Heroin Detox
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Heroin Detox Program in Orange County, CA
Many people become addicted to heroin after taking prescription opioids legitimately for pain relief. Heroin is a highly addictive and illicit opioid that is cheaper, stronger, and easier to get than prescription opioids. As a result, when individuals make the switch to heroin, they almost never go back to taking prescription opioids.
The potential for abuse of and addiction to heroin is extremely high. For some people, intense cravings occur even after only one use. Tolerance is generally developed quickly with heroin, which causes users to have to use more and more of the drug to achieve the same effects. Addiction to heroin often results in the drug becoming people’s sole focus, the very center of their lives. People and activities that they used to enjoy no longer have any importance in their lives.
With such a strong and powerful drug like heroin, most people who become addicted need professional help from heroin detox centers like True Life Recovery to help detox and get started with recovery.
Key Facts
3,000
New Cases per Year
1.6m
People at Risk
80 - 90%
Most Common
34
Median Age
01 What Is Heroin?
What Is Heroin Abuse and Detoxification?
Heroin is not a new drug and was first synthesized in the late 1800s. Heroin comes from the poppy plant and is a highly addictive and powerful narcotic. Because heroin is illegal and is not regulated, people who are addicted to heroin do not know what other substances they are ingesting into their system or the strength of the heroin itself.
Whether heroin is snorted, injected, or smoked, this highly addictive substance will always lead to needing greater amounts due to a buildup of tolerance.
Heroin use runs the very serious risk of overdosing and death. Heroin addiction will always lead to and make addicts go places a person in their right mind would never imagine going or doing, leading to negative consequences.
02. Effects of Using heroin
The Effects of Heroin Abuse on The Body
Heroin abuse has severe and sometimes apparent effects on the body, which only worsen the more extended use continues. Heroin’s impact ranges from immediate, surface-level symptoms to severe and life-threatening health complications that can develop over time.
In the short term, many people who use heroin feel an intense rush of euphoria, which is often accompanied by slurred speech and an altered sense of reality. Physical signs include noticeable weight loss, constricted pupils, and persistent itching. Emotionally and mentally, heroin use can trigger intense mood swings, ranging from heightened irritability and anger to overwhelming anxiety and depression. Confusion, paranoia, and even hallucinations are common as heroin’s influence deepens, leaving users in a disoriented, tired, and lethargic state that often leads to nodding off or oversleeping. Apathy toward personal care also becomes apparent, as individuals struggling with heroin abuse may start neglecting personal hygiene.
Long-term heroin abuse takes an even more significant toll on the body, leading to severe health risks and potentially fatal conditions. Injection use often results in abscesses and skin infections, while organs like the liver and kidneys are strained, potentially leading to chronic disease. The risk of developing blood clots, heart attacks, strokes, and pulmonary embolisms rises sharply with ongoing use. In addition, sharing needles or other paraphernalia heightens the risk of contracting life-threatening infections such as Hepatitis B and C, HIV, and septicemia. Collapsed veins, pneumonia, or chronic respiratory diseases are also common in those who inject heroin or use it in large quantities.
Perhaps most concerning, heroin abuse carries the ever-present risk of overdose, which can lead to seizures, coma, or death if immediate medical intervention isn’t available. Beyond the physical toll, heroin abuse often damages nearly every aspect of a user’s life, leading to financial instability, legal problems, and fractured relationships. Each challenge compounds the struggle, making it harder for users to seek or accept help.
By understanding the broad and devastating effects of heroin abuse, individuals, families, and communities can better recognize the signs and take action toward recovery and prevention.
03. SIDE EFFECTS OF DETOX
What Are the Withdrawal Symptoms of Heroin Detox?
Heroin is fast-acting and has a short half-life. That means that it enters your body quickly, the effects are felt almost immediately, and it leaves your body quickly, often causing you to want to use more and more. Withdrawal symptoms may begin soon after your last heroin use, within an hour or two. They may be anywhere from mild to severe and can last anywhere from a few days to a month. There are typically three phases of withdrawal from heroin, acute, post-acute, and protracted abstinence.
The following symptoms usually begin fairly soon after discontinuing the use of heroin. They typically last a day or two but may last longer depending on the individual:
- Excessive sweating
- Muscle and body aches
- Runny nose and tearing eyes
- Lethargy
- Anxiety
- Excessive yawning
- Restlessness
- Agitation and irritability
- Insomnia
- Restless leg syndrome
- Extreme cravings
The second phase of heroin withdrawal is typically more intense and usually starts after one or two days. Symptoms in this phase include:
- Increased heart rate
- Dilated pupils
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
- Increased blood pressure
- Goosebumps
While these symptoms are very unpleasant and painful, they usually begin to improve around day three, and for most people, within a week there is a significant decrease in acute withdrawal symptoms.
Throughout this last phase, elevated dysphoria, which is a state is dissatisfaction and unease as well as anxiety may not seem obvious, although any kind of insignificant challenge can bring on negativity, cause cravings for alcohol and provoke relapse. The psychological discomfort which accompanies anxiety throughout abstinence is somewhat overwhelming, even after most of the acute physical symptoms have diminished. This is what experts believe plays a prominent role in the increased risk of relapse as well as bringing on the continued use of and/or abuse of alcohol.
04. How Long Does Detox Take to Finish
How Long Will It Take to Detox from Heroin?
