Heroin is a highly addictive substance that can hurt virtually all areas of your life for the worse. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 1 million people reported abusing heroin in 2021. In the U.S., heroin can not only harm your physical and mental health but interfere with your relationships with others. In this article, you’ll learn more about how long heroin stays in the body and how you can work toward overcoming heroin addiction.
At East Coast Recovery Center, we are a leading recovery center in Massachusetts that is here to help you safely overcome addiction. No two recovery journeys are ever the same. That’s why we provide tailored addiction treatment to ensure you receive the unique care you need to achieve a healthier, happier life. Contact us today to learn more about how we can support your road to recovery.
Factors That Affect How Long Heroin Stays in the Body
If you or someone you know is struggling with a heroin addiction, it’s critical you work toward safely detoxing and overcoming your addiction once and for all. Heroin typically stays within the body anywhere between a few days to weeks. However, depending on the type of test you take, heroin has the potential to be detectable for up to 90 days! Keep reading to learn more below.
Type of Detection Test
First, depending on the type of detection test you take can influence how long heroin is detectable in your body. There is a wide range of tests you can take from a urine test to a blood test, saliva test, and a hair follicle test. If you are taking a urine test, oftentimes heroin is detectable up to a few days after abusing the drug. For blood tests, the detection is shorter, at around 1 day. Saliva tests are typically able to detect heroin use around a few days after last use, and hair follicle tests can typically detect heroin up to 90 days.
Biological Differences Between Patients
Next, there are a number of biological differences among individuals who abuse heroin that can impact how long exactly the drug stays in their bodies. Several key factors include a person’s age, body weight, and metabolic rate. Typically, the older the individual, the longer it will take the drug to metabolize, thus staying in the individual’s system longer compared to someone younger.
Varying Metabolisms
As briefly mentioned above, metabolisms vary by individual and can have a significant impact on how fast (or slow) heroin is metabolized in a person’s system. For example, people who have a quick metabolism will be able to quickly eliminate the drug from their system compared to an individual with a slow metabolism, where the drug would remain in their body for a longer period of time. There is a wide range of factors that influence one’s metabolism, including diet, genetics, general health, and more.
Severity of Addiction
Last but not least, depending on how severe your heroin addiction is can impact how long the drug can stay in the body. For instance, someone who was a chronic abuser struggling with a severe form of addiction likely can expect it to take longer for the drug to be cleared from the body compared to someone with a less severe form of heroin addiction.
Help Is Available
Now you know more about the question “how long does heroin stay in the body”. The short answer is it depends; however, typically heroin is detectable in the body anywhere from a few days to weeks. The type of detection test you use, as well as biological factors and the severity of your addiction also play a role in how long does heroin stay in the body. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, it’s critical you seek professional help to safely overcome your addiction.
Our compassionate team at East Coast Recovery Center is here to help you safely break from addiction so you can lead a healthier life. We understand how debilitating a disease addiction is. That’s why our expert team of addiction specialists is here to provide the personalized care you need to lead a healthier, happier quality of life. Ready to start your recovery? Contact us today!
