Author: John Carter

Drug Withdrawal Symptoms, Timeline, Treatment and Coping

Specific pharmaceutical agents, notably buprenorphine, are available to counter the symptoms of withdrawal from opioids, such as heroin, oxycodone, and fentanyl. Psychological withdrawal refers to the emotional and mental symptoms individuals experience, such as anxiety, depression, and drug cravings. Physical withdrawal refers to the physical symptoms individuals experience when they stop using a substance, such as sweating, muscle aches, and nausea.

Substances

1. You can use the form below to determine whether your insurance providers will cover rehabilitation.
2. Detox can be done at a clinic, hospital, or rehabilitation center and may include medications to manage withdrawal and help to reduce symptoms.
3. Withdrawal symptoms occur when drug use is abruptly stopped or diminished.

Genes that encode for the alpha5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor affect nicotine and alcohol withdrawal symptoms. In order for the symptoms of withdrawal to occur, one must have first developed a form of drug dependence. Drug dependence develops from consuming one or more substances over a period of time. When a person stops using nicotine, withdrawal symptoms occur due to a decrease of dopamine in the brain’s neurotransmitters. When an individual abruptly stops or reduces their alcohol consumption, the brain struggles to readjust to the lack of alcohol’s sedating effects, causing a range of withdrawal symptoms.

Detoxification and Withdrawal Management

Alcohol withdrawal is very serious and could lead to death, so it is important to seek professional help when decreasing or stopping alcohol consumption. The processes of becoming tolerant, dependent, and addicted involve changes in the brain. Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the brain and body that send messages between cells. This is how the body and brain communicate to allow a person to think, feel, act, and experience the environment. This article will review the causes, symptoms, and treatment of withdrawal for a variety of substances.

A medical condition that involves overuse or misuse of a substance such as prescription or recreational drug, alcohol, nicotine, or caffeine. Jessica graduated from the University of South Florida (USF) with an English degree and combines her writing expertise and passion for helping others to deliver reliable information to those impacted by addiction. Informed by her personal journey to recovery and support of loved ones in sobriety, Jessica’s empathetic and authentic approach resonates deeply with the Addiction Help community. With the right resources, commitment, and support, anyone can overcome substance abuse and reclaim their life. By putting down drugs, you’re taking control of your life and setting yourself on a path toward health and happiness. Your doctor may also prescribe medication to address specific symptoms to make the process bearable.

Drug Withdrawal Timelines

This support can help with both the physical symptoms of withdrawal and the psychological side of addiction. Abruptly stopping benzodiazepines or heavy alcohol use can be dangerous, even life-threatening, and medical supervision is widely recommended. Stopping moderate alcohol use or opiates, and immediately precipitating withdrawal, is extremely unpleasant but not generally physically dangerous. Protracted withdrawal, or post-acute withdrawal syndrome (PAWS), typically begins after the acute withdrawal phase subsides. Depending on the person’s history of substance abuse, PAWS can last from several weeks to a couple of years. But abruptly quitting substances such as benzodiazepines or alcohol can be potentially dangerous, so always consult your doctor to come up with a detox plan.

Addiction vs. Substance Use

If you’re thinking about stopping or cutting back on a substance you’ve been using for a long time, it’s good practice to talk to your healthcare provider about how to safely withdraw from the drug. They can help you plan for withdrawal, teach you about the withdrawal symptoms you might experience, offer medications to make the process easier, or give you resources for extra support. Dependence arises in a dose-dependent manner and produces withdrawal symptoms that vary with the type of drug that is consumed. For example, prolonged use of an antidepressant medication is likely to cause a rather different reaction when discontinued compared to discontinuation of an opioid, such as heroin.

Cannabis Withdrawal Symptoms

Treatment of withdrawal depends on the substances used, the symptoms, and the severity of symptoms. Addiction is a disease that involves not being able to stop using a substance even when continuing has negative consequences. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) does not, by itself, cure addiction, but it allows people to focus on and develop skills for sustained recovery and rebuilding a meaningful life. Buprenorphine treatment does not require hospitalization, can be prescribed by practicing physicians, and is typically available in conjunction with counseling and behavioral therapy. Withdrawal starts after the active drug is cleared from the body (measured as “half-life,” the amount it takes for blood levels of the drugs to drop by 50 percent).

They are able to help determine the risk of severe symptoms and provide information, resources, and possibly other necessary treatment options. Although marijuana is commonly believed to not be harmful, 47% of people who use the substance regularly experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms include abdominal pain, aggression, anger, anxiety, changes in appetite or weight, depression, difficulty sleeping, headache irritability, nausea, nervousness, restlessness, sweating, and vomiting. This can result in death, so it is a medical emergency that requires immediate care. Symptoms may include severe agitation, anxiety, disorientation, elevated body temperature, hallucinations, increased heart rate and blood pressure, paranoia, sweating, and tremors.

Heroin Withdrawal Symptoms

Your loved one may need assistance during withdrawal, which may involve outpatient, residential, or inpatient options. For this reason, you should always talk to your doctor before stopping or reducing your substance use. John C. Umhau, MD, MPH, CPE is board-certified in addiction medicine and preventative medicine. For over 20 years Dr. Umhau was a senior clinical investigator at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It is possible to overdose on heroin, which is when the use of the substance causes a reaction that can be fatal.

Suddenly stopping the use of these substances can cause severe withdrawal symptoms that can lead to dangerous health complications, such as seizures, high blood pressure, or delirium tremens. Marijuana withdrawal symptoms usually last a couple of weeks, but some may remain for several months. The severity of symptoms can range from mild to severe, and it is important to seek professional support for the emergence of symptoms such as depression. Withdrawal, or substance withdrawal, is a process the mind and body go through after a person stops consuming a substance or consumes less of the substance.

The acute symptoms of withdrawal can last a week to 10 days, but the more psychological symptoms of withdrawal, such as anxiety or depression, can last for weeks or months. Withdrawal is a constellation of aversive symptoms—ranging from anxiety, tremors (“the shakes”), and nausea to hallucinations and frank seizures—brought on by the sudden stoppage or dosage drop of long-term drug use. It is the clinical manifestation of abrupt cessation of a substance of abuse.