When it comes to drug use, the question of how long drugs stay in your system and how to recover is often a pertinent one. The answer to this question will depend on the type of drug, the amount and frequency of use, as well as the individual’s own metabolism.
So, how long do drugs stay in the body? Well, drugs can remain in the body for varying periods of time. For example, some drugs may be detectable in the body for only a few hours, while others may be detectable for days, weeks, or months!
Today, we’re going to talk about how long drugs can hang around in your system, sharing a few types of drugs and how long they can stay, factors that can affect how long they stay, and more:
How Long Can I Expect Drugs to Stay In My Body?
The amount of time that drugs stay in your system is determined by numerous factors. It varies from substance to substance and can be influenced by an individual’s metabolic rate, body mass, and general health. As a general rule, however, it is possible to provide a rough timeline of how long certain drugs can be detected in the body. These figures should be used only as an approximation and should not be taken as exact measurements:
- Alcohol: 3-5 days in urine, 10-12 hours in the blood
- LSD: 1-3 days in urine, 2-3 hours in the blood
- Amphetamines: 1-3 days in urine, 12 hours in the blood
- Cannabis: 7-30 days in the urine, 2 weeks in the blood
- Heroin: 3-4 days in urine, 12 hours in the blood
- Methadone: 3-4 days in urine, 24-36 hours in the blood
As you can see, some drugs can last as short as an hour or two, while some can last up to a month. It really depends on the type of drug that was taken, along with a couple of other factors:
What Factors Can Affect How Long Drugs Stay In My Body?
Metabolism is how our bodies process and break down drugs and other chemicals. People with higher metabolic rates can break down and remove drugs and other chemicals from their bodies faster than those with lower metabolic rates, meaning that drugs and other chemicals can be detected for a shorter period of time in those with higher metabolic rates.
That said, there are still a few other factors that can affect how long a drug can stay in the system:
1. Tolerance
When someone uses a drug regularly, their body gets used to it and processes it faster than someone who doesn’t use it regularly. This means that the drug is less likely to show up in a drug test for someone who has built up a tolerance to it compared to someone who doesn’t use it as often or has never used it before.
2. Quantity
Experts consider how often someone uses a drug, as well as how much they consume, to determine the length of time the substance will stay in the body. For instance, if someone only uses the drug once, it will likely be flushed out of the system relatively quickly. On the other hand, those who are more frequent drug users are likely to have traces of the substance in their bodies for a longer amount of time.
3. Body Mass, Hydration, Etc.
Finally, the duration that drugs remain in an individual’s system is impacted by their body composition, exercise frequency, and hydration levels. People with more fat stores may have drugs that remain in their bodies for a longer period as these chemicals can become trapped in the fatty tissues.
Conclusion
All in all, these factors and general rules of thumb can help you better understand what to expect when it comes to how long the drug lasts in the body. That said, if you or your loved one is suffering from drug abuse, be sure to reach out to an expert to help break the addiction to live a better, happier life finally!
American Addiction Institute of Mind & Medicine is a leader in drug rehabilitation, offering medication-assisted treatments and more to help individuals overcome drug abuse. If you are looking for American addiction centers, call us today.