In most developed countries, there is only one standard form of heroin withdrawal treatment: methadone. Withdrawal treatment is necessary due to the fact that heroin causes a strong physical dependency. Withdrawal symptoms are extremely unpleasant and cause many users trying to quit cold turkey to start using again. Methadone is the most common form of medical heroin withdrawal treatment. This treatment, in combination with a residential or outpatient drug treatment program, is the standard form of care most heroin users receive to combat withdrawal symptoms.
Heroin is one of the most harmful and physically addictive drugs in existence. Physical dependency develops quickly for most users. The need to become high soon becomes secondary to the need to just feel normal. When a user attempts to quit cold turkey, the body begins to go through a natural detox, the symptoms of which are known as withdrawal.
Due to the addictiveness of heroin, withdrawal symptoms are particularly strong. Lasting from a few days to a week, symptoms of withdrawal can include but are not limited to diarrhea, vomiting, profuse sweating, shaking and intense bodily pain. Though not fatal, these symptoms drive many users to restart taking heroin.
The most common heroin withdrawal treatment is methadone. Methadone, a synthetic opioid, is given to patients in order to limit withdrawal symptoms. A patient receiving methadone treatment generally undergoes one of two common treatments. The first is to start with a fixed dose of methadone before undergoing a weaning process. The second possible course depends on the severity of the patient's addiction; if the addiction is severe, a physician may provide a maintenance course of methadone that lasts for some time before beginning the weaning process.
For patients without insurance or means to afford staying at a treatment center, patients receive methadone from what is generally known as a methadone clinic. These clinics exist in cities all over the world; each nation's laws regarding the distribution of narcotics regulate how patients receive treatment. In many cases, patients must pay out of their own pocket for methadone, the cost varying among countries. Many national laws require that in order to receive methadone, a patient must undergo a set number of hours of drug counseling at the clinic.
For heroin addicts with means, a variety of residential drug treatment centers exist in many metropolitan areas. Though methadone is still the main form of heroin withdrawal treatment, nurses and doctors can better assess a patient's medical state and create a personalized recovery program. Residential drug rehab centers also provide group and individual therapy along with a supportive environment that promotes permanent recovery.