Symptoms of Addiction Withdrawal

Have you been constantly restless since you gave up on your daily pint of beer? Do you experience headaches, or do your hands often shake since you stopped smoking cigarettes? If the answers to these questions are a resounding yes, you might face withdrawal symptoms. So what exactly are these? Let’s understand this further.

If you quit consuming a substance with a high risk for addiction, or if you abruptly or dramatically reduce your use, you may suffer various signs. These physical and mental indications could occur when a person stops using or reduces their consumption of a substance like alcohol, caffeine, cigarettes, or prescription and recreational medications.

Depending on the type of substance and your biological make-up, the strength and length of these might vary considerably. The severity may also vary. The kind of substance/behavior used, the period of consumption, a person’s age, physical and psychological traits, and the technique used all determine the signs that may occur later.

In some cases, more severe indicators such as hallucinations, seizures, and delirium may occur. Insomnia, high blood pressure, increased heart rate, depression, anxiety, and cravings are also possible. The person might be hot and chilly, with goosebumps, as if they have been sick. Paranoia, confusion, tremors, and disorientation are common markers, especially for drugs and alcohol.

While physical indications of withdrawing may last a few days or a week, psychological effects such as despair, sadness, and depression can last considerably longer.

These may also vary depending on the substances. Hence, some could be more hazardous than others. For example, pulling back from heroin and prescription opioids might elicit flu-like symptoms like fever and exhaustion. Retreating from benzodiazepines, or benzos, might cause panic attacks, heart palpitations, and seizures. Dizziness, tremors, and vomiting are also common side effects.

A Quick Overview

Now that you have quite an idea about the meaning of this condition, you might be wondering what the common markers are.

Listed down below are a few of these, ranging from mild to severe:

• Appetite fluctuations
• Mood swings
• Congestion
• Fatigue and drowsiness
• Irritability
• Muscle ache
• Nausea
• Restlessness
• A runny nose
• Shakiness
• Having trouble sleeping
• Sweating
• Tremors
• Vomiting

Now that you know how the indicators look let us focus more on the trend, causes, and remedies available.

If you wonder how the body’s mechanism works, here’s how. The human body attempts to achieve homeostasis or balance and works to correct any imbalances. Drinking and using drugs can significantly affect certain types of brain activity. This can cause homeostasis to be disrupted.

When you take a substance frequently, your brain may make its alterations (neuroadaptations) to counteract the chemical changes that the substance causes. However, your brain may struggle to reestablish homeostasis after you reduce or quit usage. The side effects of various substances are caused by this adjustment period.

When they arise, experienced medical professionals can help you manage them. The medical detox process includes a lot of management. It refers to the treatment of patients who have acquired a dependence on a drug and are suffering from this condition due to leaving that substance or lowering their usage. Medical detox might be the safest and most comfortable way to manage this condition caused by various substances.

Is It Dangerous?

It can be painful and, in some situations, dangerous. As a result, you should always see your doctor before discontinuing or lowering your substance use. It might occur as the body attempts to recover from long-term addiction. The body may have become biologically dependent on a particular type of addiction to function. When taken away from the body’s systems, it might cause shock. There’s a chance that some functions will stop working.

It might also be dangerous since it is unpredictable. Knowing how your body will react when you quit using substances is impossible. As a result, it’s critical to avoid abruptly leaving substances without supervision or medical assistance.

Another danger is the chance of long-term use, relapse, and overdosing. Your body may endure pain and discomfort when you quit taking substances. Many people might try to smile through the suffering for a few days but then return to drug use since it makes them temporarily feel better. Because you are providing the body with what it requires, drug use helps to alleviate those uncomfortable indicators.

Relapse, on the other hand, just serves to prolong the cycle. It may also raise the chance of overdosing if a person’s tolerance has decreased during their period of eliminating a substance. Various factors, including stress, can cause a relapse. The signs can be both physically and mentally distressing. Cravings for the substance might develop during stressful periods, and a person who does not have social support or better knowledge of this trigger is more likely to relapse into substance abuse.

Physical tolerance begins to diminish as the body detoxes from its dependence on the chemical. A person who relapses during or shortly after detox has a higher risk of overdosing. Why? Because the initial amount of the substance may be too much for the body to handle.

However, relapsing does not mean the person has failed their attempts. But because it is physically dangerous, seeking professional help with detox and treatment is advisable.

How Long Does It Last?

Because of differences in usage, duration, general health, symptoms, and onset, the time can vary. Most people might expect to experience acute indications in the days following their final consumption. The side effects of drawing back from a substance might persist anywhere from a week to four weeks, depending on the substance.

