Heroin use continues to rise in the United States, with over 600,000 people addicted to this powerful opiate. Heroin addiction ruins lives, tears families apart, and often results in death due to overdose. However, only about 10% of people suffering from addiction receive rehab treatment. Fear of a heroin detox center is a barrier to help-seeking. It is true, withdrawal from heroin is far from pleasant, but medically supervised detox makes all the difference in managing heroin withdrawal symptoms and kickstarting a successful rehab experience.
If you have concerns about your heroin use or that of a loved one, call us at Pennsylvania Adult & Teen Challenge (PAATC) today at 844.442.8673 or use our online form.
Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
Withdrawal begins as soon as the drug is withheld, with symptoms occurring within six to ten hours. The symptoms of withdrawal include the following:
- Excessive sweating
- Violent tremors
- Muscle cramps and spasms
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Agitation
- Depression
- High blood pressure
- Intense drug cravings
One of the most challenging things about heroin withdrawal is sticking with it. When someone goes through withdrawal at home, without medical support, the urge to end discomfort by taking the drug is often too difficult to resist. Furthermore, withdrawing from heroin addiction is dangerous. With medically supervised heroin detox, it is possible to avoid these and other risks.
Benefits of Medically Supervised Heroin Detox
During detox, all heroin leaves the body. People who have been addicted and taking high doses may have had levels of heroin in their bodies for a very long time, and now they don’t. This period is when detoxing patients become vulnerable.
Under the care of a professional medical team, a withdrawing patient is supported, treated, and monitored 24 hours a day to ensure safety and provide symptom mitigation. Below are some ways that heroin detox can help.
- It can reduce the most challenging withdrawal symptoms. The doctors monitoring a detox can provide the patient with medications that ease some of the most painful and disorienting symptoms.
- Patients have no access to the drug. There is no risk that a patient will have access to heroin in a closely monitored setting and cannot derail the detox process.
- It’s possible to manage underlying health issues. It is common for people addicted to heroin to forego medical appointments—they are living for one purpose alone: acquiring and using heroin. If there are undiagnosed health issues, they will rear their heads during detox. It is essential to have medical personnel on hand to deal with these complications.
- Medical assistance prevents suicide. Up to 25% of people undergoing detox will consider or attempt suicide. Being in a residential program with round-the-clock monitoring and care significantly decreases the risk that such an attempt will succeed.
In addition, medical detox paves the way for successful recovery. Relapse is more common among those who try to detox on their own. Relapse can be fatal by overdosing when the heroin is reintroduced at the level of prior consumption. The evidence is clear: inpatient, medically supervised heroin detox results in more successful long-term recovery outcomes.
Learn More at Pennsylvania Adult and Teen Challenge Today
We know that sobriety cannot happen without detox. It’s a vital step in the process, but it’s just the first. At PAATC, we want the journey from dependence to independence to begin safely, with evidence-based protocols, under professional supervision by a highly trained medical and therapeutic team. You don’t have to settle for less than the superb quality of care that you deserve.
Once detox is over, the next steps in your recovery journey can begin. Your team at PAATC creates an individualized program just for you. Rooted in science and supported by faith, our rehab program is multifaceted. The staff at our heroin addiction treatment center will ensure that you get the type of support that will be just right for you. Reach out today by phone at 844.442.8673 or via our online form.
