The Power of Addiction

The human body quickly adapts to functioning with the constant presence of opiates, and when the effects of a dose of heroin wear off, the body must readjust to its absence. This is the reason for the physical signs of withdrawal. Many withdrawal symptoms are the opposite of heroin's initial effects on a first-time user. A new heroin user feels euphoria, warmth, and relief from pain, for example. Heroin use also causes constipation. A user going through withdrawal, by contrast, will experience restlessness and acute anxiety, chills, hypersensitivity to pain, and diarrhea.

The onset of withdrawal is marked by flulike symptoms such as a runny nose, sweating, and changes in body temperature. Further signs include muscle cramps and pains, irritability, and headaches. Withdrawal also often causes insomnia, which worsens addicts' ability to cope with the psychological effects of withdrawal. Symptoms peak in twenty-four to seventy-two hours and gradually subside over a period of about a week.