A typical heroin detox timeline lasts approximately one week. However, each person handles addiction and detox differently, which will affect this span of time. For example, an older person who has been using heroin for longer and at greater dosages will likely require more time than a younger person who hasn’t suffered from addiction for as long. There’s no tried-and-true system to test how long the process will take, since the body is unpredictable.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms begin within six to twelve hours after the last dose. The first couple days of detox are the most severe. Physical and psychological symptoms during this time are extreme and difficult to manage alone. Among these are:
- Nausea and/or vomiting
- Muscle aches, spasms, and/or tremors
- Profuse sweating
- Nervousness and anxiety
- Depression
Seizures and hallucinations may also occur, especially if you’ve been suffering from addiction for a long period of time. Cravings are also hard to ignore when temptations and influences are still present. Due to the combination of pain, stress, and discomfort that occurs at the start of the timeline for heroin detox, many experience relapse and begin using again. It’s also common during this time for an overdose to occur.
It’s highly recommended to work with an addiction treatment facility that can provide a safe and secure environment for you to go through these symptoms and anticipate any dangerous reactions. With the appropriate resources and a compassionate team of doctors and specialists, your health is monitored around-the-clock.
Heroin affects the signals of the brain. These changes impact how you think, act, and behave. The short-lived high a person feels when using heroin is not comparable to the long-term effects and symptoms that result. It’s chasing this high that causes cravings and eventually makes a person feel they need heroin to survive, regardless of how much it takes a negative toll on the body.
Post-Acute Withdrawal Symptoms Extends The Timeline
The previously mentioned symptoms are present within the first few days of a heroin addiction recovery timeline. There may be instances of post-acute or protracted withdrawal symptoms as well. These symptoms extend beyond the general seven to days and can last for weeks or months at varying levels of intensity. During this time, a dual diagnosis may be issued for a co-existing mental disorder, such as depression or anxiety, which requires its own level of care.
The length and extremeness of the timeline of drug withdrawal symptoms of any kind is taxing on a physical, emotional, and psychological level. No one should have to go through the pain alone. It requires a support team to help you see it through to completion. You play an active role in the success of your recovery, but it’s the assistance of others who make the effort attainable and removes control from your addiction.
Safely Withdrawing From Heroin
A strong support system is important in order to battle heroin withdrawal, but it’s not recommended to experience this at home. The detox process is intense and can be overwhelming for loved ones who want to help you, but are not equipped to handle your reaction to it. There aren’t resources readily available to monitor your physical and mental health as you experience the various symptoms.
Also, staying at home places you in the same environment as your addiction. Even if heroin isn’t made available to you, it still doesn’t contribute to the positive atmosphere necessary for healing. Certain places and people can serve as triggers and lead to relapse. Seeking care at a drug addiction treatment facility ensures everyone is focused on your sobriety and will put your health first above all else. It is equipped to help manage your symptoms and provide a space that’s as comfortable as possible for you.
Your mind may think you can or want to discontinue using drugs, but your addiction tells you that you need it, which makes detoxing alone difficult. Relying on the assistance of compassionate medical professionals through a treatment program provides what you need day and night. There’s no way to predict how the body will react. Being in a safe, supervised place is what’s best for your health and comfort.
Signs and Prevalence of Heroin Abuse and Addiction
Heroin was once thought of as a street drug, only available and abused in urban communities.
In today’s world, national reports have shown how this drug, along with opioids, have infiltrated all areas of the U.S. at an alarming rate. According to the most recent information provided by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, approximately 948,000 Americans reported using heroin in 2016, with a high prevalence of use among young adults ages 18-25.
A contributing factor to this upswing in substance abuse and subsequent addiction is the use of prescription opioids. In 2017, it was reported over 70,200 Americans died from drug overdose, nearly double the amount over the previous decade. Over half of those deaths were attributed to prescription opioids, heroin, and other synthetic narcotics.
Due to the grim forecast that heroin dependence and addiction entails, it seems like the logical answer is to stop use immediately. Unfortunately, this is a clear-cut solution for a complex situation. When a person becomes addicted to heroin, it changes the physiology of the brain. Mental and physical symptoms of heroin abuse include:
- Constricted pupils and/or bloodshot eyes
- Nausea and vomiting
- Shortness of breath
- Slurred speech
- Paranoia
- Lack of motivation
A craving to use heroin and an increased tolerance level are also indicators that your body has become addicted to the drug. Depending on heroin to uphold daily obligations at work or home is also a tell-tale sign of how it’s infiltrated your health and state of mind. Once the body becomes addicted, withdrawal symptoms will occur if you abruptly abstain from use. Detoxification is the first step in a multi-phase treatment program to achieve and maintain long-term sobriety and wellness.
What Happens After Detox?
Another reason it’s crucial to experience heroin detoxification in a treatment facility is because rehabilitation follows immediately after. Residential rehab lasts for at least 90 days, depending on the treatment plan you and your group of medical specialists determine is effective. It requires a temporary stay at the facility, which gives you the opportunity to fully focus on your recovery. Rehab also gives you space between you and the environment that housed your addiction and provides resources, information, and continual support every step of the way.
A residential rehab program includes individual counseling, group therapy, and educational classes that will guide you to the next phase of life sans addiction. There’s time for recreation and quiet reflection on your own as well. It serves as a hard reset from your life with addiction and provides a healthy structure to follow. There are specific evidence-based therapies and techniques applied, but each program is personalized to fit your individual needs.
Following residential treatment, there are four months of intensive outpatient treatment as well. This entails much of the same framework as residential rehab, but with additional scheduling flexibility. Once you’ve secured a safe and sober living environment, outpatient treatment continues building upon the strategies and plans that have already been put in place. The full scope of a treatment program is one year of continued sobriety. This gives you a strong foundation to build your life upon and make positive choices for your future.
Addiction takes a harsh toll on the body and healing from it isn’t meant to be rushed. Each person follows a similar timeline, from detox to post-care through addiction support services, but at the pace that makes the most sense for you. There may be setbacks or special circumstances that extend the initial timeline. All that matters is your dedication to moving forward with your efforts.
Reaching The Recovery Stage
Overcoming the timeline of heroin detox is a momentous step in the right direction toward your sobriety. You can’t begin to heal until heroin is cleared of your system and is no longer affecting your mind and body. Although the length of time for detox is relatively short, it is an intense period that requires guidance and support for the duration.
In the beginning, when symptoms are at their most severe, it can be easy to relapse. By pushing onward, you’ll see the symptoms slowly begin to subside as you enter the next phase of your treatment. With a clearer mind and healthier body, you can begin to think about what comes next once treatment is complete. If you want to go back to school or need to search for a new job, there are specific inpatient and outpatient programs available to make the transition easier and smoother for you. There are also plentiful resources to help you maintain a strong determination to live free of addiction.
Everyone requires different things depending on where their addiction has taken them. What works for one person may not be as beneficial for the other. Working together with your dedicated team of specialists, you will create a personalized game plan of what you need during and after recovery and how to see it come to fruition.
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