The good news is that the side effects may not endure indefinitely, and with the help of professionals, it may be done with as little discomfort as possible and as much mental support and attention. People seeking professional detox treatment have a variety of options available to them.

Also Read

Signs of Alcohol Withdrawal

Alcohol is linked to a rapid onset of these symptoms. These can start a few hours after the last drink, even if the person still has a measurable blood alcohol level. They usually go away in 10 days, but those days might be dangerous, especially when the former addict is at their worst (typically between 36 and 72 hours of quitting).

An individual may suffer the following within 12 hours:

• Insomnia.
• Anxiety.
• Headache.
• Sweatiness.
• Heart palpitations.
• Distress in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Appetite fluctuations.
• Within 12-24 hours following the last drink, hallucinosis (visual, auditory, or tactile hallucinations) might occur.
• Seizures are one of the most dangerous side effects. They usually start between 24 and 48 hours after consuming the last drink.

Some people might have delirium tremens. It usually occurs within 2-3 days following the last drink. It is characterized by:

• Hallucinations (primarily visual).
• Disorientation. 
• Agitation.
• Increased heart rate.
• High blood pressure.
• Fever.
• Sweating.

Heroin and Opiates

Opioids are a broad category that comprises different legal and illegal drugs that vary in potency and purpose. Heroin, hydrocodone, and morphine are all common opioids. The type of opioid used may have a significant impact on symptoms.

For example, the markers for someone dependent on a short-acting opioid like heroin can start as soon as a few hours after their last use, peak between 36 and 72 hours, and linger for 5 to 10 days. Following the onset, a person may experience:

• Watery eyes.
• Excessive sweating.
• Yawning.
• Dilated pupils.
• Fever.

As it advances, more severe side effects might emerge. These include:

• Appetite loss.
• Nausea.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhea.
• Goosebumps.
• Weakness.
• Pain in the bones and muscles.
• Rapid heart rate. 
• Restlessness and agitation.

Particularly, withdrawing from heroin affects 60% of persons who have used heroin at least once in the previous year. Restlessness, irritability, loss of appetite, nausea, sweating, and muscle pain are just a few of the indicators of eliminating heroin. Effects can last anywhere from 5 to 10 days.

Benzodiazepines

Benzodiazepines, also known as “benzos,” are a group of prescription sedative-hypnotic medicines used to manage anxiety and panic attacks. Benzodiazepines are also used to treat insomnia in some persons and may also be administered as a muscle relaxant.

While benzodiazepines help treat all these disorders in the short term, they can also become compulsive. The following is a brief list of the most commonly prescribed benzodiazepines according to the Drug Enforcement Administration:

• Xanax (alprazolam)
• Ativan (lorazepam)
• Klonopin (clonazepam)
• Valium (diazepam),
• Restoril (temazepam)

Long-term, obsessive, or otherwise problematic use of benzodiazepines can lead to physical dependence and an increased risk of severe markers, such as seizures and hallucinations. Medical help may be advised to those who pull back from benzodiazepine abuse after a long period of consistent use.

The amount of time you’ve been using benzodiazepines, the dose you generally take, your overall health, and the presence of co-occurring mental health issues are all factors that can influence how severe your acute or post-acute signs are. Some of these include:

• Anxiety.
• Insomnia.
• Agitation.
• Restlessness.
• Irritability.
• Difficulty concentrating or remembering.
• Achy or tense muscles.
• Rapid pulse.
• Sweating.
• Hallucinations.
• Delirium.
• Increased sensitivity to light, smells and sounds.
• Rapid pulse.
• Sweating.
• Tremors.
• Seizures.

Cocaine

Cocaine is a psychostimulant that profoundly influences the limbic system of the brain, causing users to experience sensations of reward, pleasure, and motivation. Cocaine is highly addictive, and many people might relapse due to solid cravings and unpleasant effects after withdrawing.

The side effects usually appear within 24 hours and can persist for up to 5 days. These include:

• Exhaustion. 
• Increased sleep and food requirements.
• Low to no interest in substance abuse.
• Low or bad mood. 
• Restlessness.
• Irritability.
• Some people may experience psychosis, agitation, and thoughts of self-harm.

Seek Out Treatment With a Docvita Therapist

These days, when there is so much judgment and bias around, it may get all the more complex and overwhelming to deal with substance abuse and addiction withdrawal symptoms. It is natural to have questions about the treatment options and procedures involved. However, patients may reserve their queries due to the fear of being rebuked by those around them.

This is why we are here to help. We at DocVita have various specialists from different domains to help you with your problem. We have trusted therapists from multiple professions who can help you cope with your condition better. So, don’t hesitate and book your first session right now. This may make your journey less scary and ensure a faster recovery. All you need to do is hop on DocVita’s website and book your first session today!