With the opioid epidemic in full swing, many people are turning to heroin to get their high. Heroin is a natural opioid that can be snorted, smoked, or injected intravenously. It typically comes in the form of a white powder and is considered a Schedule 1 drug in the United States with no valid medical use. Heroin is highly addictive so many people struggle to quit without a formal heroin addiction treatment program, and the first step in this treatment is a detox from heroin.

The Heroin Detox Process

A heroin detox is the process of weaning the body off opioids of someone who has become dependent on this type of drug. Like with other drugs, a heroin detox is often accompanied by both physical and mental withdrawal symptoms that make the process more challenging. Fortunately, the heroin withdrawal timeline is shorter than some other drugs. A user may feel symptoms less than a day after detox begins. Most symptoms, like the more uncomfortable physical side effects, will peak after a few days and only last for a about a week or so altogether. The psychological withdrawal symptoms may be longer lasting and reappear even years after the person is sober 

Common heroin withdrawal symptoms during detox include:

• Nausea or stomach aches
• Shaking or tremors
• Excessive sweating
• Runny nose
• Increased heart rate
• Fever
• Muscle aches
• Vomiting or diarrhea
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Agitation
• Heroin cravings
• Sleep problems

Those who have more severe addictions or who have been using heroin for a longer amount of time will likely experience worse withdrawal symptoms. Overall health and past medical history may also play a role in how the symptoms present themselves. Because these symptoms can be both uncomfortable and possibly escalate into something more severe, it is better to undergo this process with professional help such as that available at our detox center in Palm Springs.

Our Palm Springs Heroin Detox Center

At Banyan Treatment Centers Palm Springs, we do our best to make heroin withdrawal as safe and as comfortable as possible. Our heroin detox center includes the supervision of medical personnel who will monitor and help manage a patient’s withdrawal symptoms. Not only are they there in case of any medical emergency, but their job is also to help make the process easier. A heroin detox can be both physically and mentally draining, so our staff is there to support patients during this time in both aspects. They will provide heroin withdrawal help in every way possible to keep a person on track and prevent an early relapse, the necessary support that many people lack when they try to detox at home.  

Once the heroin detox program is complete, patients will progress into our Palms Springs residential treatment program. Here they will focus on the problems related to substance abuse that fall outside of physical dependence and start to prepare for life without opioids and long-lasting sobriety.

If you or a loved one is addicted to heroin, our Coachella Valley heroin detox center could help change that. To start your journey to sobriety with us, contact us today.