Very few people can escape a heroin addiction without suffering significant consequences. It’s the kind of drug that gets ahold of the drug user and generally turns their life upside down. That’s why you don’t meet old heroin addicts. They either get the help they need before it’s too late or suffer the dire consequences that come with heroin addiction.
Yes, heroin is a horrible substance that leads to horrible life circumstances in the wrong hands. In fact, heroin is such a horrible substance that even the act of saying no to heroin can lead to significant issues. We are referring to heroin withdrawal symptoms.
Any time someone suddenly stops using drugs or alcohol after extended substance abuse, they will likely need to deal with some kinds of withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin abuse are particularly dangerous because of the way the drug engrains itself into the drug user’s body.
In case you might be wondering, here are but a few of the most significant heroin withdrawal symptoms that a heroin addict might encounter:
- Significant difficulties with breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate
- Loss of the ability to control one’s mind and body
- Psychological issues like suicidal ideology, depression, and anxiety
- Body turmoil in the form of cramping, tremors, and convulsions
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Pain issues and trouble sleeping
If you have been abusing heroin and are contemplating stopping, you might be concerned about what you just read. As bad as it all seems, it’s simply the consequences of your addictive behavior. Once you get past your withdrawal symptoms, you would get the chance to fight back against your addiction through therapy.
One question remains. How long does heroin withdrawal last?
How long does heroin withdrawal last?
To answer this question properly, we would need to separate heroin users into two groups: recreational heroin users and hardcore heroin addicts. The amount of time it will take these two groups of people to detox could differ significantly.
Heroin Withdrawal for Recreational Heroin Users
This group would likely go through what we would consider a standard detox process.
The first day would find the heroin addict experiencing some sweating, agitation, anxiety, and perhaps issues with their blood pressure. Heading into the second day, breathing problems and heart rate issues might fall into the mix. During days three to five, the worst of the symptoms could make an appearance. That would include hallucinations, severe cramping, loss of body control, tremors. convulsions, and pain issues.
If the addiction sufferer can clear day five, they should start feeling better as withdrawal symptoms start to diminish. For the most part, the recreational heroin user should be able to get through withdrawal in about one week.
Heroin Withdrawal for the Hardcore Heroin Addict
If someone has an extreme heroin addiction, trying to detox without significant medical assistance could be very dangerous. For that very reason, the extreme heroin addict really needs to go through a tapering program.
As part of a tapering program, a doctor would want to prescribe a tapering drug like suboxone. Suboxone is itself an opioid but not nearly as potent and addictive as heroin.
The doctor would start the patient off with an appropriate dose of suboxone based on a prescribed schedule. Over the next couple of weeks, the doctor would slowly decrease the amount of suboxone the patient would get per dose. Slowly, the patient’s body will start adjusting to lower doses of opiates.
At some point, the doctor will determine the patient can finish going through withdrawal with less medical intervention. Looking at a complete timetable, a hardcore heroin addict could need four to six weeks to detox. That’s with medical assistance. Without medical assistance, the heroin addict could be putting their life on the line.
Based on this information, you can judge for yourself what kind of withdrawal mountain you could be facing. Either way, we do not recommend that you go through heroin withdrawal without some kind of assistance. In fact, we would like to extend our hand as a gesture that we would like to help with your withdrawal and the counseling you will need to beat your addiction. That’s what we do for the heroin addict who suffers. If you would like information about our treatment facility and services, please give us a call. You can speak with one of our representatives by calling us at 844-903-2111
