Withdrawal
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 With continuous drug abuse, the addict begins to crave the sense of
euphoria that taking the drugs has produced. Due to the fact that this pleasant feeling is so overwhelming, the addict is motivated to
continue taking drugs. When this happens, the brain, in effect, has been conditioned to “tell” the addict that continued drug
abuse is the fastest and the most effective way for the addict to “feel good.”
When an addict abruptly stops taking the drugs to which he or she is addicted, the brain triggers “messages” that are sent to the addict,
essentially informing him or her that something is terribly wrong and needs to be corrected. The “messages” that the brain sends to
the addict consist of a number uncomfortable, painful, and dangerous withdrawal symptoms that can possibly lead to death if the proper treatment
is not immediately undertaken.
Withdrawal Symptoms, The Brain, and Tolerance
With regular drug abuse the brain gradually adapts to the drugs so that normal functioning is possible.
When an
individual who has exhibited a pattern of continuous and excessive abuse, however, suddenly stops taking drugs, he or she usually suffers
from withdrawal symptoms that can be so prolonged that they can take the body days or weeks before it returns to "normal."
Essentially, then, drug withdrawal symptoms are responses by the brain and by the body to the lack of the drug or drugs to which they had
become adapted.
This not only explains how physical tolerance develops but it also explains why increasingly more of the particular drug is needed to get the
same "buzz" or "high" with regular use.
Drug withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to moderate to severe and include both behavioral and psychological components. The major
factors that influence the severity of the drug withdrawal symptoms include the following:
- How long the drug was abused (has the abuse lasted years or is it fairly recent?)
- The type of drug that was abused (e.g., withdrawals from methadone are usually more painful and more severe that withdrawals from
heroin).
- The quality or “purity” of the drug (has the drug been “cut” with rat poison or cleanser or is it in its “pure” form).
- How strong the craving is for the drug (for instance, is the craving relatively mild or is it intense?)
- The amount of the drug that was abused (for instance, did the heroin abuser take 2 bags or 6 bags for his or her “high”?)
- The health of the individual (is the person generally in good health or sickly?)
- The frequency that the drug has been abused (for example, did the person abuse the drug every 4 hours, every 2 days, once per week,
etc).
| Psychological addiction occurs when the cravings for a drug are emotional or psychological.
Individuals who are psychologically addicted usually feel overcome by the desire to have the drug in question. These
feelings are so powerful that in many instances psychologically (and physically) addicted individuals will do almost anything for
their next "fix" including stealing, lying, and in some instances, killing. |
An Analysis of Twenty-Five “Common” Drugs
 An analysis was done of the
withdrawal symptoms of 25 well-known drugs (that also included alcohol). Included in this list were the following drugs:
- Alcohol
- Ambient
- Ativan
- Cocaine
- Codeine
- Crack
- Darvocet
- Demerol
- Dexedrine
| When person is addicted, he or she no longer takes alcohol or drugs to have fun or to get high. Rather, the
addicted person needs the alcohol or the drugs in order to function on a daily basis. |
- Dilaudid
- Ecstasy
- Heroin
- Hydrocodone
- Lortab
- Marijuana
- Meth
- Methadone
- Morphine
- Opium
- Oxycontin
- Percocet
- Ritalin
- Ultram
- Vicodin
- Xanax
| Based on your answers to the health care provider's questions and upon the physical exam, it may be concluded that
you are indeed, addicted to alcohol, drugs, or both. At this point, your health care professional will discuss your
treatment options. Keep in mind that chemical dependency experts, like other specialists, will make various suggestions and
recommendations regarding your addiction. You, however, will need to be actively involved in the decision-making process if
your treatment is to be successful. |
Common Drug Withdrawal Symptoms
 The most occurring withdrawal symptoms in
order of most occurring to lease occurring concerning the above "common" drugs were the following:
- Intense craving
- Nausea
- Insomnia
- Sweating
- Irritability
- Anxiety
- Vomiting
- Depression
- Diarrhea
- Runny nose
- Watery eyes
- Yawning
- Muscle pain
- Tremors
- Disturbed sleep
| Codependency is a pattern of habitual self-defeating coping mechanisms. Codependency is typically a result
of living in a house with someone who suffers from alcoholism or drug addiction. In these dysfunctional homes, there are
three messages that are not explicitly stated but nevertheless, reinforced everyday by unhealthy actions, behaviors, and
beliefs. These three messages are: don't trust, don’t talk, and don't feel. |
Withdrawal: Conclusion
 Based on the above, it is clear to see that getting "off" of most drugs, including alcohol,
leads to terribly uncomfortable, painful, and disgusting withdrawal symptoms. As a consequence, breaking free from one's addiction to
drugs and/or alcohol is an extremely difficult process. In fact, since most drug addicts relapse within six months of attaining
abstinence, it is highly advisable that all addicts seek and receive comprehensive, professional, and long-term treatment (including
long-term follow-up counseling) for their addition.
Due to the fact that drug withdrawal symptoms can be hazardous, dangerous, and in some instances, fatal, the first concern when experiencing
withdrawal symptoms should be who the addict should contact about the withdrawals he or she is experiencing.
In other words, when addicts are suffering from drug withdrawal symptoms, they should always see their doctor or healthcare provider
immediately so that he or she can assess the severity of the addict’s situation and suggest the best option for treatment.
| Research studies have demonstrated that the following family-related antecedents are correlated to the start of
substance abuse: relationships with peers who use drugs, neurotic traits, conduct disorders, high levels of stress and conflict,
psychological depression, economic instability, high sensation-seeking, low academic performance, sexual or physical abuse in
childhood, juvenile delinquency, low self-esteem, antisocial behavior, parental use of drugs and alcohol, dysfunctional family
behaviors and interactions, coercive behavior with family members, poor family management, inadequate mother-infant bonding and
nurturing, and genetic propensity toward substance abuse. |
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