The biggest obstacle a heroin addict has to overcome before they begin a lifetime of sobriety is going through the detox process. It is the most painful and life-threatening part of the heroin recovery timeline. Many addicts know that they need to get help but have trouble admitting it because they’re worried about how they’ll feel once they begin detoxing.
However, not only do people have different detox experiences, with the severity and intensity of withdrawal symptoms depending on health and addiction history, but getting professional help can make the detox process more comfortable. The heroin detox process does not have to leave people confined for days and debilitated.
If you or someone you care about is looking for help in dealing with heroin addiction and recovery in Ohio, contact Midwest Detox Center online or call 833.647.0392 to learn more about the programs we offer.
What’s the Heroin Recovery Timeline?
Whether or not a person chooses to go through detox by themselves or at a heroin detox center, they will go through the same heroin recovery timeline:
- The first hours: Heroin withdrawal symptoms can occur within the first six to 12 hours of the last dose. It’s common to experience anxiety, mood swings, and panic attacks at this time, along with physical discomfort.
- The first days: After the first day, heroin withdrawal symptoms still start to peak. During the first few days after someone’s last dose, typical symptoms are extreme fatigue, muscle aches, and other physical symptoms. It’s at this point that the body begins to adjust to the absence of heroin. It will be difficult to eat or sleep, and nausea and vomiting can occur.
- The first weeks: After peaking, the withdrawal symptoms will eventually subside. They may still occur but at a lower intensity, and after a week, many withdrawal symptoms won’t come back.
Many people will experience acute withdrawal symptoms for weeks or months. Heroin cravings are an especially difficult withdrawal symptom that can occur throughout the heroin recovery timeline.
What to Expect from a Heroin Detox Program
For their comfort, patients of a heroin detox program should be admitted within hours of their last dose. The medical team of a detox center will evaluate and assess a patient thoroughly, taking into account their addiction and health history, to create a personalized detox and treatment plan.
Patients will be stabilized and put under medical supervision. After an initial heroin detox period, patients may benefit from a course of MAT to help with heroin cravings and life-threatening withdrawal symptoms. MAT relies on certain FDA-approved medications like Suboxone, Vivitrol, and methadone, typically in slowly decreasing dosages.
What to Expect from a Heroin Addiction Treatment Program
Following detox, patients are encouraged to spend time in a heroin addiction treatment program. Many detox centers will also have facilities that handle inpatient or outpatient programs like this.
A heroin addiction treatment program will be composed of individual therapy, group counseling, and other forms of care designed to make patients comfortable enough to take care of their physical and mental health in ways that will help them cope with triggers when they go back to the outside world. Sometimes, family therapy or gender-specific residential treatment can also be useful in carving a path to recovery.
Before a patient leaves a heroin addiction treatment program, they will receive a rehab aftercare program that includes a relapse prevention plan and support group suggestions. Sometimes, they could be encouraged to move to a sober living home.
Learn More About Midwest Detox Center’s Heroin Addiction Treatment Program
If you or someone you care about is in Ohio and looking for professional help when it comes to heroin addiction and recovery, contact Midwest Detox Center online or call 833.647.0392 to find out more about the services we offer.
