Withdrawal Symptoms of Heroin

What is Heroin Drug Abuse

The habit of taking illegal drug that has harmful effects on human health is known as drug abuse. Heroin in particular has harmful effects on the human nervous system as it directly affects the brain and nerves. It affects the addicts behavior as well. They could not resist the urge to use those drugs. Heroin is the world’s most addictive and an illegal drug. It has a very damaging nature. It is  produced from the seed pods of poppy plants. Heroin is taken by typically smoking, snorting or injecting directly into the vein for a fast reach. It is followed by relaxation, sleepiness and a feeling of happiness and contentment. When taken by injection method the drug reaches the blood and hence the blood very fast. How long does heroin stay in your urine if injected depends on various factors. It mainly stays for few days or a week longer depending on factors like age, quality of the drug, frequency of usage and the dosage quantity.

Harmful effects of Heroin

Heroin has dangerous effects on human body. It produces a chemical that goes to the opioid receptors of the brain that makes us happy. Over a period of time, the heroin users gets addicted to this ‘happy chemicals’ in the brain. The brain sends message to heart, lungs, nervous system that they need not work so hard and makes them feel relaxed. Heroin has many side effects and slows down the nervous system of human.

Withdrawal symptoms of heroin

The withdrawal treatment is always supported by medication to prevent complications and to address the withdrawal symptoms. When addicts try to withdraw anxiousness, rapid heartbeat and nausea are felt. When the nervous system tries to restore back to the original speed, the body hurts. They get nausea and vomiting to flush the bad chemicals from their body.

In very rare cases death occurs during heroin withdrawal. Death occurs during heroin withdrawal for two reasons. Firstly, the withdrawal symptoms may be very painful that sometimes heroin users tries to harm themselves like depression and suicidal thoughts. Secondly, after the heroin is detoxed or flushed from the addicts body, the tolerance decreases and when they try to use again, it might result in overdose and in death. This is the main reason that a rehab or addiction treatment centre to recommended so that the addict is safe.

Some of the physical withdrawal symptoms are nausea, vomiting, sweating, runny nose, body weakness, chills, stroke, seizure, coma, respiratory distress, stomach pain, severe cramping, muscle or joint pain, tremors and hypertension. Some psychological withdrawal symptoms include extreme cravings, insomnia, agitation, restlessness, lack of focus and fatigue. It takes quite some time for the addict to get out of these symptoms after complete withdrawal. But these suggest that the addict’s body is trying to get out of the chemicals and it signals a healthy recovery. Few medications are given to support the withdrawal symptoms. At the end of detox they are given counseling at the rehab centre and some even offer continuous support to come out of it completely even after the detox process.