Heroin withdrawal refers to the full range of physical and mental symptoms that occur after stopping or dramatically reducing drug use. After prolonged use, people usually develop physical dependence. They are susceptible to painful heroin withdrawal symptoms due to chemical changes in the body and the brain.
The brain’s cells make subtle adjustments to help the person stay alive and conscious while taking heroin. These changes happen slowly over a period of abuse. Similarly, the brain’s cells also need an extended period of time to reverse that damage. They cannot change from requiring heroin to not needing heroin. The cells need adequate time to make the proper reversal adjustments. During this regulation period, those cells might not function as they normally should.
Heroin withdrawal symptoms usually begin within five hours after the last dose. They peak between the second and third days, gradually subsiding between the fifth and seventh days. The process can be exhausting and grueling. Heroin withdrawal symptoms can include a range of experiences, from relatively mild discomfort from symptoms such as sweating to more painful symptoms such as vomiting and fever. Even the most well-intentioned people can find themselves returning to their supply when heroin withdrawal symptoms become too intense to bear.