Going through detox will be one of the hardest things you will ever do. It will be painful. Because of the serious health risks from going cold turkey, it’s safest to go through detox under medical supervision, so you can get immediate help if something goes seriously wrong. Northpoint Recovery lists what you can expect during the detoxing processes.
The amount of time needed to detox your body varies from a few days to a few weeks.
It depends on your age, how long you have been addicted, and whether you have other health problems. The average time for detoxing from opioid drugs is seven to ten days. There have been people who detoxed in three days when under medical treatment, but this is not guaranteed to happen to everyone.
There’s no way to avoid withdrawal. Taking painkillers will prolong the detoxification process, which means you may spend even more time going through withdrawal. When you are under medical supervision, you may be given medication to help with your symptoms. Typical withdrawal symptoms include excessive sweating, vomiting, diarrhea, severe cramping, problems urinating, bad headaches, anxiety, shaking, problems breathing, racing heart, seizures, and depression. Physical symptoms tend to go away quicker than emotional symptoms.
