Heroin Withdrawal And Detox

What Is Heroin Withdrawal?

Heroin withdrawal is a set of symptoms experienced after the reduction or cessation of heroin in individuals who are dependent on the drug.

Heroin use impacts the brain’s reward system by activating certain neurotransmitters that bind to your brain receptors, causing a release of dopamine (known as the “feel-good” and reward drug), which may reinforce drug-taking behavior. Constant use of heroin may increase the tolerance to the drug for a person who uses it and may, therefore, lead them to continue increasing its dosage. Consequently, physical or psychological dependence on heroin can develop.

If heroin is stopped abruptly, withdrawal symptoms will set in shortly after. This is typically due to the physical dependence that your brain and body have developed.

Although unpleasant, heroin withdrawal is generally not life-threatening. Withdrawal from heroin causes uncomfortable symptoms that can last for a few days to a few weeks. The onset of these symptoms can lead someone with a heroin addiction to use heroin to prevent or avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Signs Of Heroin Withdrawal

Between 4–12 hours after your last dose, you may begin to experience initial heroin withdrawal symptoms. These may include:

Acute (Short-Term) Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Withdrawal may start within a few hours after the last time heroin is taken. Some common short-term withdrawal symptoms include:

If you routinely use heroin and do not use it again within 24-48 hours, you may experience what is known as peak withdrawal symptoms. These are typically the same symptoms as experienced within the first few hours of withdrawal but may feel more severe. These symptoms usually subside after about one week.

Protracted (Long-Term) Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

There have been reported cases in which individuals experienced withdrawal symptoms for many months.

Depending on the strength of the heroin used and length of use, those recovering from heroin addiction may have post-acute withdrawal symptoms (PAWS). Long-term heroin use causes physical and structural changes to the brain and may, therefore, cause it to shrink. After acute withdrawal, your brain will need some more time to regulate and recalibrate itself back to normal, during which you may experience these long-term symptoms. These symptoms are typically mild but may include:

Protracted withdrawal can last for weeks or months after the initial withdrawal period. However, as time goes by and you remain drug-free, the symptoms will slowly begin to dissipate.

Featured Centers Offering Detox From Heroin

Complications During Heroin Withdrawal

Complications during heroin withdrawal are rare. But if they do occur, they can be fatal. Complications may include:

• Dehydration, which can occur due to the common withdrawal symptoms of vomiting and diarrhea.
• Aspirating, which is when stomach contents enter the lungs during/after vomiting.
• Relapsing, or returning to heroin use.

Due to the uncomfortable and sometimes painful withdrawal symptoms, individuals will likely want to use heroin again to relieve their symptoms. Relapsing can also prove to be fatal, as after even just a short detox, your tolerance to heroin may be lower, and therefore, taking the same, or even lesser, dose than usual can lead to an overdose.

How Long Is Heroin Detox?

Heroin detox treatment typically lasts for the withdrawal period, which depends on how much heroin was previously used and for how long.

4–6 Hours After The Last Heroin Dose

The onset of heroin detox and withdrawal symptoms may begin as soon as 4 hours after the last dose. Mild symptoms will appear during this time, including restlessness, anxiety, irritability, muscle and bone aches and pains, GI upset, nausea, and sweating.

Days 1–2

Within 24–48 hours after your last dose of heroin, the previously experienced symptoms will begin to intensify. Other symptoms may also begin during this period, including insomnia, tremors, cold flashes, sweating, sensitivity to light, watery eyes, diarrhea, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, and increased anxiety.

How Long Is Heroin Withdrawal?

After the initial detox stage, heroin withdrawal can continue for a few days to a few weeks.

The length of withdrawal from heroin may depend on several factors. Some of the most important include:

• The length of time the person using heroin has used the drug.
• The amount of heroin taken each time.
• How frequently heroin was used.
• The method by which heroin was taken.
• The presence of any underlying medical or mental health conditions.

Days 3–7

By the third or fourth day, the peak withdrawal point has passed, but more mild withdrawal symptoms will be in full swing. Symptoms during this time often include abdominal cramping, sweating, diarrhea, chills, nausea/vomiting, and anxiety.

Days 7–14

A week is typically the end of what’s known as acute withdrawal. During days 7–14 after your last heroin dosage, the muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea will taper. Although you may be more tired, you will physically begin to feel more normal.

After this period, the main physical symptoms will dissipate, but cravings for heroin may remain. Additionally, insomnia and mood changes may persist for weeks.

Benefits Of Medically Supervised Detox

Due to the risk of complications during heroin withdrawal, including relapse, it reduces the risk of complications to be in a medically supervised environment during your heroin detox. Inpatient detox centers involve 24-hour care from medical professionals, increasing the odds of recovery for moderate-to-severe heroin addictions.

During a medically assisted withdrawal in an inpatient or outpatient program, medical providers can monitor for physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms and prescribe certain medications to help ease uncomfortable symptoms. After the severe withdrawal symptoms pass, providers may taper the dosage of these medications until they can effectively and safely be discontinued.

Medications Used in Detox

Medical personnel at inpatient and outpatient drug rehabs can prescribe drugs to ease common symptoms of withdrawal. These medications can help with the recovery process by minimizing symptoms and cravings.

Methadone: This medication is a slow-acting, low-strength opiate used to taper patients off from heroin and helps prevent uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms.

Buprenorphine: Buprenorphine (Suboxone) is one of the most commonly prescribed drugs for heroin detox. It reduces cravings and physical symptoms like vomiting and muscle aches.

Naltrexone: This drug blocks receptors in the brain that react to opioids like heroin. It is neither addictive nor sedating. Over time, it may reduce cravings. Naltrexone works best in patients who have already completed detox.

Reach Out Today

Although the cycle of heroin addiction may be difficult to break, help is available in the form of inpatient and outpatient treatment centers to help you succeed. Seeking treatment for a heroin addiction is an honorable task.

Whether you’ve chosen an inpatient or outpatient drug rehab, tackling your heroin addiction is the first step forward. Contact a treatment provider today to explore your rehab options.