What Happens When Someone Goes Through Opioid Withdrawal?

One of the reasons that opioids, which include heroin and prescription pain pills like OxyContin or Vicodin, are so addictive is that when a person stops after consistently using, he or she begins to experience painful withdrawal symptoms.

“I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy,” said Mike, a 24-year-old Naltrexone (Vivitrol) patient committed to recovery. “It’s the worst thing you could think of.”

Because of learned responses in your loved one’s brain that come from opioid use, once he or she has “detoxed” — meaning that the body is free of the drug — he or she is still highly susceptible to relapse.