Just as the road to drug addiction is unique for each individual, heroin withdrawal differs depending on a range of factors. Detox from heroin is known to cause specific side effects. However, each person is affected in their own way as they go through withdrawal, making it hard to predict how the process will go. This varied individual experience is why medically supervised detox from heroin is so important and can be lifesaving. At a professional heroin detox center, experienced staff can help you through all heroin withdrawal symptoms that arise as you detox, keeping you safe and comfortable.
At Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston, we understand that heroin withdrawal symptoms can be severe enough to make it nearly impossible for some people to quit on their own. With help from our heroin detox center, you can get through withdrawal in comfort, so you can stay focused on getting clean. Give us a call at 866.516.8356 to learn how we can guide you through the detox process.
How Heroin Withdrawal Occurs
Many factors affect heroin withdrawal, including the length of time heroin has been used, how it was abused, and how much was taken with each dose. These issues combine to determine how dependent the client is on the drug and how severe withdrawal will be.
Other issues affecting detox from heroin include:
- Family history of drug abuse
- Whether mental illness occurs along with addiction
- Presence of other health conditions
- Use of other substances with heroin
Heroin changes how the brain and body function. When someone uses this opioid, their heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and breathing slow down significantly. With the use of heroin, there is also an increase in brain chemicals that create the feeling of pleasure. Just as all of these changes occur when someone abuses heroin, the effects reverse when heroin abuse stops. Without a steady heroin supply, the brain may struggle to produce feel-good chemicals on its own, leaving you feeling worse off than before you started using heroin.
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
Symptoms of heroin withdrawal can be divided into three levels: mild, moderate, and severe. The intensity and extent of symptoms you experience will depend on your drug use history, physical wellness, mental condition, and how you abused the drug.
Mild Symptoms of Heroin Detox
For short-term substance abuse, you may only go through mild withdrawal. Mild symptoms of heroin detox include:
- Abdominal cramps
- Teary eyes
- Nausea
- Runny nose
- Sweating
- Chills
- Muscle and bone aches
- Excessive yawning
- Anxiety
Moderate Heroin Detox Symptoms
Average use of heroin and addiction to it may lead to moderate withdrawal. Moderate symptoms include:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Restlessness
- Concentration problems
- Agitation
- Tremors
- Goosebumps
- Fatigue
Severe Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
At its worst, you could experience severe symptoms if you have battled heroin addiction for a long time. Severe symptoms of heroin detox are:
- Insomnia
- Drug cravings
- Depression
- Intense anxiety
- Hypertension
- Rapid heartbeat
- Slowed respiration
- Difficulty feeling pleasure
- Muscle spasms
Can Heroin Withdrawal Be Life-Threatening?
Clients do not usually risk death when coming off heroin, but some withdrawal symptoms can be life-threatening. A good example of this is the depression many clients go through as part of heroin withdrawal, leading to suicidal thoughts. Once heroin no longer interacts with brain neurotransmitters, there is no artificial source of euphoria to help you feel good. Due to lengthy heroin abuse, the brain is less efficient at producing its own feel-good chemicals.
Withdrawal symptoms start within several hours of taking your last dose, with the worst symptoms occurring over the second to third days in detox. The physical detox process is usually completed in a period of five to ten days.
What Happens After Treatment at a Heroin Detox Center?
A major issue of heroin detox is that clients may relapse either during or after detox. Clients often do not realize how clean their body is of the drug and how they cannot use as much heroin as they once did. This lowered tolerance is why so many clients leave detox and overdose, dying from that relapse.
In a medical detox program, patients are often given medications to help their bodies recover. Detox staff also monitor withdrawal symptoms to ensure clients are safe from the beginning to the end of the detox process. They keep track of heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, body temperature, and general wellness.
When this detox is over, clients need to enter a quality rehab program. An effective heroin addiction program must treat the lasting mental and emotional effects of heroin addiction with a combination of therapy, medication, and support. Therapeutic options may include:
- Cognitive-behavioral therapy
- Dialectical behavior therapy
- Family therapy
- Yoga therapy
- Chiropractic care
After detox and rehab, recovery can last a lifetime.
Serenity House Detox & Recovery in Houston Provides Safe Heroin Detox
Medical detox at Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston helps clients seeking recovery from heroin. Caring staff provides 24/7 supervision and safety for clients, enabling them to take their first steps back into sobriety. This drug detox is a new beginning.
If you or someone you love is ready to stop using heroin and start living the life that you want to have, Serenity House Detox & Recovery Houston is ready to help. Call 866.516.8356 for insurance verification and to enroll in an individualized treatment program.
