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Heroin withdrawal feels like an intense and uncomfortable experience with both physical and psychological symptoms.
In South Carolina, heroin-involved deaths increased significantly from 19 deaths in 2012 to 153 in 2017, highlighting the serious nature of heroin addiction and the importance of understanding withdrawal symptoms.
Early signs of heroin withdrawal include agitation, anxiety, muscle aches, sweating, yawning, a runny nose, and insomnia. Symptoms intensify with abdominal cramping, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, dilated pupils, goosebumps, chills, and heavy sweating. Psychological effects include anxiety, restlessness, and strong cravings.
Heroin withdrawal starts within 24 hours, peaks at 24 to 36 hours with severe symptoms, and typically subsides by 4 to 7 days, though psychological effects last longer.
What Are The Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal?
The symptoms of heroin withdrawal include restlessness, nervousness, flu-like manifestations, sleep disturbances, profuse perspiration, abdominal discomfort, digestive issues, enlarged pupils, skin reactions, nausea, and intense drug cravings. These withdrawal signs typically emerge when someone stops using heroin after developing physical dependence.
How Long Does Heroin Withdrawal Last?
Heroin withdrawal lasts for approximately 4 to 7 days for most people, beginning within 24 hours of last use, peaking between 24 to 36 hours, and gradually subsiding by day 4. The process involves physical symptoms like flu-like effects and vomiting, psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression, and intense cravings that decrease over time.
The heroin withdrawal timeline is as follows:
24 Hours
The physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal will begin within 24 hours of your last dose. While the symptoms are usually mild, you should be receiving care from a medically supervised detox center. It is common to experience symptoms like irritability, anxiety, cravings for heroin, and general discomfort.
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24 to 36 Hours
Sometime between 24 and 36 hours after you last used heroin, your symptoms will peak, and withdrawal will be at its most severe. If you are in a medical detox center, your symptoms will be controlled with FDA-approved medications like Suboxone or methadone.
During peak heroin withdrawal, you might experience flu-like symptoms, vomiting, diarrhea, intense cravings for heroin, and psychological symptoms like anxiety or insomnia.
4 to 7 Days
Around the 4th day, you will notice that your symptoms are becoming milder. They will continue to taper off until it has been a week since your last dose. Most people overcome heroin withdrawal by 7 days.
It is possible to continue experiencing psychological symptoms of heroin withdrawal, like depression, anxiety, insomnia, and cravings. This is known as post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), which lasts for several weeks.
How Does Heroin Detox Work?
Heroin detox works through medically supervised programs that provide comprehensive support during withdrawal. The best way to achieve long-term recovery is to attend a heroin detox center. These programs offer 24/7 medical supervision, mental health support, and medications to control withdrawal symptoms. In other words, they make it easier for you to cope with heroin withdrawal, allowing you to move forward in your recovery journey.
Heroin detox centers use FDA-approved medications to manage heroin withdrawal symptoms. The most commonly used medications include:
- Suboxone
- Methadone
- Clonidine
- Lucemyra
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How Does Heroin Withdrawal Differ From Other Opioid Withdrawal?
Heroin withdrawal differs from other opioid withdrawals primarily in the severity and duration of symptoms. Heroin withdrawal symptoms are intense but have a similar onset and duration compared to methadone withdrawal, which sometimes produces more severe symptoms during both the acute and recovery phases. Both heroin and methadone withdrawals involve physical and psychological symptoms, but methadone’s longer half-life leads to a more prolonged withdrawal process.
Is It Dangerous To Go Through Withdrawal Without Medical Supervision?
Yes, going through withdrawal without medical supervision is dangerous because symptoms become severe and difficult to manage. Medical support reduces discomfort, prevents complications, and lowers the risk of relapse or other health issues.
How To Find heroin addiction treatment in South Carolina?
To find heroin addiction treatment in South Carolina, start by contacting your primary care doctor for referrals to addiction specialists and calling your insurance company to verify coverage for treatment services. Research CARF-accredited facilities that offer comprehensive care, determine what level of treatment you need – whether medical detox, residential care, or outpatient services – and look for programs that address co-occurring mental health conditions through dual diagnosis treatment.
At South Carolina Addiction Treatment in Simpsonville, we provide specialized heroin addiction treatment with medically supervised detox, residential programs, and comprehensive dual diagnosis services. Our CARF-accredited facility offers 24/7 support, evidence-based therapies like CBT and DBT, and personalized treatment plans that address the underlying causes of addiction while promoting sustainable recovery. For immediate assistance, contact SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for free, confidential treatment referrals available around the clock.
