Drug withdrawals can make recovery a challenging and life-threatening experience if they are not treated correctly.
Due to agonizing cravings and negative side effects, many addicts may wonder how long drug withdrawal can last.
The answer is not as straightforward, but in this article, we will take a look into what determines the length of a withdrawal and what addicts can expect from it.
What’s a Drug Withdrawal?
Physical dependence on a drug is characterized by withdrawal symptoms. Therefore, your body has developed a chemical dependence on the drug.
With time, chemical dependence worsens as the body becomes dependent on these substances.
Recovery can be very challenging when dealing with withdrawals, which can be life-threatening and frightening. In addition to withdrawal symptoms, addicts may also experience high cravings they are unable to manage, leading to relapse.
The problem worsens over time as a result of this vicious cycle.
If you are addicted to drugs, you should seek professional help for a safe and effective withdrawal process.
Symptoms of a Drug Withdrawal
Different drugs cause different withdrawal symptoms. In spite of the fact that no two drugs will have the same withdrawal symptoms, there are some symptoms that are common to all of them.
Withdrawal symptoms may also be more severe and stronger for some drugs. Marijuana withdrawal, for example, is much milder than opioid withdrawal. In spite of this, all withdrawals should be treated equally, since everyone will experience suffering during withdrawal.
Symptoms that are common across the board include:
The Rebound Effect
This is the type of symptom the drug is designed to treat. When you stop taking the drug, the symptoms become more severe.
As an example, when opiates are removed from the body they could induce more pain than the pain that was present before the use of opioids.
Tolerance Is Reduced
Tolerance to a drug decreases rapidly when it is withdrawn. In the event that you relapse or take the drug again, you will need much more of the drug to get you back to your previous state, which can lead to overdosing.
Depression
All forms of substance abuse are associated with depression. Dopamine depletion and damage to dopamine receptors in the brain cause users to experience low emotions and depression as a result.
Extreme Cravings
It is inevitable that strong cravings will develop after the drug has been cleared from the system.
Seizures or Tremors
Withdrawal symptoms like these can be extremely dangerous. Additionally, they include changes to the autonomic nervous system, such as:
- Heartbeat problems
- Breathing issues
- Blood circulation problems
How Long Can Drug Withdrawal Last
As far as drug withdrawal duration is concerned, there is no set rule. A person’s experience of drug withdrawal can vary considerably depending on the drug abused and the frequency of use.
A week to a month can be the average withdrawal period for drugs such as cocaine and amphetamines. The withdrawal symptoms of opiates usually peak within 72 hours and then subside over time.
In general, symptoms of withdrawal begin between one and three days after last using the drug, peaking between two and four days later.
Withdrawal timelines are also influenced by other factors:
- Amount taken
- Method of ingestion
- Combining it with other substances
- Length of drug abuse
- Personal profile of tolerance
There are generally three stages to withdrawal timelines:
- Acute
- Protracted
Post-acute.
What to Do if Withdrawals Are Present
Now that you know how long drug withdrawal can last, you are probably wondering how to get help if you or a loved one experiences a withdrawal.
In the event that you or a loved one is experiencing drug withdrawals, seek help as soon as possible. Besides being harmful to your health, withdrawals are also difficult to recover from.
Please call 911 and seek medical attention immediately if you are experiencing any serious symptoms.
Attending a detox program is the most effective way to deal with withdrawal symptoms. To ease withdrawal symptoms and ease the withdrawal from drugs, pharmacological treatments are used during detox.
Ava Recovery offers recovery and detox services in Buda, Texas
Contact us today to see how we can help you get the help you need.
