Heroin is a highly addictive opiate that can cause physical and psychological dependence. Heroin detox programs offer medical and behavioral treatment to help residents stop using heroin and begin their journey towards addiction recovery.
Massachusetts heroin detox programs can be found in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The type of detox program someone needs may depend on a range of factors, including risk for relapse, severity of drug dependence, and mental health history.
Recovering Champions is a drug addiction treatment center and detox facility located in Falmouth, Massachusetts. Here, you’ll find information about heroin detox, what comes after drug and alcohol detox, and an overview of our rehab facility’s drug abuse treatment options.
Heroin Withdrawal
Once addicted to heroin, your body may begin to go through withdrawal within hours of your last dose. Heroin withdrawal refers to a set of physical and psychological symptoms that can be highly uncomfortable and difficult to manage alone.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms may include:
- agitation
- muscle and bone pain
- nausea and vomiting
- headaches
- trouble sleeping
- sweating
- fatigue
- cold flashes and goosebumps
- severe drug cravings
Heroin withdrawal may last anywhere from three days to a week. Some symptoms, such as anxiety, depression, and insomnia, may persist for weeks or months. The most severe symptoms generally peak at the two- or three-day mark.
The length of withdrawal may depend on the severity of your addiction, previous attempts to stop using heroin, age, and mental health history. To avoid relapse, it’s highly recommended that people who are addicted to heroin seek professional detox services.
Massachusetts Heroin Detox
Massachusetts rehab centers offer detox programs for drug and alcohol addiction. Not every treatment facility offers detox, and some may vary in the types of drug addiction they treat.
Heroin detox programs may be offered on an inpatient level (medical detox) or outpatient level through social detox services and medication-assisted treatment.
Primary components of heroin detox include:
- clinical assessment
- acute detox
- coordinating continued care
Seeking professional detoxification services is highly recommended for residents addicted to drugs or alcohol. Detoxification programs can offer essential structure, supervision, and support to prevent relapse and improve recovery outcomes.
Medical Detoxification
Medical detox programs are inpatient detox programs offered by some hospitals and drug recovery centers. Medical detox is the safest and most effective way to stop using heroin.
Medical detox centers offer 24-hour supervision, medical treatment, and a quiet environment for detoxing from heroin.
Medical Detox Treatments
Medications
Detox professionals may provide certain prescription drugs to help ease the heroin withdrawal process. Drugs such as buprenorphine (Suboxone), methadone, and naltrexone can reduce the discomfort of withdrawal symptoms, curb heroin cravings, and help prevent relapse.
Monitoring
One of the most important benefits of medically supervised detox is 24-hour supervision. Healthcare professionals can monitor patients for any medical complications during the withdrawal process by checking vital signs and taking your temperature.
Although heroin withdrawal is not known to be life-threatening, withdrawal from multiple drugs — and some severe cases of withdrawal — may pose greater health risks.
Nutritional Supplements
Many people who are addicted to heroin suffer from malnutrition and dehydration. During the withdrawal process, it can be helpful to receive fluids and nutritional supplements to support your recovery process. These can help restore essential nutrients, lessen fatigue, and give you greater strength.
Social Detox Programs
Social detox is a non-pharmaceutical approach to drug and alcohol detox that is offered by some Massachusetts rehab centers. This can be found in some inpatient and outpatient settings.
Social detox primarily involves clinical support, varying levels of medical supervision, and substance abuse counseling. Social detox may not be suitable for people addicted to certain types of drugs, those at high risk for relapse, and people with severe drug addiction.
What Comes After Heroin Detox?
Detoxing from heroin is only the first step towards addiction recovery. Recovering from drug addiction is a lifelong journey. Continuing treatment in a formal treatment program is highly recommended.
After detox, healthcare professionals may recommend entering an inpatient drug and alcohol rehab program or day treatment. This can help newly sober individuals begin to heal from the physical, mental, and emotional effects of living with addiction.
Types of treatment programs, listed according to their intensity, include:
- Inpatient Rehab
- Residential Treatment
- Day Treatment
- Standard Outpatient Programs
- Medication-Assisted Treatment
Treatment for heroin addiction may involve a combination of medical and behavioral treatments, such as cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy, and medication management.
Substance abuse treatment centers can also connect residents to social services to help them rebuild a healthier and happier future in addiction recovery.
Begin Your Heroin Recovery At Recovering Champions Treatment Center
If you’re looking for heroin detox for yourself or a loved one in Massachusetts, Recovering Champions can help.
At Recovering Champions, we offer access to detox services for residents across the Bay State and the broader New England region, including residents of Boston and Cape Cod.
Our treatment facility offers a range of outpatient treatment programs, which feature evidence-based treatments and ongoing support services, including:
- Day Treatment
- Outpatient Programs
- Medication-Assisted Treatment Programs
- Dual Diagnosis Care
- Nearby Access to Sober Living Homes
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States has seen a rise in opioid overdoses and greater challenges in accessing life-saving treatment services. Recovering Champions has remained in operation during this time to help addicted individuals access the care they need.
For more information about Recovering Champions, call us today. We’ll help you determine which type of treatment program may be best suited to meet the needs of yourself or a loved one.