Heroin Detox Methods

Undergoing a supervised heroin detox is an essential first step to a successful drug rehab program. The longer that heroin remains in the system, the longer and harder it will be to rid the body of its negative effects. The bulk of the negative physical effects of heroin will be eliminated during the first week or so of detox and, as you or your loved one progresses through treatment, the remaining drug elements in the body will be expelled naturally.

At Orchid Recovery Center, we incorporate a solid heroin detox into the beginning of our drug treatment program. For women who are serious about kicking dope and staying clean, Orchid Recovery Center offers a wide range of treatment services to help you detox successfully and learn how to live without substance use.

Types of Heroin Detox Methods

There are a number of different heroin detox methods that are available for you to choose from. Depending upon your individual circumstances, one may be more appropriate for you than another. In its simplest terms, you can choose a “cold turkey” detox at home, a methadone maintenance detox that transfers your addiction to a controlled substance or a medically supervised “kick” at a drug detox center and treatment facility with the assistance of medical professionals who prescribe medication to ease the withdrawal symptoms.

Heroin Detox Methods: At Home

Unless you have a very light addiction, it is not recommended that you attempt to treat yourself at home by kicking alone. Withdrawal symptoms, though they can be much worse for those with larger habits, can still be overwhelming if you’ve never experienced it before. The cold sweats, vomiting and nausea, restlessness and insomnia, and involuntary twitching, jerking and leg moments in addition to the intense craving for the drugs can make you feel desperate, hopeless and crazy.

Heroin also decreases the user’s tolerance for pain so even mild withdrawal symptoms can feel overwhelming. Another risk is that you may have other physical health problems those brought on by heroin use or others that you may not know about yet—that may be exacerbated or made worse by kicking. In some of these cases, trying to detox off of heroin alone can be fatal.

Orchid Recovery Center does not recommend that anyone attempt to detox off of any drug without medical supervision.

Heroin Detox Methods: Methadone Maintenance

Methadone maintenance describes a way to get off of heroin without actually going through a detox and withdrawal. By transferring your addiction to methadone you remove the unsafe variables that street drugs and needles bring. However, methadone is devastating to the liver and a number of other side effects can keep you from living a full life.

For moderate to mild heroin addiction, drugs like Suboxone or Subutex, forms of the drug buprenorphine, can be prescribed on an ongoing basis in place of methadone.

Heroin Detox Methods: Medical Detox

In today’s world of medical technology and the understanding of the mechanism of substance abuse, there is no reason to undergo a heroin detox without the help of prescription medications to ease the symptoms. At Orchid Recovery Center, we provide a supervised detox with medical professionals on hand to prescribe the medications you need to help you ease your symptoms. We stay with you after your initial phase of detox is over and help you as your treatment progresses to learn how to deal with drug cravings and define your life without dependence upon heroin. Call Orchid Recovery Center for more information.