Heroin Addiction

Heroin is a dangerous opioid drug that is highly addictive. It is also a dangerous drug, with many preventable overdose deaths occurring each day.

Learning the signs of heroin addiction can help you or your loved one get the treatment they need to overcome heroin addiction.

Short-term Effects Of Heroin

There are several ways people use heroin. The short-term effects depend on how it is introduced to the body. If injected into a vein, heroin can cause intense euphoria within seconds. The “high” may last usually between one to three minutes.

If snorted or smoked, the short-term effects are about the same. However, the intensity of the euphoria may be less. If injected into a muscle, it takes a bit longer to feel the effects, perhaps around 15 or 20 minutes.

Once the “rush” is over, the user tends to feel deeply relaxed for about an hour or so. Then, the “crash” begins. After about six hours, the user may start to feel uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. The severe cravings and daunting detox symptoms cause many to continue using heroin to try to get relief.

It can be an endless, horrible cycle where the user is using heroin more for self-medication, rather than recreationally.

Quitting Heroin: The Withdrawal Process

If you’re addicted to heroin and you’re thinking about quitting, you probably want to learn about the detox process of coming off such a drug. There are certain withdrawal symptoms associated with any drug detox and heroin is no exception. Getting familiar with the detox process and common symptoms can help you mentally prepare for overcoming heroin addiction.

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

It’s likely that you will face some daunting withdrawal symptoms when you come off heroin. The intensity and time frame will depend on various factors, such as:

  • How long you’ve been using heroin
  • The dosage
  • The frequency
  • Your mental and/or emotional health status
  • Whether you have a support system or not
  • Physical health
  • Taper schedule

Regardless of how uncomfortable some of the withdrawal symptoms may be, getting off heroin is the best thing you can do for yourself. Long-term heroin use can cause serious damage to your mental and/or physical health. It can also cause death, as in the case of an overdose.

Chances are you don’t want to be a slave to heroin for the rest of your life. You desire to get clean and go on to create the kind of life you truly desire.

Learning about heroin addiction recovery and treatment is your first step toward getting free.

Common heroin withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Body aches
  • Stomach pain
  • Racing heartbeat
  • Runny nose
  • Irritability
  • Sweating
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Anxiousness
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Restlessness
  • Mood swings
  • Fatigue
  • Goosebumps

On the severe end, you could experience hallucinations or seizures.

Though you may experience some uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms from heroin detox, rarely will they be life-threatening.

However, some of the symptoms could lead to more dangerous symptoms, such as suicidal thoughts. For this reason, you should not stop using heroin without the help of substance abuse and/or medical professionals to help you manage withdrawal symptoms.

Heroin Overdose

One of the most dangerous risks associated with heroin detox is relapse. The longer you stay away from heroin, your body’s tolerance level decreases. This decreased tolerance is a good thing. However, if you choose to use heroin again, and use it at a dosage similar to where you left off, it can send your body into a state of shock, possibly causing death.

Heroin overdose symptoms include:

  • Becoming unconscious
  • Shallow breaths
  • Bluish, clammy skin
  • Making snoring or gurgling sounds

Using other drugs along with heroin increases the chances of an overdose, including alcohol, other opioids, and benzodiazepines.

Should you or a loved one show signs of an overdose, call 911 immediately. If you have naloxone handy, administer it as soon as you can. Ideally, it should be given within 20 or 30 minutes from the time the person used heroin.

Heroin Drug Detox

The safest way to detox from heroin is under the care of addiction experts and medical professionals. Detoxing at home is not that safe, and the likelihood of relapse increases significantly.

Getting treatment from a detox center and/or addiction treatment program is the safest way to get through withdrawal and go on to overcome heroin addiction.

At a detox center, you will be in a safe and structured atmosphere surrounded by addiction specialists who will help you get off heroin and get through the withdrawal symptoms with as little discomfort as possible. Additionally, you may be able to receive medications to decrease the intensity of symptoms.

Drug detox usually lasts between 5 to 7 days, so within a week, you could be well on your way to a life free from heroin.

2 men sitting on the stairs

Heroin Addiction Treatment

Here at Into Action Recovery Society, we offer various phases of treatment to assist you with getting free from heroin addiction.

You will begin at the “First Stage Residential Program” for heroin addiction treatment. This is a 60-day program for men struggling with addiction. You leave your home to stay in our secure, comfortable, home-like atmosphere. You’ll learn more about addiction, recovery, relapse prevention, life coping skills, and a lot more.

From there, you can enter our “Second Stage Transitional Program”. This program gives you an additional 30 days to strengthen your recovery. We proved structure and accountability, helping you build an even stronger recovery foundation. If you have a job or attend school, you can leave the home for such.

If you’re still not quite ready to return home, we offer a Long-Term Sober Living option for those who require housing long-term.

In all programs, you have access to:

We are committed to helping you get free from heroin addiction. Contact our staff today with any questions or concerns. You do not have to stay stuck in the chains of addiction any longer. Consider making a commitment today to get off heroin and live your life drug-free.

Contact Us

If you need help or have any questions about us contact us right away.

Back To Top