Drug addiction is a serious disease that completely enslaves a person, replacing the usual values: home, family, work, study, friends, loved ones. The life of a drug addict is controlled only by the next dose of the drug; it is because of it that he is ready to part with everything that was previously dear to him. This article from the specialists at Medical Detox Los Angeles Avedis will provide information on how long withdrawal symptoms last and how to treat them.
A person is haunted by only one uncontrollable desire – to use another portion of the substance in order to experience this feeling of euphoria again, or simply to bring himself to an illusory norm. Meanwhile, drugs massively destroy life and health. It is possible to get rid of addiction and the Avedis Recovery treatment program will help you with this.
What is drug withdrawal?
Drug withdrawal is a consequence of drug cancellation. A painful and serious condition is associated with a number of chemical and biological reactions that occur in the body. It causes unpleasant sensations, pain, associated with disorders in the work of the central and autonomic nervous systems of the brain.
The drug withdrawal occurs in 100% of cases a few hours after the use of the last dose of the narcotic substance. It is especially difficult to take 2-3 stages of drug addiction and drug addicts, which have chronic diseases of the cardiovascular, digestive system, and respiratory organs.
Signs and symptoms: how drug withdrawal is felt
Drug withdrawal occurs due to a number of complex biochemical reactions. This is an attempt by the body to learn how to work independently without a drug, to rebuild in a new way.
The serious condition is caused by a violation in the work of a number of organs and the nervous system of the drug addict. The nature of the current and symptoms largely depend on the taken psychotropic drugs, the stage of drug addiction, and the characteristics of human health. Therefore, treatment should be prescribed only by a specialist and after determining all indications taking into account the severity of drug addiction.
Less pronounced and dangerous symptoms are found in case of refusal of barbiturates, tranquilizers and other potent drugs:
- anxiety, and irritability grow;
- a slight trembling appears in the body;
- worries muscle weakness, deterioration of well -being, apathy;
- a feverish condition occurs.
In case of refusal of benzodiazepine preparations, digestive disorder, a violation of the heart rhythm may be disturbed.
With drug addiction associated with severe opiates, salts and other psychotropic substances, the condition of drug addicts becomes more serious. At the initial stage, the it feels with breaking symptoms resembling a cold:
- Growing weakness in the muscles and general deterioration of well-being.
- Easy alarm, irritation.
- Acutely reaction to loud sounds, noises, bright light.
A few hours after the use of the last dose of drugs, the main symptoms of drug withdrawal appear:
- increased sweating;
- fever, heavy fever;
- tremor and seizures of the limbs;
- complete lack of sleep;
- depressive state, suicidal thoughts;
- attack of migraines, vomiting and nausea;
- drops of blood pressure, pulse;
- complete loss of performance.
Drug withdrawal is felt as a serious and painful condition, lasting more than 7-10 days. It exhausts the drug addict, deprives sleep and appetite. The man completely loses interest in the family, environment and work, feels growing anxiety, becomes aggressive and conflict. Hysterics replaces increased excitability, anxiety, bouts of laughter for no reason.
With prolonged use of “severe” drugs, irreversible processes occur in the work of the nervous system and the brain. When breaking up with opium or salt drug addicts, visual and auditory hallucinations often begin. It expresses delusional thoughts and ideas, talks with imaginary interlocutors, and with outbreaks of uncontrolled aggression commit various offenses.
Causes of withdrawal
A single use of a psychoactive substance is quite capable of causing addiction, overdose, and negative effects on the psyche and physical health. But if you’re lucky, a small dose of the drug will gradually break down and the body will remove toxins on its own.
Everything becomes much more complicated with the systematic use of psychoactive substances. In this case, the drug and its breakdown products are gradually integrated into the biochemical processes of the body, taking part in metabolism. As a result, the synthesis of physiological neurotransmitters that are involved in the transmission of nerve impulses decreases; this process is completely or partially replaced by drugs entering the body. As soon as a drug addict stops using psychoactive substances, a complex disruption occurs in the functioning of internal organs and the central nervous system. The brain sends impulses to which the body responds with excruciating pain, mental disorders, and somatic disorders.
Depending on the factors associated with drug use (duration after the last dose, length of use, type, volume and frequency of drug use), withdrawal can cause irreversible changes in health, illegal actions and even suicide.
How long does withdrawal last?
It is difficult to answer this question unequivocally, since the duration of withdrawal depends on several factors, and one of them is the type of drug used.
- Amphetamine withdrawal begins 7-9 hours after the last drug use. On the first day, insomnia is observed, severe pain is felt in the palate, and the condition is aggravated by severe depression. Residual effects last up to 1.5 months.
- Heroin withdrawal lasts up to 2 weeks. Accompanied by fever, increased sweating, gastrointestinal upset, excruciating body pain, and mental disorders.
- Codeine withdrawal begins on the first day after the last dose and lasts up to 2 weeks. Accompanied by breathing problems, palpitations, and gastrointestinal upset.
- Cocaine withdrawal begins 2-4 hours after the last use and lasts up to a month. Accompanied by severe depression, which often ends in suicide.
- Methadone withdrawal is the most difficult and lasts up to 2 weeks. The symptoms are largely similar to heroin withdrawal. Mental disorders can result in suicide, somatic disorders threaten cardiac arrest.
- Withdrawal from hashish, marijuana. Mainly characterized by psychological discomfort, irritability, and eating disorders. Physiologically: abnormal heartbeat and blood pressure, dry mouth, red eyes. Withdrawal from marijuana lasts up to 10 days.
Only a few types of withdrawal (for example, from marijuana) can be experienced independently. Methadone, heroin, amphetamine, salts and other substances will not be released so easily – the mandatory participation of a narcologist will be required.
How to help a drug addict with withdrawal
Withdrawal syndrome is a phenomenon that every addicted person faces sooner or later. This condition can and should be stopped to prevent the development of consequences. It is preferable to seek specialized help, since home treatment does not provide adequate safety for the patient. The only thing that relatives can do is to call a narcologist to the patient or urgently take him to a drug treatment clinic on their own.Copy textCopy HTMLDoneRefuse
