Heroin Detox
Heroin detox is paramount to a successful recovery from heroin addiction. If heroin residuals continue to exist in the addict's body, cravings for heroin will arise and withdrawal symptoms can persist. Heroin withdrawal is the term used to describe the body's reaction to the removal of heroin once it has come to be dependent on it. Heroin detox is the first step in recovery because until there is no heroin in a person's body, withdrawal can cause severe craving for more. Additionally, while in a drug induced state, a person is not fully prepared to participate in the educational and therapeutic process of rehab and treatment. Until the heroin detox process is complete, the addict is simply not ready for rehab, treatment and recovery.
The heroin detox process involves stopping or dramatically reducing drug use after heavy and prolonged use. Withdrawal, in regular abusers, may occur as early as a few hours after the last administration. The reaction frequently includes sweating, shaking, headache, drug craving, nausea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, diarrhea, inability to sleep, confusion, agitation, depression, anxiety, and other behavioral changes. Certain types of drugs require a period of medical detox; others do not. Opiates, such as heroin and methadone do require medical detox. The goal of heroin detox is to ultimately eliminate the drug, and all its metabolites from the body to increase the chance of a successful recovery.
Heroin, being a form of morphine, requires medically monitored detox. Heroin use causes a strong physical dependence and therefore withdrawal can result in serious complications. It may produce drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain and diarrhea, cold flashes, goose bumps (cold turkey), leg kicking movements, and various other physical symptoms. Most heroin detox and withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose. Sudden heroin detox and withdrawal by heavy users can be fatal if not closely monitored.
Several different schools of thought exist as to the best method for heroin detox. Medical heroin detox is done in a variety of ways including using methadone to taper down ones dosage, methadone maintenance or administering various drugs to prevent or minimize the physical side effects. Medical heroin detox always includes closely monitoring the person's vital signs (blood pressure and heart rate) for complications. Medical heroin detox usually takes 4 to 7 days to complete the process.
Heroin detox can be uncomfortable but rarely life threatening. Drug detox centers provide drug rehab and addiction treatment services after heroin detox is complete. It is rarely enough to simply remove drugs for recovery to be complete. Drug rehab gives recovering addicts the tools to remain free of drug addiction for life. Our heroin detox method is designed to cover all the parts of an individual's heroin detox. The removal of heroin residues is a key point in heroin detox.
Without this process heroin residues can remain in one's body and cause cravings for years after heroin use has ceased. A vital step in a successful heroin detox as well as heroin rehabilitation is, flushing out these accumulated toxic residues so that the individual no longer experiences unwanted adverse effects from the heroin they have used.