What happens when you quit Heroin
Read this firstMedical detox strongly advised — opioid withdrawal is rarely deadly on its own; complications (dehydration, relapse into lowered tolerance) are the killers.
The timeline
Hour 6–12 — First withdrawal
Anxiety, muscle aches, sweating, runny nose — like a severe flu starting.
Day 1–3 — Peak
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, cramps. Peak and highest relapse-risk window.
Day 4–7 — Turning corner
Physical symptoms ease; exhaustion and low mood dominate. Sleep slowly returns.
Week 2–4 — PAWS begins
Anhedonia (nothing feels good), cravings, anxiety. Most relapses happen here — support matters most now.
Month 2–6 — PAWS fades
Energy and mood normalize gradually. Exercise and routine genuinely accelerate this.
What actually helps
- Naloxone on hand — relapse after detox is the #1 overdose killer because tolerance drops
- Buprenorphine/methadone and meds like clonidine make detox far safer — see a clinic
- Never Use Alone line if you do use: 1-800-484-3731
The relapse ruleAfter even a week clean, your tolerance drops dramatically — an old dose can kill. If you slip: treat it like your first time, never use alone, keep naloxone close.