Detoxing from any type of drug is not a pleasant experience, however is necessary when overcoming an addiction. Heroin is known for it’s low-cost and easy accessibility, making it an extremely popular opioid replacement for Oxycodone and Vicodin. In fact, opioid abusers are at a much higher risk for abusing heroin than alcohol users.
Although a heroin overdose can be extremely dangerous and even deadly, surprisingly enough detoxing from heroin is not life-threatening. For this reason, many heroin users opt to self-detox at home or otherwise known as going “cold turkey.†A natural detox from heroin is certainly possible, but will not be very comfortable for a few days and sometimes are less effective for this reason. The good thing is that there are numerous natural and medical ways to detox for someone trying to overcome a heroin addiction.
Healthy and Nutritious Diet
During a withdrawal from heroin, the person will feel extremely ill, achy and tired. Maintaining a proper diet can help the body regain strength from the shock of the withdrawal period. Common symptoms of heroin withdrawals are muscle and body aches, paranoia and anxiousness, diarrhoea, a combination of hot and cold sweats, and flu-like symptoms. Despite feeling terrible, it’s important for the person to remain hydrated and to consume nutritious and protein dense foods. A few popular foods that are recommended to consume during a detox are bananas, yoghurt, protein bars and shakes, due to the boost in protein and potassium they provide to the body. Raw food diets are also commonly used in detox programs due to the high amount of nutrients found in fruits and vegetables, which help the body eliminate toxins caused by excessive drug use.
Holistic and Medical Detox Programs
A medical detox can help a heroin user detox in the shortest amount of time. Not all heroin detox programs are created equal and some programs will use holistic approaches instead of medicine. These types of holistic detox treatments are typically in the form of vitamins, exercise, massage therapy, hot baths and detox cleanses. Medical detox programs will use the intervention of medicine to help the patient manage their withdrawal symptoms and keep them as comfortable as possible. Medicine is typically administered intravenously or orally, with intravenous injection being the most effective. Typical length of stay in a medical detox for heroin addiction is 7 to 10 days. Some detox programs offer recovery programs at the same site and others will recommend a drug treatment program to their patient for after-care.
Vitamins for Heroin Detox
Vitamins can often help manage symptoms during a heroin withdrawal. While they will not take away the sickness or body ache, vitamins can help restore the body of nutrients the substance user has been lacking from prolonged heroin use, helping restore balance in the body. While a nutritious diet is key, opiate users sometimes lose their appetite during a detox and will have no desire to eat. Vitamins can help fill the void of the lacking nutrients the body needs to function properly. Popular vitamins used during detox range from Vitamin E, Vitamin C, B-complex to a standard multivitamin.
Regardless of the type, detox is only the first part of overcoming a heroin addiction. The recovery journey will not happen overnight and will take time, patience and determination. The person must want to stay clean more than they want to get high to have true success.
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