Imagine a happy family sitting together at a dining table about to commence dinner. The children are giggling to each other and the adults are having a quiet, peaceful conversation among themselves. This family seems perfect until one adult suddenly rushes out of her seat to the bathroom where she regurgitates anything she has eaten for the day.
She was addicted to Cocaine and has recently stopped taking it due to a lack of funds. However, she has disrupted the family dinner and her family is slightly annoyed. All of this could have been avoided with proper knowledge of what was occurring to her at the time.
Withdrawal and addictions are not easy topics to discuss, however, there are more opportunities to treat and seek help for these. According to recent statistics, about twenty million Americans are currently struggling with a drug addiction in the United States and with this number rising by the minute, it is important that every person who is addicted, has stopped taking drugs, or knows someone who matches either of those categories should know the withdrawal symptoms and ways in which these can be avoided.
For example, one can opt to visit clinics of rehab centres such as orange county drug treatment, in order to deal with detoxing oneself. Because drug addiction is a chronic disease, it cannot be treated simply by taking a week or two away from taking drugs. Recovery is a long-term experience and the support of family, friends, or relatives are needed in the process.
Eight Withdrawal Symptoms We Should Be Aware Of
Before going into generalized symptoms, it is significant to note that each drug is different and thus, can produce stronger or weaker withdrawal symptoms. The duration of withdrawal is also impacted by specific drug addiction. There are two types of withdrawal symptoms: emotional and physical. Both impact varying parts of the body and can impact one gender more than the other. The physical symptoms often affect people who have been addicted to alcohol, opiates, or tranquillizers. Emotional symptoms can accompany these symptoms as well.
Emotional Withdrawal Symptoms
- Anxiety Anxiety is induced in a number of ways including anxiety attacks, restlessness, and irritability. These can impede one’s daily functioning and alter one’s personality significantly.
- Depression Depression can show up in more ways that solely being sad. Depression includes a desire or isolation, a lack of enjoyment during fun activities, a loss of appetite, or plainly, fatigue.
- Sleep Sleep is where most of the withdrawal symptoms make their appearance. A person will often be insomniac or have both narcolepsy and sleep apnea.
Physical Withdrawal Symptoms
- Muscles play a vital role in controlling our daily movements, and while on withdrawal, our muscles may sometimes not function as wanted. Involuntary muscle spasms are not uncommon as well as twitches, aches, and tension. The phrase, “itching for a cigarette” may actually have a meaning in this case.
- Nausea can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, stomach aches, dizziness, and headaches.
- The heart is severely impacted in the most unwanted way. Heart palpitations skipped beats, or just a racing heart can cause severe heart problems as the issue progresses.
- Going along with muscle spasms and twitches, sometimes we can feel a tingling in our skin. This is due to muscle memory and by constantly holding a cigarette, one can develop a physical addiction to it. Not holding one may impair our ability to function every day.
- The respiratory system can be a bit damaged depending on the type of drug taken. In the case of smoking, the lungs are damaged and thus, one can have trouble breathing or experience a tightness in their chest.
Common Withdrawal Symptoms Based on Specific Drugs
- Alcohol Insomnia, Anxiety, Headaches, Vomiting, Fatigue, Trouble being focused, Irritability, and Excessive fatigue
- Cocaine Slowed thinking, Increased appetite, Bad dreams, Intense cravings
- Marijuana Headaches, Chills, Stomach pain, Weight gain or loss, Fever, Shakiness, Depression
- Crystal Meth Fatigue and Lethargy
These symptoms can greatly decrease quality of life and thus, it is recommended to seek help or treatment rather than going through these symptoms alone. Treatment centres will often include counselling sessions, or group therapy discussions. By talking to others about addiction, a sense of community is created and by being in association with like-minded individuals who all share the goal to detox themselves, a person is more motivated to do the same. Other treatment options include medications.
Because this person was previously addicted to a drug, medications are given in person as to lessen the chance of the patient creating a new addiction to an additional drug. It is always important to speak up in these situations!
