When an individual uses heroin to get high and develops a dependence and addiction to the drug, stopping use can be a challenge. This challenge is made more difficult by the onset of withdrawal symptoms that cause cravings to use again.
If you are ready to start this process and struggling to get clean and stop using, contact Findlay Recovery today. Our addiction treatment program is specifically designed to support individuals with heroin addiction and transition them into recovery and sobriety. Our treatment facility is designed to get you the help you need when you need it with day-of openings.
What is Heroin?
Heroin is an illegal opiate narcotic that acts as a suppressant on the central nervous system. Heroin dulls the senses and can lead to what is commonly called “the nod,” where an individual nods between consciousness and not.
Heroin can be snorted, smoked, or injected into the body when mixed with water. Each method comes with its own medical concerns and variations of a heroin high lasting different lengths and impacting the user at different speeds.
When a person gets high on heroin, they may experience several common symptoms.
- Stomach issues, including nausea or vomiting
- A heavy feeling in arms and legs
- Itchy sensation over the body
- Difficulty focusing or thinking clearly
- Going in and out of consciousness, or “nodding off”
These symptoms last for the length of the high, which is often about 4-5 hours. During this time, users experience a euphoric rush of feeling that wears off and transitions into “the nod.” Individuals who use heroin for an extended period may experience tolerance, meaning they need more of the drug to achieve the same high. This can lead to dangerous levels of heroin use, leading to an overdose.
Heroin can also have significant long-term effects on the body.
- Insomnia
- Restlessness
- Collapsed veins for people who inject the drug
- Damaged tissue inside the nose for people who sniff or snort it
- Infection of the heart lining and valves
- Abscesses (swollen tissue filled with pus)
- Stomach issues
- Liver and kidney disease
- Lung complications, including pneumonia
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Personality Disorders
- Sexual dysfunction for men
- Irregular menstrual cycles for women
These symptoms in addition to increased risk of trauma, HIV, Hepatitis C, and other bloodborne pathogens from needle sharing.
Heroin is a great risk for the person and the body.
Can Heroin Cause Withdrawal?
As an addictive drug, when an individual chooses to stop using heroin, a person may experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms usually begin within 12 hours of last use. Withdrawal symptoms peak between 1-3 days and typically last for the remainder of the week. However, mental health symptoms like anxiety or depression related to use, stopping use, and trauma around use can last for months or years following heroin withdrawal.
What are the Symptoms of Heroin Withdrawal?
These withdrawal symptoms can vary from person to person but most often include:
- Restlessness
- severe muscle and bone pain
- sleep problems
- diarrhea and vomiting
- Goosebumps
- Uncontrollable leg movements or twitches
- Constant urges to use the drug
While these symptoms aren’t often life-threatening, they can make an individual feel terrible and, when the cravings kick in, cause a person to relapse. Relapses are often linked with overdoses because an individual may go back to their last dosage, which is too much for the body to handle after a withdrawal from the drug.
How to Find Heroin Detox Centers in Findlay, OH
Heroin detox should be completed in the care of a medical professional and connected with proper addiction treatment. Through this process, individuals can receive the care they need to successfully stop using heroin, address their behavior, and make changes that can maintain lifelong sobriety.
To find heroin detox in Findlay, Ohio, look no further than Findlay Recovery. Our heroin detox and treatment center is designed to support clients through every step of the detox and treatment process in order to provide the safest, most supportive, and structured environment for clients to address their mental health and drug addiction.
We use a combination of traditional and alternative treatment methods designed to be individualized to our client’s needs. Our expert professionals can offer around-the-clock care and support with a fully residential treatment program.
Contact our admissions counselors to see how we can help you start on your journey of recovery today.
