Heroin withdrawal symptoms caused by the detoxification that occurs when a heroin addict is without opiates to maintain their addiction can be intense. Whether or not there is a psychological dependence upon the drug, the physical dependence is very difficult to break.
Depending upon the addictive dose of heroin, other drugs of abuse regularly used, co-occurring mental health issues, and other factors, heroin detox could last for a few days, or it could last for a few weeks. For those who use maintenance medications to avoid the brunt of withdrawal symptoms in early recovery, heroin detox will last for as long as they continue to take these medications, but in most cases, the withdrawal symptoms will be less overwhelming.
The withdrawal symptoms experienced by patients who are addicted to heroin and stop using the drug will vary but usually occur in stages. In the first stage, patients often experience:
Later, these symptoms may worsen and/or be joined by other symptoms, including:
These withdrawal symptoms can occur in any combination and may be worsened by use of other addictive drugs, co-occurring mental health symptoms, and underlying medical problems, such as chronic pain.
There are a number of different medications that have been shown to be effective in treating the withdrawal symptoms associated with heroin detox. Not all will be appropriate in every case, and some patients will fare best with no medication at all. The most popular options include:
Babies born to mothers who are addicted to heroin very often have low birth weight, are born prematurely, and are born with neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS), a physical dependence upon heroin. NAS causes withdrawal symptoms in infants, a problem that affects one baby every hour, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). The average length of the hospital stay after birth for these babies is about 16.4 days, as compared to 3.3 days for infants born without heroin withdrawal symptoms.
The most effective way to address heroin withdrawal symptoms is to undergo detox and comprehensive care at a medical center dedicated to the treatment of addiction. Contact us today to connect with the best heroin treatment for your addicted loved one. We can help.
Integrated Treatment of Substance Abuse & Mental Illness