Withdrawal Symptoms of Drugs
Over a certain period of time, physical or mental dependence on medications can occur after the consumption of recreational drugs and substances like alcohol, nicotine, caffeine, and opiates like morphine, heroin, cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, antidepressants and tranquilizers. The body responds to the abrupt discontinuation or decreased intake of such drugs causes drug withdrawal symptoms.
The symptoms can vary from irritability, emotional instability, restlessness, insomnia, anxiety, depression, poor concentration, social isolation, sweating, palpitations, tremors, hot flushes, increased sensitivity to pain, flu-like symptoms: weakness, body aches and headache, difficulty in breathing, decreased or increased appetite, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. Among all the drugs and substances, alcohol and tranquilizers produces the most dangerous withdrawal symptoms like delirium tremens, seizures, strokes or heart attacks in high risk patients.
Getting addicted to drugs is dangerous due to other factors at work. It can hamper an individual’s judgment and their ability to think clearly. When withdrawal hits the body, individuals will try to rationalize and construct reasons to take drugs in every possible way. Withdrawal occurs because the brain works like a spring when it comes to addiction. Drugs and alcohol have a sedative quality and act as brain depressants. ¡t slows down the functioning of the brain and pushes down the spring, consequently suppressing the production of neurotransmitters from the brain like noradrenaline.
When intake of drugs or alcohol is stopped, the brain rebounds by generating a surge of adrenaline that trigger withdrawal symptoms. In severe cases, withdrawal from drugs can be life-threatening and should be managed by a physician specifically trained and experienced in dealing with addiction. Dealing with withdrawal symptoms can be difficult and when unsuccessful, can lead to a relapse.
Relapsing is essentially based on an individual’s mental strength and how strong hisìtier psychological urge is, to not be an addict anymore. Social factors, such as friends and the individual’s financial status can also be a crucial factor for a person who manages not to fall back in the cycle of a relapse.