June 6 2023

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Heroin withdrawal is necessary for people who are addressing heroin addiction. However, like many hard drug addictions, stopping heroin use can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that make the process unbearable.

To recover from heroin addiction, the patient must rid their body of all traces of the drug and its toxic metabolites. This is a process known as drug detox. As the body clears the heroin from the addict’s system, the unpleasant experience of withdrawal occurs. Without proper care and attention, heroin withdrawal symptoms can make it difficult for the user to stop using and easily relapse.

Restore Detox Centers offers the best heroin detox treatments and program in San Diego. Our evidence-based detox treatments and welcoming environment provide patients with a safe space to learn to live without substance dependence. Withdrawal can be painful but not impossible.

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Heroin withdrawal can begin in as little as 6 hours from the user’s last dose. Its severity and length of withdrawal symptoms also vary based on several factors, including:

• Length of time the patient abused the drug
• History of previous addictions, withdrawal symptoms, and relapse
• Quantity and potency of heroin the patient has been using
• Quality of health of the patient and other health conditions
• Administration methods (i.e., smoking, injection, snorting)
• Whether or not the patient had been abusing other substances alongside heroin
• Presence of mental illness and/or other co-occurring disorders

Heroin withdrawal symptoms are not usually life-threatening. However, they can make the patient feel like they have a severe case of the flu. The heroin addict may begin to experience uncomfortable symptoms after just a few hours of taking the drug.

Physical Signs of Heroin Withdrawal

Common physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Goosebumps
• Abdominal cramps
• Sweating
• Body aches and tremors
• Impaired breathing
• Rapid heart rate
• Seizures

Many patients who have gone through heroin withdrawal describe their physical experiences as a bad case of the flu. Recovering patients also describe the symptoms peaking at around the third day of withdrawal.

Mental Signs of Heroin Withdrawal

After depriving the brain of heroin, the opioid receptors won’t be capable of producing endorphins, dopamine, and other pleasure-inducing chemicals. The person going through heroin withdrawal may experience the following:

• Insomnia
• Memory loss
• Depression
• Feeling intensely irritable and anxious
• Confused thinking
• Mood swings
• Hypertension

Some mental withdrawal symptoms may persist for up to a month or more. Attempting to manage heroin withdrawal alone can be difficult and unproductive.  It is ideal for getting admitted to a specialized medical setting under supervision.

Heroin Detox Timeline

The timeline for detox from opioid drugs differs depending on the patient’s pattern of use. This segment discusses the detox timeline for heroin addicts:

• Days 1-2: withdrawal symptoms may start as soon as six hours from the patient’s last dose. Muscle aches may begin on the first day and intensify within the first 48 hours. Anxiety, panic attacks, diarrhea, and shaking may also occur.
• Days 3-5: withdrawal will be in full swing, and the patient may exhibit abdominal cramping, shivers, sweating, and nausea/vomiting.
• Days 6-7: a week typically marks the end of what is known as acute withdrawal. Common nausea and muscle aches begin to taper off. However they will remain tired and worn down.
• Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome (PAWS): during this stage, heroin withdrawal symptoms may continue inconsistently for several weeks or months. PAWS results from the patient’s neurological changes and may vary depending on the patient’s physical and mental health. Some lasting symptoms may include fatigue, depression, insomnia, irritability, and depression.

Many medical detox treatments incorporate medications and therapy sessions to help the patient’s body and brain recover from heroin dependence. At Restore Detox Centers, we monitor each patient to help keep them safe and secure throughout the detoxification process.

Heroin Detox at Home: Is It Safe?

Detoxing from heroin at home can be dangerous and is often counterproductive for various reasons. Detoxing at home can be much more uncomfortable and may even prompt the recovering addict to relapse.

Medical facilities provide a secure environment for the detox process. They use safe and helpful detox medications and other techniques to alleviate the patient’s withdrawal symptoms. Restore Detox Centers will immediately remove recovering addicts from their substances of choice, even if only for a few days.

Being in a detoxing setting outside the patient’s home also increases the chance of recovery success. Some patients may even require just a couple of hours (24 hours) to clear their minds. 

Addiction Treatment & Detox at Restore Detox Centers

Restore Detox Centers medically supervises each patient’s heroin withdrawal symptoms and condition as a part of the patient’s overall recovery plan. We also monitor all underlying causes of the patient’s addiction and possible mental devastations from the addiction itself. We address these conditions to ensure the patient’s best chance for a successful recovery and excellent health.

Our heroin addiction treatments include

1.  Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

Cognitive-behavioral therapy helps heroin addicts and people with mental illnesses to learn about connections between their thoughts, actions, and feelings. This therapy treatment helps patients become more aware and help them gain insight into how such connections affect their lives.

2.  Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

This therapy treatment generally uses one-on-one therapy sessions and  group sessions to improve the patient’s interaction skills with peers. Dialectical behavioral therapy attempts to break the patient’s negative patterns by instilling more positive coping skills.

Our DBT therapy techniques help improve our patient’s communication skills and social relationships, thereby improving their quality of life.

3.  Dual Diagnosis

Dual diagnosis is when the patient exhibits both a substance use disorder and a mental illness. This treatment can help patients suffering from both conditions. Restore Detox Centers has a team of professionals and expertise to treat dual-diagnosis patients.

4.  Residential Treatment

Our residential treatment program can help patients who need additional care and support to begin their recovery. Every patient’s condition is unique and requires a customized treatment plan to be successful.

5.  Specialized Treatments

Our specialized treatment program includes IMS Services. These treatment options are also provided during detox. They can help enhance the patient’s heroin addiction treatments by making them more effective.

Get Help with Restore Detox Centers

Heroin withdrawal symptoms can be unbearable, and the patient might feel like giving up on the treatments altogether. Our professional team at Restore Detox Centers will be with you all the way. We are an alcohol and drug detox rehab offering evidence-based, experimental, and holistic treatments for our patients. We aim to help our patients achieve better, healthier lives.  

Contact us today and talk to our team of specialists for more information.