Drug Withdrawal

The term "drug withdrawal" can sometimes be used to describe the results of discontinuing of any type of chemical substance that a person has become addicted to. Drug withdrawal can refer to any sort of separation, but is most commonly used to describe the group of symptoms that occurs upon the abrupt discontinuation or a decrease in dosage of the intake of drugs and alcohol. In order to experience the symptoms of drug or alcohol withdrawal, one must have first developed a physical dependence. Drug withdrawal occurs after an individual has been consuming these substances for a certain period of time, which is both dose dependent and varies based upon the drug consumed. For example, prolonged use of an anti-depressant is most likely to cause a much different reaction when discontinued than the repeated use of an opioid, such as heroin. In fact, the route of administration, whether intravenous, intramuscular, oral or otherwise, can also play a role in determining the severity of drug or alcohol withdrawal symptoms. There are different stages of drug withdrawal as well. Generally, a person will start to feel worse and worse, hit a plateau, and then the symptoms of drug withdrawal will begin to dissipate. The term "cold turkey" is used to describe the sudden cessation of a drug and the ensuing physiological manifestations.

Drug withdrawal can be both physical and psychological, because not all addictions are categorized as physical dependence. In general, drug withdrawal can be intolerable if professional help is either not available or not wanted. The length of time in drug withdrawal depends on the individual, but several days are not uncommon, and in some cases, several weeks of symptoms may be experienced Sometimes addicts will say that the only reason that they don’t want to go into treatment because they fear drug withdrawal. The fear of drug withdrawal is not unfounded, as nerves throughout the body may become highly sensitive, which creates extreme stimulation, which leads to almost unbearable drug withdrawal discomfort. Drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs begin with a plan for handling withdrawal symptoms, which make it easier for the individual to handle the withdrawal process.

The sustained use of many kinds of drugs causes adaptations within the body that tend to lessen the drug's original effects over time, a phenomenon known as drug tolerance. At this point, one is said to have a physical dependency on the given chemical. This is the stage that withdrawal may be experienced upon discontinuation. Some of these symptoms are generally the opposite of the drug's direct effect on the body. Depending on the length of time a drug takes to leave the bloodstream, withdrawal symptoms can appear within a few hours to several days after discontinuation and may also occur in the form of drug cravings. A craving is the strong, intense desire to obtain, and use a drug or other substance to avoid the discomfort of the withdrawal process. Cravings are a way of making the person go and get more drugs to be able to function at all. Drug cravings may become so severe that the addict will do almost anything to get more of the drug. For this reason, an individual in need of drug withdrawal should always have the support of drug treatment professionals.

Although withdrawal symptoms are often associated with the use of recreational drugs, many prescription drugs also have a profound effect on the user when stopped. When drug withdrawal from any medication occurs it can be harmful or even fatal; hence prescription warning labels explicitly saying not to discontinue the drug without doctor approval.

Drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to extreme. In the case of mild drug withdrawal, the person experiences nausea, vomiting, headaches, diarrhea, abdominal discomfort, insomnia and tremors. More serious drug withdrawal symptoms include, but are not necessarily limited to fever, rapid pulse rate, heart palpitations, heavy sweating, respiratory distress, and hallucinations. Other extreme drug withdrawal physical manifestations are difficulty walking, confusion and the person may also experience seizures. From mild to extreme, drug withdrawal symptoms can become life-threatening. Getting over the drug withdrawal symptoms is an important part of treatment and recovery. If a person is in constant discomfort from drug withdrawal symptoms, it is difficult to move forward in the rehab process. Depending on the drug of choice used by the individual, drug treatment professionals can design a personal treatment plan to help ease the severity of the drug withdrawal symptoms and allow the patient to return to a more healthy state.

Drug withdrawal symptoms at times may be severe, if not life threatening. Drug withdrawal symptoms have many variables. Everything from the type of drug, quantity of regular use, to the length of time the drug was abused, factors into how intense or mild an individual's drug withdrawal experience will be. As mentioned, the type of drug used plays an important part in determining the length and severity of drug withdrawal symptoms. One can understand that even if physical manifestations of drug withdrawal are addressed, and even if the substance has been purged from the body, this process alone does not constitute success. There is a vast difference between treatment and recovery. The first phase of treatment may be to ride the body of the drug, but the person is still in need of a complete drug or alcohol treatment plan. Once the drug withdrawal is behind them, the treatment phase can be completed and recovery takes over in order help the individual develop strategies to maintain long term sobriety.

Over the years drug treatment centers have discovered many different ways of minimizing the discomfort of drug and alcohol withdrawal .The most important thing is for individuals in active drug or alcohol addiction to receive professional help so they can be successful in the withdrawal process. There need not be the fear of withdrawal if the addict is willing to submit to a drug treatment program and allow the recovery process to unfold. The best place to begin is to consult with a drug treatment center and get the process of drug withdrawal started.