Detoxing from heroin can be a challenging process, often marked by intense discomfort, though it is generally not life-threatening. Symptoms may begin within just a few hours of the last dose and typically include muscle and body aches, excessive sweating, restlessness, gastrointestinal issues, and involuntary muscle movements. In most cases, the severest physical symptoms peak within the first 48 hours of detox, creating a critical period where medical support can greatly aid the process. For most individuals, physical withdrawal symptoms lessen within a week, yet emotional and psychological symptoms such as cravings, anxiety, and depression may linger for weeks or even months after detox.
The duration of heroin detox varies widely based on individual factors such as the length of use, frequency, and dosage. The method of use—whether smoking, snorting, or injecting—also impacts withdrawal intensity and duration, as does a person’s general health condition. Those with longer-term or heavier use often experience a more extended detox process, requiring a tailored approach that may include medical support and therapy to manage cravings and support mental health. Detox is just the first step toward recovery, and ongoing support is crucial to help individuals build a foundation for lasting sobriety.
How to Recognize if Heroin Detox May Be Right for You
If you find yourself doing the following things, you should consider heroin detox and addiction treatment:
- Have problems with money, legal issues, or other problems related to heroin use
- Have work or school problems or chronic absenteeism
- Lie to friends or family about the extent of your drug use
- Experience severe mood swings
- Lose interest in personal appearance
- Craving heroin
- Requiring heroin to feel “normal”
- Isolating from family and friends
- Stopping activities that were previously enjoyable
- Failing to be able to stop using heroin when attempted
05. DETOX BY DRUG TYPE
What Are the Different Types of Detox?
At True Life Recovery, we help clients detox from various drugs and alcohol in a caring, supportive, and safe setting. All clients are monitored medically, including vital signs and withdrawal symptoms, to ensure that they remain safe and comfortable. Some individuals may be given medication to help alleviate withdrawal symptoms and provide a more comfortable detox.
We offer detox for drugs and alcohol including:
06. GETTING HELP
Getting Help
Heroin addiction is often a devastating situation for the user and his or her family and friends. It’s a chronic disease that can change how the brain functions, making it difficult to stop using on your own. However, there is hope for people struggling with heroin addiction, and recovery is possible with the proper treatment.
Individuals who are addicted to heroin nearly always need professional addiction treatment to stop using the drug and achieve long-lasting sobriety. The first step of drug addiction treatment is detox to rid your body of the drug. After that, it’s typically recommended that you attend a residential treatment program where you will receive therapy, education, and psychiatric care that will help prepare you to live a drug-free life.
If you are struggling with heroin abuse or addiction, True Life Recovery detox center is here to help you. We will begin with a thorough assessment of your drug use and medical condition to develop an individualized treatment plan for you. Our compassionate and professional staff will care and support you through the detoxification process, keeping you safe and as comfortable as possible. Our heroin detox center in Orange County, CA is home-like and private, allowing you to focus completely on your treatment and recovery. With the right treatment, support, and medical care, recovery from heroin addiction is possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Addiction is a complicated, irrational and multi-faceted disease. Addiction is a chronic disease of the brain that is persisting, recurring and difficult to stop. Addiction is not a moral failing or a lack of will power. Nobody chooses to be an addict. Experimenting with drugs and alcohol may lead to addiction in certain people. People basically use drugs or alcohol to relax, escape or reward themselves. A potential addiction occurs and is more likely in people who have an addictive personality caused by biology, environment or socially or are predisposed through heredity. These people don’t just feel good after using they feel so good they chase the feeling and the substance.
Signs of Addiction:
- Increased Tolerance & Intense Urges
- Physical or Emotional Withdrawal Symptoms
- Negative Consequences
- Unsuccessful Attempts to Stop
- Too Much Time Spent Seeking Next High
- Addiction without the proper professional help can be terminal.
If you cannot control or stop using alcohol or drugs and your use is affecting your life adversely regarding health, self-esteem, family, employment, friends even law enforcement it’s probably time to consider a recovery program for yourself.
The first step after deciding to take control of your life back is to detox. Detoxing from an addiction is the first step in changing your life.
A “cold turkey” approach is not recommended because of the physical problems that may arise. In our experience people who try going cold turkey usually disappoint themselves and relapse. Detox should never be attempted at home or without medical supervision at a licensed detox treatment facility.
At True Life Recovery, we medically manage your detox stay and provide you with as pain-free and safe experience as possible. We manage the physical effects of withdrawal, give you a safe comfortable supportive environment with proper food and emotional support.
When an individual determines to live life clean and sober the first step is detox.
The next phase is adjusting to abstinence. Lasting recovery means behavioral changes that support your journey. Talking it out in a private or public support system will assist in recovery.
Active involvement in support groups such as AA or NA are recommended.
There are many drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers also available to assist individuals to learn new coping skills and focus on their recovery. As well, your religious organization may be of great support.
Addiction is a chronic disease, therefore the goal is a long-term successful management of the disease.
Detoxification from drugs or alcohol varies depending on the type, the level of abuse, and the individual client’s health.
In general, detox will take 3 to 10 days.
When you speak with one of our True Life Recovery representatives they will begin to assess your dependency and will give you a good idea of what timeline to expect to stay.
Costs include 24-hour supervision and monitoring, room and board in a private or shared room, intake evaluation, counseling and therapy sessions as well as nutritious food freshly prepared daily.
For anyone worried that the wrong person will find out that you are going through a detox program – don’t be. Deciding to become clean and sober is a very personal issue and we highly respect individual rights. We do not give out personal information, have and maintain a very strict confidentiality policy.
We Accept Most Private Insurances
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