Heroin Detox Program

Heroin Addiction

Heroin is a highly addictive drug and is the most widely abused and most rapidly acting of the opiates. Heroin is processed from morphine, a naturally occurring substance extracted from the seed pod of certain varieties of poppy plants.

Heroin is a white powder with a bitter taste. Most heroin is a powder varying in color from white to dark brown. The differences in color are due to impurities left from the manufacturing process or the presence of additives. Another form of Heroin, "black tar" heroin, is primarily available in the western and southwestern U.S. This heroin, which is produced in Mexico, may be sticky like roofing tar or hard like coal, with its color varying from dark brown to black.

Heroin can be injected, smoked, or sniffed/snorted. The fear of infection by sharing needles has made snorting and smoking the drug more common. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) researchers has confirmed that regardless of how the Heroin is used, it will lead to Heroin addiction.

The short-term effects of heroin abuse or heroin addiction appear soon after taking the drug. Intravenous injection of heroin provides the greatest intensity and most rapid onset of the initial rush. Intravenous heroin users typically experience the rush within 7 to 8 seconds after injection, while intramuscular injection of heroin produces a slower onset of this euphoric feeling, taking 5 to 8 minutes. When heroin is sniffed or smoked, the peak effects of the drug are usually felt within 10 to 15 minutes.

In addition to the initial feeling of euphoria, the short-term effects of heroin abuse or heroin addiction include a warm flushing of the skin, dry mouth, and heavy extremities. After the initial euphoric feeling, the user experiences an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Due to the depression of the central nervous system, mental functioning becomes clouded and breathing may be slowed to the point of respiratory failure.

Chronic heroin users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, and liver disease. Additionally, pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may also result in the user.

One of the most significant effects of heroin use or heroin abuse is heroin addiction. With regular heroin use, tolerance to the drug develops. Once this happens, the abuser must use more heroin to achieve the same intensity or effect that they are seeking. As higher doses of heroin are used over time, physical dependence and heroin addiction develops. Within a few hours after the last administration of heroin, heroin withdrawal may occur. Heroin withdrawal can produce effects such as drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, and vomiting. Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and subside after about a week. Once a physical dependence on heroin develops, the only safe way to discontinue use is to seek a heroin detox program in a medically monitored drug rehab or addiction treatment program. 

In addition to the effects of heroin, users who inject heroin also put themselves at risk for contracting HIV, hepatitis C (HCV), and other infectious diseases. Approximately 70–80% of the new HCV infections in the U.S. each year are among injection drug addicts.

Heroin Detox

Heroin addiction can be one of the more challenging drug addictions to recovery from. With heroin addiction, the heroin addict’s nervous system becomes accustomed to the chronic exposure to heroin, which is an opiate. As such, heroin abuse creates a physical heroin addiction, that when discontinued creates a challenging process.

Heroin detoxification or heroin detox is about managing the heroin withdrawal symptoms created from heroin addiction. heroin withdrawal symptoms generally begin within 10 hours of discontinuing the use of heroin and peak after two to four days. The symptoms of heroin withdrawal include: nausea, anxiety, diarrhea, abdominal pain, insomnia, chills, sweating, sniffing, sneezing, weakness and irritability. Over the last few years, heroin detox methods have improved dramatically. Heroin withdrawal is not nearly as uncomfortable as it was years before. Detox from heroin addiction should take place in a medically based drug detox program. By medically based we are referring to a drug detox program with 24 hour nursing, a drug detox program staff capable of intervening with drug detox patients and a physician trained in addiction medicine. This allows for medications to be promptly dispensed minimizing any of the withdrawal symptoms a person experiences.

There are several forms of heroin detox, but due to the severity of heroin withdrawal symptoms and the cravings associated with heroin withdrawal, the most effective heroin detox program is located in an inpatient setting such as a drug rehab program or residential addiction treatment center. Although a giant step towards recovery, heroin detox is only the first step in the treatment of heroin addiction. The remainder of the addiction treatment which will allow you to maintain the gains made while in the heroin detox will be found in a drug rehab program or addiction treatment center.
If you require assistance in locating a safe and effective heroin detox program please call 1-866-99-DETOX (1-866-993-3869).

Heroin Detox Program

Heroin detox should take place in a medically based drug detox program.  The drug detox program or heroin detox program should be located in a drug rehab program or addiction treatment center. A medically based drug detox program is a drug detox program that is medically monitored with 24 hour nursing, physicians trained in addiction medicine (ASAM certified) and an addiction treatment staff capable of intervening with patients in a heroin detox program. Patients in a heroin detox program can be difficult to deal with as they are experiencing withdrawal symptoms associated with their drug addiction. By having a medically based heroin detox program, drug detox medications can be dispensed to minimize any symptoms associated with drug withdrawal. People do not have to suffer!

Many drug rehab facilities do not have their own drug detox program, so make sure to educate yourself. It is important for the heroin detox program to be located within the drug rehab, as most of the patients entering a heroin detox program will need continued addiction treatment in a drug rehab. By having the drug detox program located within the drug rehab you provide a seamless transition for the patient moving from the drug detox program to drug rehab. Drug rehab and drug detox programs are two completely different levels of addiction treatment. By having the heroin detox program alongside the drug rehab, the continuity of addiction treatment remains in tact.

Please keep in mind that even with the heroin detox program located in an ideal position, there is no guarantee of recovery from heroin addiction.  The relapse rate is high, as many people do not allow themselves to complete the drug detox program and move on to drug rehab. Recovery from heroin addiction takes time, structure and great desire. A medical detox program for heroin addiction has as its focus medical stabilization and the management of any heroin withdrawal symptoms. The drug rehab program has as its focus maintaining any gains made while in the drug detox program. The drug detox program deals with the medical aspects of recovery and the drug rehab places its energies on emotional recovery.

Heroin Addiction Treatment Program

Many people ask the question, “How do I know which is the best heroin addiction treatment program?”  The best way to answer this question is there is no one best addiction treatment program for everyone. It is important to take the time and match a person’s addiction treatment program needs with the actual addiction treatment services being provided in the addiction treatment program.

Some important elements of a quality heroin addiction treatment program are: