Have you had severe withdrawals? I've withdrawn cold turkey off of a $500/day heroin habit. It is the worst pain I have ever experienced. If I had a gun on me at the time, I am 100% sure that I would have killed my self. You have no idea what you're talking about

Except that there is a psychological component involved. The craving for another fix, I am told, can be incredibly intense, and the harshness of a reality you tried to escape from in the first place, does not really help.

From what I have read (all this is strictly second- to fourth-hand knowledge!), it is very hard to watch somebody you love (or just care about) go through this.