Many people who are striving to recover from substance abuse often want to know the length of the heroin detox timeline. Participants of detox programs at Arizona heroin rehab fear the unpleasant heroin withdrawal symptoms, commonly known as dope sickness. Although not life-threatening, these are among the most painful symptoms of drug addiction: they force many recovering addicts to relapse.
The Cause of Heroin Withdrawal
Withdrawal from heroin typically occurs after using a few times. The ‘hangover’ from the first time is so intense that many users decide to take another dose to relieve the symptoms. Addiction starts to kick in after a few days or weeks. Heroin enhances motivation and pleasure, which is why it’s easy to develop a dependence on it. Heroin is an opioid: These synthetic drugs are similar to the naturally occurring opiates in the human brain that control pleasure and pain. When the human brain is exposed to opioids like heroin, the natural production of opiates diminishes. As a result, the brain entirely depends on the drug to feel normal. If heroin addicts stop using the drug, their brains will lack sufficient amounts of opioids. The result is withdrawal syndrome. The withdrawal period will depend on how long it will take your brain to repair the natural opiate production.
What to Expect During the Heroin Detox Timeline
Detox will start as soon as you check into an Arizona heroin rehab center. The timeline will primarily be dependent on the amount of heroin you consume. A person who has a long history of heroin use will experience severe symptoms that will also last longer. The severity and length of withdrawal also depend on whether you tapper off heroin or quit cold turkey. Medical health professionals recommend medical detox and supervised recovery for the best results. To achieve long-term sobriety, choose a heroin addiction treatment center in AZ that offers a variety of programs, such as:
- Inpatient detox
- Behavioral therapy
- Opiate detox
- Massage therapy
- IV therapy
- Executive detox
Expect the early withdrawal symptoms to start appearing within 12 hours after your last heroin use. The first signs often include irritability, muscle aches, and sweating. After three to four days, the withdrawal will be at its peak with symptoms like diarrhea, vomiting, and cramping. The symptoms will subside after the first ten tens days of the heroin detox timeline when you’ll start to feel normal again.
Overcome Heroin Addiction and Withdrawal
Heroin use has doubled in the last decade, especially among American teens aged 18 to 25 years. Approximately 8,200 people died in 2013 due to heroin overdose, which is double the number of fatalities recorded in 2002. Fortunately, full recovery is achievable. An Arizona drug rehab center will use medication-assisted therapy to relieve unpleasant heroin withdrawal symptoms. Both detox and treatment will take 60 to 90 days. Medications like Suboxone or methadone will help you to taper off the drug. Medical detox reduces relapse rates, primarily when the technique is used in combination with other types of psychotherapy. If you’re still wondering about the heroin detox timeline, you ought to know that withdrawal is generally less painful in a rehab facility.
