Does this sound familiar? Every six to eight hours, like clockwork, you encounter heroin withdrawal symptoms. Initially, they’re mild, other times not so much. Sometimes, you fantasize what it would be like to ride it out and get clean, but you end up using again. Here’s what you need to know about how our substance abuse treatment programs can help.
Getting Over Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms
It starts with mild withdrawal. At our heroin addiction treatment center in Worcester, Massachusetts, therapists frequently meet clients who used the night before. They fear what comes after the yawning, sweating, runny nose, and slight cramping.
Without intervention, then the next two days will be rough. Light cramping turns into gastrointestinal upset. You feel as if you’re coming down with the flu. Besides that, you are exhausted but can’t rest.
Anxiety builds up as depression increases. Your heart rate’s going up and down. You’d do anything for another fix. Muscles contract painfully and won’t relax.
On day four, the heroin withdrawal signs diminish. They’re no longer as strong as they’ve been. Similarly, you sleep in short bursts. By the end of the week, you wake up without heroin withdrawal symptoms.
Medical Detox Eliminates the Pain and Provides Safety
The pain of withdrawal is the reason why most at-home detox attempts fail. It’s so intense that you want it to stop. When you enroll at a medical detox facility, you overcome this aspect of recovery with relative ease. For example, interventions include:
- Medication-assisted treatment for heroin withdrawal signs to eliminate pain and ease physical discomfort
- Around-the-clock supervision of the process that protects your health and ensures proper hydration at all times
- Mental health treatment to overcome anxiety and depression throughout the process
- Group therapy to express your emotions and feelings toward recovery
- Transfer to the rehab portion of care to deal with the psychological addiction to heroin
Therapists provide plenty of encouragement throughout the process. You feel comfortable as your body regains equilibrium. Besides that, you understand what’s happening at all times because of addiction education. Therefore, there’s no fear of the unknown.
Rehab is a Necessity
That first morning you wake up without withdrawal symptoms is fantastic. You didn’t think you could do it. But here you are. You can go about your day without doing heroin.
However, there’s more treatment ahead. You’ve only succeeded in ending the physical addiction. The psychological dependence’s still there. Without rehab, you have a high relapse potential.
During the rehab process, therapists help you understand what triggered you to use the opiate. For some, it’s a matter of stress relief. Others wanted something that would numb strong emotions and memories. Some people began using heroin due to peer pressure.
All these triggers have a workaround. You learn new coping skills and stress management techniques during behavioral therapy. Life skills training assists with setting social boundaries and dealing with peers. Most importantly, there’s trauma treatment for those who need to work through events from the past and heal.
Enrolling in Rehab
It’s easy to enroll in rehab. You don’t have to be sober. In fact, many clients enter rehab after using a last dose of heroin just moments before. It’s okay.
You start with medical detox and graduate to rehab after about a week. You no longer have heroin withdrawal symptoms and feel good about your progress. Connect with Washburn House today by dialing 855.298.3104 now.