The Opioid Epidemic in the U.S.
There is a drug epidemic throughout the United States. Thousands of people die from drug addiction or drug abuse every year. Drug withdrawal is very common with more than 3 million people across American suffering from the mental and physical symptoms that result from reducing or stopping a specific drug. While the condition is usually self-diagnosable, it is very treatable by a medical professional.
About 948,000 people used heroin in the United States during 2016. That same year, about 11.5 million people used narcotic pain relievers for non-medical reasons. That means that they took narcotics or painkillers not prescribed to them. There are several different kinds of narcotics including heroin.
Narcotics cause physical dependence. That means that the individual becomes reliant on the drug. When an individual stops the drug, he or she will suffer withdrawals, which means they will have intense symptoms because their body thinks it continues to need the drug. Because of the intensity of the withdrawals, medical care is a necessity to ensure the safety and welfare of the patient. Ensure you get help from an accredited drug rehab facility that has around-the-clock medical care available.
Things You Need to Know About Heroin Withdrawal
Heroin withdrawal can lead to a variety of symptoms. Some symptoms are more intense than others. Here are some things that you didn’t know about heroin withdrawal, but that you need to know. Detox is never the same for any two people.
- Every year, more than 600,000 people in America will need treatment for addiction to heroin. This number has slowly climbed throughout the last decade.
- The symptoms of heroin withdrawal begin within 6 to 12 hours of the individual’s last use of the drug. The withdrawal symptoms reach their peak 2 or 3 days after the last use. Most people have withdrawal symptoms that last anywhere from 5 to 10 days for most patients.
- Heroin can be detected in an individual’s urine for as long as 7 days after use. It depends on the kind of test used and the amount of heroin consumed and how it was used. Blood and saliva tests can detect heroin for five or six hours after the last use of the drug, but most often it is detected for as long as two days after use. Heroin use can be detected in hair follicle test for as long as three months after use.
- The withdrawals suffered from heroin addiction aren’t life-threatening, but the symptoms can result in serious problems. There is an increased risk of overdose during or after withdrawals, and there can be complications with medical or psychiatric conditions.
- Substitution maintenance treatment is often given to help with heroin withdrawal. Usually, the drugs buprenorphine, lofexidine, or methadone are used to help with the withdrawals and with the process. The patient will then require withdrawal from the substitution treatment.
- The heroin withdrawal process requires intensive monitoring by highly-trained professionals. They will watch for general progress, any relapses in drug use, the response to any medications, the severity of the withdrawal symptoms, any difficulties or complications, and the ongoing motivation level for sober living.
- With the proper help and motivation, patients can overcome heroin addiction and stay clean. While relapses are common with any kind of addiction or abuse, those odds can be overcome with the right help and mindset. With the help and guidance in the setting of a professional drug rehab center, a safe and healthy withdrawal process is much more likely.
Seeking Heroin Addiction Help
When choosing a treatment facility for heroin use, you should take the time to ask several questions and determine which treatment program option is best for your specific needs. You want to choose the best program and treatment options for your situation, so that you will have a greater chance of success and a better response. Different programs include different treatment options, follow different procedures and often different levels of treatment.
Programs do have different fees, and there are different ways to cover the costs of these programs. Medical insurance will usually pay a significant portion of your treatment needs. If you don’t have medical insurance, you can pay cash or by credit card. Many facilities and programs offer to finance as well. There are ways to cover the costs of the care that is needed. Call a heroin rehab facility today to get on track to recovering from heroin or other opioids.