Heroin Withdrawal
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Heroin Withdrawal

Heroin WithdrawalHeroin withdrawal occurs when regular heroin use is discontinued or reduced. Heroin withdrawal may begin within 6 to 24 hours of discontinuation of the drug; however, this time frame can fluctuate with the degree of tolerance as well as the amount of the last consumed dose. Heroin withdrawal will usually peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose. Within a week, physical withdrawal symptoms should have subsided, although the individual may experience some residual weakness and pain. Although the physical withdrawal symptoms may be over at this point, the brain still needs to re-learn the process of making the endorphins which the user has been substituting with heroin. This can take an additional two weeks to two months until the body stabilizes its endorphin production. It is only after restoring this brain chemistry that former addict really feels good, however, he or she will still have a psychological dependency to heroin.

Common heroin withdrawal symptoms include: nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, a runny nose, goose bumps, sweating, tears, insomnia, aches and pains in the muscles and joints, extreme restlessness, yawning, abdominal cramps, dilated pupils, and overall flu-like symptoms. Many individuals also experience psychological symptoms including anxiety and depression, with severe cravings for the drug. Heroin withdrawal can also cause muscle spasms in the legs which causes the person to kick (“kicking the habit”). Heroin withdrawal symptoms can be extremely uncomfortable but are not life threatening except in very rare circumstances.

Attempts to stop using heroin can fail simply because the withdrawal can be overwhelming, causing the addict to use more heroin in an attempt to overcome these symptoms. This overpowering addiction can cause the addict to do anything to get heroin. On the other hand, psychological cravings can also overcome the former user throwing him or her into relapse.

Withdrawing from heroin can be painfully intense so it is highly recommended that the person seek care in a heroin detox facility where medical professionals can manage and minimize the symptoms associated with heroin withdrawal under 24 hour care and supervision.


Heroin Withdrawal
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Heroin Facts

  • Is someone you love using heroin? Have you found unusual items around the house such as capsules, small plastic bags, syringes, packaging material for antihistamines or unusual residue in the coffee-bean grinder. Cash or other valuables may be missing and a sudden pattern of stealing or borrowing money appears. On the other hand, you also may find unexplained valuables. Notice other clues to indicate heroin use. A heroin user may wear winter clothes during the summer to hide needle marks. If so, the answer may be “yes” you loved one is abusing heroin.
  • Heroin, an opiate drug made from poppy, affects brain receptors and slows down pain, respiration and emotional response. This sedative ranks as one of the most commonly abused drugs throughout the world. .In 1874, British chemist C.R. Alder Wright first synthesized the base compound that forms heroin. More than 20 years later, German chemist Felix Hoffman rediscovered the powerful sedative effects of the drug. Some individuals even recommended that heroin be used to overcome morphine addiction.
  • U.S. Heroin Use: During the Civil War, medical personnel used opiates similar to heroin to treat injured soldiers. Even cough medicines listed heroin as an active ingredient. By 1890, local communities declared the drug's use illegal. In 1906, The Pure Food and Drugs Act required the listing of package ingredients, thus ending deception about the dangers of heroin. In 1922, the government imposed tight restrictions regarding the transport of heroin.
  • Peak Heroin Use: Heroin addiction climaxed in the United States in the 1970s and 80s when abuse reached epic levels. Overall, more permissive attitudes regarding drugs, along with cheaper production costs and greater availability, fueled this increase.
  • Heroin and methadone are separate--yet related--drugs. Heroin is a semi-synthetic opioid drug taken for recreation (illegally). In some countries, it's used as a prescribed medication. Heroin is a depressant, slowing down the body's functions and providing a sense of lowered anxiety. Methadone is also a semi-synthetic opioid drug, commonly used to rehabilitate heroin abusers by blocking the effects of heroin.
  • The first effect of heroin--and the primary reason for recreational drug use--is the sudden rush and feeling of euphoria created by the heroin binding to the opioid receptors. This rush gives a feeling of warmth and heaviness. With time, the body begins to slow down. Breathing becomes slow. This may also come with feelings of intense drowsiness. Methadone does not give the same rush that comes from heroin, although it does provide a less intense sense of peaceful euphoria. The short term effects of methadone include restlessness, vomiting, nausea, constipation, slow breathing, sweating, and restlessness.
  • The long-term effects of heroin are addiction and tolerance. Over time, heroin addicts require increasingly more of the substance to achieve the same short-term effects. Long-term effects of methadone include addiction, tooth decay, lung and respiratory problems, and changes in the menstrual cycle.