Heroin detox in Edinburgh is a highly recommended treatment that helps people gradually withdraw from heroin through the tapering method.
This safe, evidenced method is used for all levels of heroin dependence and addiction, from mild to severe.
If it’s something you’re considering, don’t hesitate to reach out to Rehab 4 Addiction for expert advice and support: 0800 140 4690.
We’re not here to rush you into treatment, despite how passionate we are about it. Careful consideration is an important first step.
Since you are the only person who can make the decision to get sober, we’d encourage you to sit with the idea of a heroin detox in Edinburgh, and explore any concerns you have, to figure out what could potentially be holding you back.
Let’s tackle some common concerns together.
Withdrawal symptoms aren’t fun for anyone, but they’re carefully monitored by medical staff when you get a professional heroin detox.
There’s no guarantee that your symptoms will be severe, and if they are, you will have all the support you need to work through it.
People are often less judgemental than you’d think, especially as they often know more about your struggles than you may realise. Seeing you get help can bring relief to your loved ones.
If they do judge you, it’s likely coming from their own fears or insecurities. This is something you’ll learn more about if you go to heroin rehab, helping you feel more confident about the decisions you make, regardless of what other people believe.
Detoxing from heroin can be dangerous, but it’s generally very safe if it’s carried out professionally. The highest risk is associated with sudden quitting without professional support.
You must also consider how dangerous heroin addiction is. It’s much more risky to keep damaging your mind and body with heroin than to get a detox.
As we’ve said, only you can decide when to get a detox. That being said, please keep in mind that people rarely feel 100% ready for a heroin withdrawal.
If you wait until you feel completely prepared, you might be waiting your whole life. There will always be elements of detox that intimidate you, but the sooner you do it, the less overwhelming it will seem.
Below, we outline three reasons to get a heroin detox in Edinburgh:
Withdrawal is involuntary. If you skip the detox phase, your body will still withdraw from heroin, but without the security of a tailored detox plan, medical supervision, medication, and tapering.
Withdrawal symptoms are a common reason people avoid detoxing, but please remember that the experience of symptoms is very different when you’re in a controlled environment.
Changes in your physical and mental state can be picked up on very quickly, and managed (e.g., through medication and emotional support), which reduces the intensity of the detox.
When you detox from heroin, your physical state will be monitored throughout.
Key aspects of your health, such as your sleep, diet and hydration, will be prioritised as your body slowly withdraws from heroin.
It’s a great opportunity for a “reset”, and with the right education and motivation, you can leave the detox setting with a plan to keep on top of these crucial pillars of health.
No matter what you hear, recovering from heroin addiction alone is almost impossible.
It’s this belief that has led many heroin users to battle lifelong addictions that often result in overdose.
If your addiction doesn’t have an expiry date, you may keep using, believing that one day something will change. But change requires action, and getting a professional detox is the best initial action you can take to protect against overdose.
If you feel you’re coping well with your heroin dependence or addiction, you may believe you’re not a suitable candidate for detox.
Here’s why that’s not true.
Firstly, there is no reason to wait until you hit rock bottom to get a heroin detox in Edinburgh. If you detox early on in your addiction, you’re much more likely to stay sober permanently.
Waiting it out makes recovery more challenging, more risky, and also vastly increases your chances of dealing with painful repercussions of addiction, including:
You may even be experiencing some of these already without realising. For example, you could have health issues that were caused or exacerbated by heroin use.
If you truly are coping well, that’s extremely positive, but instead of becoming complacent, you can channel your high functioning into a passion for recovery.
With your grit and determination, you’re more than capable of getting sober and staying sober, with the right support.
As we’ve discussed, you may not ever feel fully motivated to get a heroin detox. Sometimes, it’s about biting the bullet.
However, we understand this is much easier said than done. To try to boost your motivation for sobriety, consider:
It’s very normal for motivation to fluctuate as you move through the recovery process.
Even if you go into the detox feeling passionate about sobriety, don’t be surprised if this passion doesn’t stay at the same level throughout your journey.
Different factors can influence your motivation, from uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms to challenging family dynamics.
So, how do you stay sober if you can’t guarantee you’ll stay motivated?
Structure.
