The Drug Detox Timeline

The phases of heroin withdrawal are as follows:

• Stage One: Early Withdrawal

Heroin detox begins approximately 6-12 hours after a person last uses. In this period marking the beginning of detox, the symptoms a person experiences will be determined by how much, how often, and how long they have been using. Typically, symptoms will include nausea, yawning, abdominal cramps, sweats, chills, runny nose, and muscle aches. These symptoms may last a few days depending on the nature of a person’s addiction.

• Stage Two: Acute Withdrawal

Acute withdrawal typically begins 1-3 days after a person has stopped using heroin. It can last anywhere from 3-7 days depending on the severity of a person’s addiction. On the drug detox timeline, heroin addicts can expect symptoms to be the worst during acute withdrawal. These symptoms will usually include vomiting, diarrhoea, tremors, difficulty concentrating, fever, restlessness, fatigue, depression, hypertension, agitation, increased anxiety, difficulty feeling pleasure, and more.

• Stage Three: Subsiding of Symptoms

Detox from heroin typically only lasts about a week. Symptoms typically begin to subside after 5-7 days. Post-acute withdrawal syndrome can last several months in some cases of extreme heroin addiction.

Stimulants

• Stage One: This is the beginning of detox and can last from 1-3 days depending on the circumstances of a person’s addiction. Cravings, fatigue, and anxiety are all common during the first stage of stimulant detox. Those with severe cases of stimulant use who are accustomed to using large doses may experience hallucinations, panic, and paranoia.
• Stage Two: After the first few days acute withdrawal will begin and the withdrawal symptoms a person experiences may begin to intensify. This typically lasts 4-10 days and cravings during this time can become extremely intense. Major depression and extreme fatigue may set in during this time.
• Stage Three: After ten days to a couple of weeks, the major symptoms of detox will begin to subside. During this time, a person may still experience depression and have difficulty sleeping, but the major withdrawal symptoms will have begun to significantly dissipate. After two to three weeks, detox is typically over.

Cannabis

While cannabis withdrawal isn’t considered as difficult as some of the heavier drugs, an addiction to cannabis will present various uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. Symptoms of cannabis withdrawal include irritability, trouble concentrating, loss of motivation, headaches, insomnia, loss of appetite, and depression. The drug detox timeline for cannabis typically begins the day following the last time a person used and can last up to two weeks or longer.

• Stage One: The first part of cannabis withdrawal begins the first day a person goes without the drug. It can last for a couple of days, with the main symptoms being difficulty sleeping, irritability, loss of focus, and anxiety.
• Stage Two: The acute withdrawal phase of cannabis generally takes place between days 2 and 4. This can be the most difficult part of cannabis withdrawal and include extremely strong cravings, sweating, chills, and difficulty sleeping.
• Stage Three: Between days 4-14, cannabis withdrawal symptoms tend to begin to subside. As a person begins to adapt to functioning without cannabis they may continue to experience depression and irritability. These feelings typically cease after two weeks. People who use cannabis heavily may experience a longer withdrawal period.

What Factors Will Influence the Drug Detox Timeline?

Drug addiction is different for everyone. Different drugs will also affect people in different ways. The drug detox timeline will be different for each person going through drug withdrawal. While detox from most drug addictions won’t take longer than a couple of weeks, there are various factors that will influence a person’s detox.

The type of drug a person uses is the biggest factor to take into consideration when trying to determine a drug detox timeline. How much of this drug they used will be indicative of how long they can expect to detox. Other influences that affect the drug detox timeline are how long and how often a person uses. Use of other substances will also play a role in how long detox lasts.

We Can Help You Choose a Drug Detox Options

If you are seeking to overcome a drug addiction, there are countless resources throughout the UK that can help. We are here to make the process of finding a drug detox centre easier, if that is the route you choose to take. We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to discuss anything related to addiction and the recovery process. Any questions you have about the drug detox timeline can be answered by one of our compassionate addiction specialists in a completely confidential call. Detox typically lasts no longer than a couple of weeks and is the first step in taking back the freedom from addiction you deserve.