Heroin Detox in Arkansas

Contact Time Wellness Detox today to learn more about our detox centers in Arkansas.

What is Heroin Detox?

Heroin detox is a short-term treatment program that is designed to help people end their use of this dangerous drug without incurring health damage or experiencing overwhelming distress.

Heroin use triggers the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that is associated with reward, pleasure, and motivation. It also suppresses the release of noradrenaline, which promotes alertness and increases energy.

When a person becomes addicted heroin, their body adapts to the presence of the drug. This adaptation may involve relying on heroin to trigger dopamine release, as well as naturally increasing noradrenaline production to counter heroin’s suppressive effects on that brain chemical.

If a person who has become dependent on heroin abruptly stops using the drug, their body will temporarily be thrown into a state of imbalance, which can include an underproduction of dopamine and overproduction of noradrenaline. This can cause a range of unpleasant symptoms, which are referred to collectively as withdrawal.

A July 2002 article in the journal Addiction Science & Clinical Perspective described opioid withdrawal as “one of the most powerful factors driving opioid dependence and addictive behaviors.” In other words, the severity of withdrawal symptoms can be so intense that they force people to continue using heroin or other opioids.

Heroin detox helps people overcome the obstacle posed by withdrawal, so that they can rid their bodies of the substance and begin to build a foundation for a healthier, heroin-free future.

Signs and Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal

Heroin withdrawal is typically characterized by both physical and psychological suffering.

Common physical signs and symptoms of heroin withdrawal as similar to what can occur if you have a very bad case of the flu. The experience may involve:

• Watery eyes
• Runny nose
• Fever and chills
• Excessive perspiration
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Cramping in the abdomen
• Muscle and bone pain
• Loss of appetite
• Insomnia

The physical anguish of heroin withdrawal is usually accompanied by psychological symptoms such as:

• Severe cravings for heroin or other opioids
• Difficulty focusing and concentrating
• Anxiety
• Agitation 
• Irritability
• Depression

Short-Term Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Thankfully, most of the physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal usually fall into the short-term category. Within about 10-14 days, the cramps, nausea, exhaustion, and other flu-like should have dissipated. 

Of course, the actual duration of a person’s withdrawal symptoms can vary. Some people complete heroin detox more quickly, while others endure symptoms for a much longer period of time.

Long-Term Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Usually, long-term symptoms of heroin withdrawal are lingering cravings and other psychological and cognitive effects. Though these symptoms usually subside within a few weeks, they can sometimes persist for several months or years.

This extended persistence of symptoms is called post-acute withdrawal syndrome, or PAWS. Common PAWS symptoms include:

• Cravings
• Brain fog, or slowed cognitive processes
• Memory problems
• Difficult focusing and concentrating
• Anxiety, irritability, and/or depression
• Low motivation
• General sense of unease or dissatisfaction.

PAWS can also involve ongoing fatigue and disrupted sleep patterns.

How Long Does It Take to Withdrawal from Heroin?

The acute phase of heroin withdrawal typically lasts about 10-14 days, though the exact amount of time you experience withdrawal symptoms can be influenced by a variety of individual factors, such as:

• Your age, gender, and metabolism
• How much heroin you usually use, and how long you’ve been using it
• If you’ve been through heroin withdrawal before
• If you have also been abusing other substances
• If you have any co-occurring medical or mental health concerns

If you don’t develop PAWS, the good news is that you should be finished with the most intense heroin withdrawal symptoms within about two weeks after your last dose.

More: How Long Does It Take to Detox From Heroin?

Heroin Withdrawal Timeline

As with the amount of time it takes to withdraw from heroin, the timeline of symptoms can also vary depending on a range of personal factors. Generally speaking, though, here’s what you can expect:

• You should start to feel the first symptoms within 8-24 hours after you stop using heroin.
  
  
• Once your symptoms begin, they will become more severe over the next 48-72 hours (two to three days).
  
  
• Your symptoms should reach peak intensity around day three or four, then begin to slowly subside.
  
  
• It often takes 5-10 days for heroin withdrawal symptoms to dissipate.
  
  
• Even after most symptoms are gone, you may continue to feel some lingering effects, such as fatigue and cravings. Therapy can help you learn to manage these and other aftereffects of heroin detox in a healthy manner, without relapsing into active heroin use.

How Does Heroin Detox in Arkansas Work?

Typical elements of treatment at Time Wellness Detox in Arkansas include:

• When you arrive at our center, you will be greeted by a friendly member of our team. This professional will review our policies and procedures with you, and help you fill out a few forms.
  
  
• A member of your treatment team will conduct an evaluation to ensure that we have identified and are prepared to address the full scope of your needs.
  
  
• You may receive medication-assisted treatment (MAT) to ease cravings and other symptoms of heroin withdrawal.
  
  
• You can take part in several types of therapy, which can help you manage symptoms that aren’t alleviated by medication. Therapy can also help you start to make the changes that will support your successful recovery.
  
  
• Before you transition out of heroin detox, we’ll provide you with a discharge plan that includes recommendations for the most appropriate follow-on programming.

Medications Used for Heroin Withdrawal

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved three prescription medications to help people get through heroin withdrawal.

Depending on the nature and severity of your symptoms, you may receive one of these meds while you’re at our heroin detox in Arkansas:

• Methadone – Originally developed in the 1930s, methadone has been incorporated into heroin addiction treatment programs since the 1960s. Decades of research indicate that it can be safe and effective either as a short-term medication or for long-term maintenance.
  
• Buprenorphine – The FDA approved buprenorphine in 2002. This medication interacts with the same receptors in your brain that are triggered by heroin, but it doesn’t cause the disorienting high that heroin does. This prevents the onset of cravings and other withdrawal symptoms.
• Naltrexone – Naltrexone has been used in heroin detox programs since the mid-1980s. In 2010, the FDA approved an extended-release version under the brand name Vivitrol. While methadone and buprenorphine require daily doses, patients can receive Vivitrol via monthly injections.