Withdrawal Symptoms from Drugs
For most of the population, using drugs is a scary prospect. For addicts it is more terrifying to NOT take the drug. This is because withdrawal from drug addiction can be severe. People use drugs for a variety of reasons, to escape stressful situations, home or work problems, or even just for “fun.” As the person uses the drug they build up a tolerance leading them to use more in a never ending cycle. It becomes easier to use the drug one more time than to stop.
Withdrawal symptoms differ depending on the drug that was abused. Furthermore, each person will experience withdrawal differently. Some of the more common symptoms include nausea, diarrhea, vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle and abdominal pain, shaking, sweating, and many others. The withdrawal process is painful and extremely unpleasant. Not only do suffers go through physical withdrawal, but they must also get past psychological withdrawal. The process can be so difficult that individuals will experience depression and thoughts of suicide. Counseling helps individuals to learn to cope without the drug. It can also address issues that led the person to use the illegal substance to begin with.
Opiate addict withdrawal symptoms are very intense, but brief. Opiates are used in some pain medication and individuals can get addicted without realizing it. Some common medications in this family are Vicodin, Percadon, Oxycodin, and Morphine, as well as the drug Heroin. These drugs are used to suppress pain and they reduce anxiety. When taken in excess they cause feelings of euphoria for the user. When individuals stop taking these drugs they experience anxiety, agitation, tremors, hot and cold flashes, as well as diarrhea, and vomiting. While opiate withdrawal symptoms are intense they are not life threatening.
Crack is a highly addictive form of cocaine. It is smoked vice snorted and produces a much more intense “high” than cocaine. Since the feelings of euphoria is short live, only about 5-15 minutes, tolerance is build quickly in individuals using this substance. Users will crash during this time frame and will experience loss of euphoria then depression. This in turn leads crack addicts to seek out the drug sooner and sooner to stay in a heightened state. Crack addict withdrawal symptoms include agitation, depression, fatigue, muscle pain, trouble sleeping, lack of motivation, and angry outbursts.
Due to the severity of symptoms of drug addict withdrawal it is highly recommended that individuals seek treatment with a professional rehabilitation center. This way they can go through the detoxification process under the supervision of a drug treatment counselor and physician. Most people will either go to a hospital or a residential treatment facility for drug user. Some people will try this on their own, but it takes a lot of support, will power and often medication to ease the withdrawal issues. Because of the nasty side effects, occasionally medications are used to lessen the symptoms. To prevent abusers from returning to using these substances, it is recommended that they seek behavioral counseling to address issues that lead to the drug abuse in the first place. It is possible to lead a normal productive life after drug abuse.
Don’t get in the cycle of trying to stop and then go back because it is too hard to take withdrawaing. It helps to be at a rehab center to detox as they help the symptoms be better. Or you can take suboxone for certain drugs and do it on your own but you have to really have good support set up and be ready and go to meetings too. If you mix things in with suboxon you will only make your life a living hell.
My friend was given percoset at the dentist and that got him into the euphoria of pain meds addiction. He had other pain in his life at the time because his girlfriend cheated on him and then it just grew from there into a full blown addiction.