Overcoming an addiction, especially an opiate addiction, requires the full cooperation and dedication from the person with the addiction. The reasons for this are many, but one of the most compelling is how difficult detox can be.
Detox in and of itself is simply the removal of a drug from a person's body. Generally this is accomplished through the passing of time without a new introduction of the drug. In the case of opiate addiction, however, there's nothing simple about the detox process. But, if a person is successful in detox and dedicated to kicking the habit, the chances are increased.
Opiate addiction includes both a strong mental and physical component. Since the body becomes physically addicted on the drug, the body too must be cleaned of its effects before treatment can progress. Withdrawal from this drug can be very trying on the body and generally requires medical assistance to ease the patient through the process as much as possible.
A person going through opiate detox can experience a variety of symptoms. Many of these symptoms are very serious. Symptoms include seizures, insomnia, vomiting and severe sweats. Heart irregularities may also be present. Other symptoms such as muscle pain and involuntary movements may also show up. The entire process can be excruciating. Getting through detox can be particularly difficult for the heavy user. The withdrawal symptoms can be fatal. Medical help can ensure successful detox of even the most heavy of users though.
Getting off heroin and other opiates isn't easy, but detox is the first step. If this is successful, a person dedicated to a program to get clean and stay that way will have a better chance of doing just that. Support and much follow-through will be necessary to help an addict kick the habit.
The best place for a person with a heroin addiction to start the process of getting clean is with him or herself. If the decision is made and the will power is strong, chances for making it through with success are greatly increased. The detox step is often the hardest, however, and requires medical help.
On the upside, detox typically takes about 72 hours. Keep in mind this is a very difficult 72 hours and detox without assistance in the case of the severe addict can be fatal. Since the body's come to depend on the drug, it doesn't know how to function correctly without it any longer.
Opiate detox isn't an easy road, but it's certainly better than the alternative. This very powerful class of drugs can grab a hold of a person and take over their lives.
Source: Free Articles
