What is drug withdrawal and how is it related to drug detox? Withdrawal from drugs takes place after you have developed a dependence or addiction. You can become physically or psychologically addicted.
- Physical addiction means you get withdrawal symptoms if you stop using.
- Psychological dependence means you genuinely believe you need the drug to function.
If you start to cut back or cut out your addictive substances, you will begin to deal with your withdrawal symptoms. But what is drug withdrawal in terms of physical and psychological symptoms?
What is Drug Withdrawal?
Withdrawal is categorized as anytime you decrease or get rid of an addictive substance. If, for example, you regularly have five alcoholic beverages after work, and then you suddenly don’t drink one night, you might start experiencing withdrawal symptoms. Many people don’t realize an addiction has formed until they try to cut back and face the severe withdrawal symptoms. Drug withdrawal can range from mild to severe symptoms, and what you deal with is highly individualized and includes a combination of physical and psychological symptoms.
What are Common Drug Withdrawal Symptoms?
Some common withdrawal symptoms include:
- Insomnia
- Irritability
- Mood changes
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Cravings
- Aches and pains
- Hallucinations
- Nausea
- Muscle cramps
- Runny noses
- Fever
- Paranoia
- Tremors
- Disorientation
These symptoms might last for only a few days or extend for a few weeks, but your drug withdrawal symptoms will eventually go away no matter what you are struggling with.
The downside is these symptoms can be so severe, even if they only last for one or two days, that you are at high risk for relapse if you don’t detox from drugs with professional help. Even if you can manage some of the symptoms, you might not exercise, eat right, or sleep well during your withdrawal phases, which can make symptoms worse and cause them to last longer than necessary.
How to Manage Drug Withdrawal Symptoms
Knowing what is drug withdrawal is only part of the recovery. You need to understand how to manage your symptoms too.
Managing your withdrawal symptoms means having a detox plan. Detox is when your body removes any residual compounds or toxins from the substances you have abused. This is what causes your withdrawal symptoms. Getting through this shouldn’t be done alone. With professional help at a detox center or rehab clinic, you can have medical professionals ready to ease your symptoms with over-the-counter medications to control nausea, reduce your fever, and prescription medications to control seizures, high blood pressure, or hallucinations.
This is very important if you struggle with an addiction to prescription medications like benzodiazepines or opioids, even alcoholism. The detox process for things like opioids and alcohol can put your life at risk if you don’t have medical professionals there to help you manage your withdrawal symptoms.
Severe dehydration is one of the most significant risks with complications and withdrawal symptoms such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. Being under supervision means access to things like IV treatment to stay hydrated. Having staff members monitor your fluid intake can avoid dehydration. Similarly, if you are dealing with nausea, insomnia, and other withdrawal symptoms, your body might not recognize that it’s time to eat or that you need food. In fact, keeping meals down might be a challenge. But with medications to manage all of these symptoms and staff members to prepare food on your behalf, you can keep your body all of the nutrients it needs to successfully make it through your detox.
How to Find Professional Detox Programs in Texas
With Dallas Detox, drug detox is in the name. We offer a comprehensive detox program in Texas as crucial preliminary steps toward your long-term recovery. We work with you with our professional detox program to complete an initial assessment. This assessment serves a critical role in understanding your drug history, mental and physical health, and what substances you are addicted to. Knowing all of this information helps us create a personalized detox program. When you detox from drugs, we have the right medicines ready to help reduce your withdrawal symptoms and make you as comfortable as possible. Having the proper medications can avoid some of the more severe complications like seizures and hallucinations.
During your drug detox, our staff will be on call, monitoring your vitals and checking on you regularly so that your symptoms are controlled, and you can come out at the other end of your detox process a happier, healthier individual. Dallas Detox Center offers professional detox and inpatient addiction treatment in Dallas.
Let Dallas Detox help you manage your withdrawal symptoms now. Contact us today and start your journey of recovery.
