body is sending due to the effect of the drug on the brain.  It would be the same as being under anesthesia while having an operation.

Answer 3

As much as I HATE to admit this..but I used to be addicted to heroin...although I never shot up (I smoked it) I would still get just as high...it slowly cuts down the signals to your brain first cutting your motor skills causing you to "nod out" becoming extremley relaxed and sleepy. When you get that high you just close your eyes and go with it but your brain is shutting itself off and you don't even realize that your slowly closing yourself down. It's completely non painful becuase your in such a high state of euphoria...like going to sleep and simply never waking up. I too have lost some people due to overdose, very hard to deal with. Thank you God that I got away from that horrible stuff! Going on 7 months clean by the way ; )

Answer 4

It causes respiratory depression because your body loses the ability to properly sense the amount of oxygen in your blood. Your oxygen gets lower and lower, and your body doesn't increase breathing rate to compensate. This is a relatively slow process - not like suffocating from drowning. So think about slowly breathing less and less - you start to fall asleep or pass out, then if your oxygen keeps depleting you will eventually die. Because they process is slow and you also get the relaxed feelings from the drug, it is more like falling asleep or passing out and never waking up.