If we take drug and alcohol rehab as an example, the structure is very clear from the get-go. You start with a detox, move on to therapy, counselling and other psychological approaches, and finish with a one-year relapse prevention plan.
Every day looks similar, as you follow a routine that balances your time in therapy, exercise, sleep, social life, alone time, etc.
Structure outweighs motivation. Whether you wake up feeling fired up for therapy or wondering why you ever decided to get sober, you still follow the same structure every day, so you make great progress regardless of how motivated or unmotivated you feel.
Withdrawal symptoms often occur through every stage of heroin detox, which is: early withdrawal, acute withdrawal, post-acute withdrawal, and (if applicable) protracted withdrawal.
They vary widely, but examples include:
Medication is only used to assist heroin detox, so it’s unrealistic to hope it eliminates all withdrawal symptoms.
These symptoms are a natural part of heroin withdrawal, and medication will only be used where necessary, to keep you safe and comfortable.
The goal of medically-assisted heroin detox is for patients to taper off heroin safely, through a constant monitoring of withdrawal symptoms, and reduction of the intensity of withdrawal.
Some patients may find that medication completely cures their insomnia or nausea, but only reduces their anxiety or tremors. Others may still experience cravings, but be cured of headaches.
The reason the outcome is so variable is because each patient has a unique:
Rest assured that cravings become less intense over time for the majority of people in recovery. Even when they do kick in, they’re more likely to be short-lived than they are in early recovery.
That said, cravings commonly persist beyond the acute withdrawal stage, which means many rehab patients are still battling cravings on some level after they’ve completed treatment.
This does increase the risk of relapse, but it doesn’t have to result in relapse.
Understanding why cravings happen can help people in recovery to practise “radical acceptance” of their cravings, and let them persist without making any risky decisions.
We know that cravings can involve peaks, valleys and short duration spikes within just one day (1). The sooner we accept this, the easier it is to sit with the cravings rather than trying to fix them.
Cravings can happen because either the brain or body, or both, still have some dependence on heroin. This is why cravings are much more common in early recovery; the body needs time to adapt to sobriety.
Experiencing cravings months or years into recovery can feel disheartening, but this is also a standard part of recovery. As well as dependence, cravings can happen because the person in recovery is:
28-day treatment programmes at rehab zone in on these obstacles, and teach positive coping mechanisms to ensure cravings don’t have to result in relapse.
The length of time you need to take off work is highly individual. It depends on:
The average person may need to take a minimum of 1-2 weeks off work if they’ve had a professional detox with no following treatments (such as therapies), or 4 weeks off work if they’ve enrolled onto a residential rehab programme.
Please remember this is the minimum time off needed. It covers the time spent in treatment, but many people won’t feel ready to go back to work immediately after their detox or therapy.
We understand you may be concerned about taking too much time away from work, but we strongly advise prioritising your health. Be open with your employer about your predicament, and they may be able to offer a flexible return-to-work plan.
Overall, don’t underestimate the time off you will need, as this can cause you to rush your recovery and end up having to restart treatment further down the line.
For example, some people opt for outpatient treatment and continue working while they do this. In many cases, this can significantly hinder recovery, as you can’t put your all into addiction treatment when you’re also trying to perform well at work.
If you absolutely need to work during this time, Rehab 4 Addiction can help you figure out the most effective way to do this, such as working during the less intense periods of detox, working flexibly and/or remotely, and finding a treatment centre that’s close to your home or work.
Our close work with rehabilitation centres and outpatient clinics in Edinburgh helps us match you with a suitable treatment type, whether that’s a singular detox or a long-term treatment programme.
Your needs come first. Whatever your situation, we’re determined to secure a tailored referral for you.
Simply get in touch on 0800 140 4690 to find out more.
Below, we outline some frequently asked questions around the heroin detox process in Edinburgh:
Don’t rule out a heroin detox just because it hasn’t been successful in the past. Recovery can be complex, and it’s common to attempt detoxing several times before achieving permanent sobriety.
Yes, you can detox from heroin if you’re a polysubstance user, or if you’re battling a behavioural addiction as well as heroin addiction. This is vital information for detox staff, as they will tailor your withdrawal to suit your needs.
