What It’s Like to Withdraw from Heroin

Part 2

“Where am I?” The last thing I remember was taking those Xanax at the airport before my flight, so I didn’t get sick in the air.

“Rehab. I’m at Narconon. I should try and eat something.”

I walk over and try to make a salad in the cafeteria. I sit down and grab a forkful and put it in my mouth.

“Ummmm, no.”

Eating was like that for 4 more days. I would want to eat but couldn’t stomach much. That was until I discovered PB and J which went down easier than anything else I had tried.

The other thing I noticed is I never freaked out. When I’d get close to withdrawals at home, I would start freaking out and almost having a panic attack. I would be ready to rob someone to get my fix. At Narconon, they helped me stay out of my head so I never freaked out or got mad or lashed out.

Even when I hadn’t slept normally for several days, I never got the shakes that bad. Usually, when I would withdrawal at home I would get cold sweats, shake uncontrollably and vomit. I felt cold sometimes and had dope sneezes and a runny nose.

I feel bad about some of the things I have done, but it is nothing like the mental anguish of going through withdrawals by myself. In Narconon’s withdrawal unit, those feelings were minimal most the time with me talking and doing things with the guy assigned to work with me. The days go fast. I sleep sometimes, which is more than I usually do when I am sick.

Then day seven comes. I am eating regularly, and I sleep for the first time. I get out of withdrawals and much to my surprise—people cheer for me.

“Nothing was easier than this.”