People say that journeys of thousands of miles start with one single step. For individuals who wish to end their addiction to heroin, their first step has something to do with drug detoxification. In this process, heroin and all of its traces are eliminated from the person’s body and leaves the addict having a clean system. For a lot of addicts, they see detoxification as the most frightening part included in any drug recovery programs. As a matter of fact, there are the ones who feel so afraid about it that they just choose to escape and continue with their addiction.
There are so many kinds of available treatments which can give addicts the ease of having to deal with withdrawal symptoms. At the same time, they make the process of detoxification less frightening and painful.
If you are a heroin addict or someone dear to you is, you should not allow fear be a hindrance to your recovery. Here at the Northlake Recovery, we give you so many choices of treatments to give you the assistance that you need in detoxification.
Symptoms Of Withdrawal
Heroin is among the substances that are most addictive. Also, using this drug can bring lasting and profound brain changes.
When individuals consume it, the drug transfers to their brain and leads to the substance’s conversion to dopamine. Then, it becomes attached to the brain receptors, which causes floods of sensations that are pleasurable. Through time, those dopamine receptors get their sensitivity reduced. This leads to the user’s increased consumption for him to get the same level of feeling. Furthermore, there are users who lose their ability to create their own dopamine.
Based on Harvard Medical School students, one dose of this drug may create symptoms which can last for 4-6 hours. However, symptoms of withdrawal from the dose may last for up to one week. They are commonly mild at first, but they may become severe as time goes by.
- Withdrawal Effects
- Early Stages
- Runny nose
- Muscle aches
- Restlessness
- Insomnia
- Later Stages
- Nausea
- Abdominal cramping and diarrhea
- Depression
- Muscle spasms in legs
People experiencing severe addiction to heroin can be highly familiar with the symptoms of detoxification. This is because they may feel these symptoms in between drug doses. There are the ones who can detoxify by themselves periodically for them to lessen their tolerance development tendencies. People who are aware of the painfulness of detoxification may be the ones who have acquired experiences without having assistance and they can be very resistant once they need to get through the entire process again.
Though they are not life-threatening symptoms, they can be very debilitating. It can even be harder for addicts to manage these symptoms once they know that they can end immediately, when their bodies get doses of heroin again.
Medications’ Roles
Though this sounds counterintuitive, heroin addicts usually require medications while they are in the process of detoxification.
The medications which, too, are prescribed by physicians, according to the needs of the addict, may ease the symptoms and lessen the extreme cravings that the addict experiences during the withdrawal. Furthermore, people addicted to heroin are likely to join treatment programs, especially if they feel that they will not struggle with the symptoms. This can be the best advantage of the medications.
Often, consulting physicians may give addicts the medication during detoxification. This drug helps block restlessness and insomnia, and may assist with running noses and headaches. Your physician may give you other drugs to ease abdominal symptoms.
Usually, consultations with physicians can give the addicts their medication while they are on detoxification. This type of drug blocks insomnia and restlessness. It can also assist with headaches and running noses. There can also be medications for easing abdominal symptoms.
Maintenance and Methadone
The drug commonly used in putting off heroin addiction is methadone. However, your physician is still the person who will decide which medication is the best for you. Methadone provides that high feeling to its users. Due to this, there are only specific times and clinics where you can legally get them. Users cannot just take this medication at home because of addicts who end up selling them or taking several doses, hoping to get intensified effects. There are consulting physicians who provide this medication while their patients are undergoing detoxification. Then they oblige the individual to continue taking it all throughout the maintenance program.
We do not recommend methadone. Replacing one drug with another does not cure addiction.
Over 25 percent of the people who get involved in these programs remain involved forever. But others feel that they just found a new type of addiction. Either way, there are better alternatives. Be VERY cautious of treatment centers that offer methadone for addition solutions. The only outcome is more money for them, and another costly addiction for you. In most cases it’s a lifetime.
Heroin Detoxification
Northlake Recovery offers placement at detox programs. Our facilities are proven to be the most effective form of detoxification with the best results long-term.
Be Cautious of Rapid Detox Facilities
Since the withdrawal symptoms of heroin may include vomiting, rapid detox programs can be harmful. The patient may vomit during the process and can drown or choke once he breaths in his vomit, especially if he is under the effects of anesthesia. Based on a study found in the Journal of the American Medical Association, there are three life-threatening difficulties they had discovered during their research on rapid detox. However, not one of them was able to recover better than the ones who experienced the normal detox process. Thus, this rapid detox cannot bring better results to its patients and it can even be dangerous to the individuals experiencing it. There are some cases where it may be needed, but your personal clinical director will make the proper assessment.
Conclusion
Detoxification alone cannot be the cure for heroin addiction. Most cases are influenced by behaviors and the experience they have had while they were getting addicted, as well as the people they were surrounded with.
Getting Started with Northlake Recovery for Your Heroin Addiction
Addicts must have detox program follow ups with structured recovery programs. Here, addicts may learn how to deal with their behaviors to avoid addiction relapses. Sadly, there are addicts who do not give their commitments to formal recovery programs even after the detox. According to a study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, only 9.6 per cent out of 802 participants who voluntarily join detox programs continued to get their treatment programs. Indeed, this is an indication that friends and family members need to bring more encouragements to the patient. If you or a loved one is struggling with a heroin addiction, it is imperative that you get them the help they need. Our drug interventionists can help your loved one admit they have a problem and help you move towards the next steps of getting them to start a detox program. Our licensed professionals at Northlake Recovery in South Florida understand the power of addiction and can help you moved past heroin for good. Call us today at (561)-770-6616.
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