Heroin is a deadly illegal opioid drug causing several medical and behavioral issues among users. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), “In 2021, approximately 9,173 people died from an overdose involving heroin [in the United States].” Our heroin detox in Atlanta, Georgia, will help you quit heroin for good.
The Retreat of Atlanta offers drug detox programs and programming for those starting their recovery from addiction. Call us now at 762-242-6556 or verify your insurance today.
What is Heroin Detox Near Atlanta Georgia, Like?
Our heroin detox program offers evidence-based treatment, medical monitoring, and psychological support in a comfortable setting.
At the Retreat of Atlanta, our addiction specialists provide the care that you need to safely manage heroin withdrawal symptoms. We’ll monitor your symptoms around the clock to ensure that you get the support you need. This can include therapy, peer support, and medications to ease symptoms.
In addition, you’ll be safe from relapse triggers and temptations in our secure, homelike facility. Our facility and amenities increase comfort and reduce stress so that you can focus on your recovery.
Overall, you can expect a positive experience throughout detox. This will give you the foundation you need for a successful, long-term recovery from heroin addiction.
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How Do I Know I Need a Heroin Detox?
If you can’t stop using heroin despite negative consequences, you need heroin detox.
The tell-tale sign of addiction is compulsively using drugs—even when they cause significant problems in your life. You might even try to quit on your own, yet fail to do so, even after repeated attempts. Usually, this is because of the uncomfortable and sometimes painful withdrawal symptoms that occur when you quit using heroin.
When you repeatedly use heroin, your body and mind become dependent on it to function. This changes the way your brain works. Over time, you develop a heroin addiction and need a detox program to quit.
Symptoms of heroin addiction include the following:
- Strong cravings for heroin
- Obsessively focused on getting or using heroin
- Needing more heroin for the same effects (developing a tolerance)
- Financial problems from illegal drug purchases
- Using or recovering from heroin occupies most of your time
- Conflicts with family and friends over heroin and the effects
- Engaging in reckless behaviors while under the influence
- Loss of interest in social activities or hobbies
- Isolating from friends and family
- Unable to quit or cut back on heroin use
- Continuing to use heroin despite negative consequences
- Withdrawal symptoms appear when you don’t use heroin
If you notice the symptoms mentioned above, then you most likely have a heroin addiction and need detox.
Heroin Detox Symptoms
When you quit heroin use, you’ll have heroin detox symptoms—also known as withdrawal.
The short- and long-term effects of heroin abuse change the way your body functions. Heroin activates the opioid receptors in your brain. These receptors are responsible for feeling pleasure and reducing pain.
Repeated heroin use causes bodily changes and alters the way that your brain works. This is because drugs like heroin essentially hijack your brain’s natural reward pathway. In other words, heroin is an artificial shortcut to feeling good that affects your brain chemistry. As a result, when you stop using heroin, you will have withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms can range from mild to severe. When you don’t get professional help at a heroin detox program, withdrawal can be deadly.
Heroin detox symptoms include the following:
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
- Insomnia
- Runny nose
- Muscle aches
- Restless legs
- Bone aches
- Fever and cold sweats
- Extreme cravings for heroin
- Anxiety
- Increased heart rate
- High blood pressure
People who don’t go to an inpatient detox center are at a high risk of accidental overdose. The symptoms mentioned above can be unpleasant, causing you to relapse after a few days of quitting.
However, many people take a higher dose than usual to compensate for the time they weren’t using. This is one of the reasons why detox from heroin can be dangerous with professional help.
How Long Does It Take To Detox from Heroin?
It takes about five to ten days to detox from heroin.
As a short-acting opioid, heroin enters and exits the bloodstream quickly. Therefore, withdrawal symptoms begin within 6 to 12 hours after you stop using heroin. Withdrawal peaks within about 72 hours, which is when your symptoms and cravings are the most intense. After your symptoms peak, they will gradually subside over the next few days of detox. However, mental health symptoms could linger, so it’s important to continue treatment. That way, you can learn how to cope with the underlying causes of your addiction.
Long-term treatment for heroin includes peer support, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), inpatient rehab, and outpatient therapy.
Therapies Used During Heroin Detox
Behavioral therapy is a vital part of any comprehensive treatment plan during heroin detox. Detox can be taxing on your emotions and mental health. In addition, many people use heroin to cope with untreated mental health symptoms.
We offer the following behavioral therapies during heroin detox:
- Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT): CBT is a type of therapy where your therapist helps you identify unhealthy thoughts and beliefs that cause addictive behaviors. Throughout CBT, you will challenge and change these unhelpful thought patterns.
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT): If you struggle with emotional regulation, impulsive control, and self-destructive behaviors, DBT can help you. During DBT you work on four modules: (1) mindfulness, (2) distress tolerance, (3) emotional regulation, and (4) interpersonal effectiveness.
- Individual Therapy: Everyone in our heroin detox program gets one-on-one support from a licensed therapist. Individual therapy helps you resolve personal issues and develop coping skills for stressors and relapse triggers.
- Group Therapy: During group therapy, you and your peers in detox discuss relevant issues under the guidance of a therapist. This allows you to share, support, and learn from others.
- Family Counseling: Addiction affects the entire family. Therefore, the entire family must recover together. Family counseling helps you repair damaged relationships with family members.
What Happens After Heroin Detox?
Detox is only the first step in recovery, so it’s important to create an aftercare plan before leaving detox.
The first step most people take after detox is an inpatient rehab or residential treatment program. Most inpatient rehab programs last 30-90 days. This is where you begin to dive deeply into the causes of your addiction.
Following inpatient rehab, you can move on to a partial hospitalization program (PHP). PHP is an outpatient program, meaning you won’t be required to live within a treatment facility. Also called “day treatment,” you’ll have six to eight hours of daily programming, five to six days per week. After PHP, you can step down to an intensive outpatient program (IOP). IOP is similar to a PHP program, except your daily sessions won’t be as long. This allows you to begin transitioning to everyday life while still getting a high level of support.
You may also live in a sober living program throughout your time in outpatient care. These programs add an additional layer of protection and accountability during early recovery.
Find Heroin Detox in Georgia Today
Heroin addiction can be deadly when left untreated. At the Retreat of Atlanta, we make sure you start your addiction treatment off right. Our heroin detox in Atlanta, Georgia, will help you manage the acute phase of withdrawal—a critical step toward long-term addiction recovery.
Contact us today to end your heroin addiction.
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