Help! I’m Afraid to Detox from Heroin

It’s the part of getting clean that everyone fears – the detox. Detoxing from heroin has a bad reputation because of all the horrible withdrawal symptoms associated with the process.

In fact, you might have even experienced the beginnings of some of them if you skipped a dose of heroin. That small taste of withdrawal could have been enough to put you off the detox process all together.

However, there’s really nothing to fear from a heroin detox. The process is entirely safe when managed by a medical professional. And if you ever want to get clean, it’s essential.

Heroin Detox is Safe

If you try detoxing on your own, then it can be a dangerous and painful process. However, with the supervision and guidance of an outpatient or inpatient clinic, detoxing from heroin is absolutely safe.

The doctor at the clinic will be there to monitor your symptoms and make sure you aren’t in any kind of medical danger. They will make sure everything runs smoothly. Remember, this is their job – they deal with helping people through detox every single day.

Choosing the right kind of detox center for you can be tough, which is why we offer a hotline to assist you in making a decision. Just give us a call at 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?) to speak with a representative who can help you narrow down your options.

Heroin Detox Symptoms Are Manageable

Many addicts avoid detox due to the fear of heroin withdrawal symptoms.

You can begin to feel acute withdrawal symptoms anywhere from four to 12 hours after your last dose. You might have already felt these if you ever missed taking heroin on your usual schedule. These symptoms include a variety of physical, emotional, and behavioral problems that produce some discomfort.

However, after 36 to 72 hours, you will experience peak withdrawal symptoms. These include runny nose, sweating, insomnia, tremors, extreme irritability, weakness, spasms, muscle pain, and nausea and vomiting.

Luckily, there is a way to stop or lessen these symptoms. By prescribing you the synthetic opioids methadone or buprenorphine, the doctor can help trick your brain into thinking it’s still getting heroin. This will reduce the amount of symptoms you feel while helping you detox your body.

Heroin Detox Is a One-Time Process

With the help of these synthetic opioids, heroin detox is usually a breeze. Once you get past the 72 hour to a week mark, most of your symptoms should disappear completely.

Now that you are free from the clutches of heroin, you won’t ever have to detox again as long as you don’t relapse. While it can be frustrating and annoying, it is a one-time process. Even though it might be a challenge to endure, it’s only a few days of pain for a lifetime of freedom and health.

You won’t be entirely out of the water yet, as your brain will continue to adjust to physical changes caused by heroin. However, it will have relearned how to function normally without causing you painful symptoms.

As you can see, there’s nothing to fear when choosing to detox from heroin. Yes, it might not be a pleasant experience. However, it’s something you can easily accomplish with support from a doctor and your friends and family.

As always, we’re also here to help you every step of the way. For more information on detoxing from heroin, simply give our hotline a call at 800-315-1376 (Who Answers?). Our experts can encourage you to take this next step in your journey to sobriety.