As dangerous as it can be to use drugs, it can also be dangerous to stop using drugs. Over time your body and your brain have adapted to using drugs. When you stop using the drugs you’ve been using daily, your body will rebel. The rebellion will take the form of flu-like symptoms that can progress to more severe symptoms if not treated. Opioid withdrawal causes many unpleasant symptoms but can also significantly impact your heart rate and blood pressure. By detoxing in a medical detox facility, you can be sure that your detox will be completed more comfortably and safely.
At Marina Harbor Detox, we know what it’s like to get through detox, and we understand how to support you through it. Our compassionate and experienced staff will partner with you throughout your detox to help you achieve your goal in the safest way possible.
What Is Heroin?
Heroin is a highly addictive opioid that is derived from morphine. Heroin can be used by injecting, sniffing, snorting, or smoking it. Regardless of how it is used, heroin enters the brain quickly. Heroin binds to the opioid receptors causing feelings of pleasure. Most who use heroin report feeling a “rush” but may also experience nausea, itching, and clouded mental functioning. Over time, heroin users may experience insomnia, liver disease, kidney disease, sexual dysfunction, mental health disorders, and more.
Other effects of heroin will depend on how it is used. Those who inject heroin will likely have problems with veins collapsing and abscesses. Others who sniff or snort damage the tissues in the nose, and those who smoke it damage their lungs. The heroin detox timeline will vary based on how much heroin is being used and how it is being used.
What Is the Heroin Detox Timeline?
Because heroin is a short-acting opioid, heroin withdrawal symptoms start more quickly than longer-acting opioids such as methadone. Fortunately, the duration of the symptoms is also much shorter. Withdrawing from heroin can feel like having the flu with the symptoms including:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- Hot and cold flushes
- Sweating
- Muscle cramps or aches
- Stuffy Nose
- Watery Eyes
- Diarrhea
The heroin detox timeline will often begin eight to twenty-four hours after the last use and will last four to ten days.
How to Detox Successfully From Heroin
The safest way to detox from heroin is at a medical detox facility. Because the symptoms can start anywhere from eight to twenty-four hours after your last heroin use, you’ll want to be under medical supervision before withdrawal begins.
During acute withdrawal, medical professions will monitor and treat your withdrawal symptoms. Relying on evidence-based protocols, we will administer medications to treat your symptoms and keep you safe. During the heroin detox timeline, we will encourage you to increase your water intake and provide supportive vitamin supplements. We will also partner with you to begin restoring your body to a more healthful state through improved nutrition, rest, and movement. Safely detoxing from heroin requires a multi-faceted approach that addresses the physical and emotional aspects of withdrawal.
Detox From Heroin at Marina Harbor
Breaking free from heroin can seem like a terrifying proposition, so it’s essential to know that you don’t have to do it on your own. At Marina Harbor Detox, our team of medical professionals understands what it takes to recover from addiction. We provide a luxurious, intimate setting that relies on individualized care and a low patient-to-staff ratio. In addition, we will provide you with a structured, supportive environment to enable you to create life in long-term recovery. Contact us today to start your recovery journey.
