The Stages of Withdrawal
If you are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction and are finally ready to quit, then you need to be prepared for a bit of a roller coaster ride due to withdrawal symptoms. When most people think about quitting they get scared. They know how uncomfortable it can be, but they also know that they must go through it to get sober.
Do not feel as if this is an impossible task. Just like millions of people before you, you will get through the withdrawal period and achieve success in sobriety. You just need to give yourself this chance, work through the withdrawal period with the help of substance abuse counselors, find support within groups such as AA and NA. Instead of sitting around, drowning your pain in drugs or alcohol, turn to a treatment center and start working on getting over your addiction and creating a more fulfilling life for yourself in sobriety.
The Withdrawal Period
When you experience drug or alcohol withdrawal you are going to feel it on both a physical and emotional level. There are also dangerous withdrawal symptoms that need to be addressed immediately. As scary as it may seem, some people experience such severe withdrawal symptoms that they will attempt physical harm on themselves, this is why it is so important to detox in a treatment facility that is experienced with the withdrawal process and can help ensure your safety.
Dangerous Symptoms of Withdrawal
When detoxing from drugs or alcohol there is always a risk of developing dangerous symptoms of withdrawal. These include but are not limited to: hallucinations, delirium tremens, grand mal seizures, heart attack or stroke.
If you experience any of these withdrawal symptoms you should seek medical attention immediately. If you do not seek help, your life is in jeopardy and you could die. Do not ignore these symptoms of withdrawal. To avoid any issues during the detox period, enter into a treatment facility for the appropriate medical support needed during this phase of recovery.
Physical Symptoms of Withdrawal
Physical withdrawal symptoms are typically not life threatening but they too can be just as scary as the dangerous symptoms of withdrawal. Many people will will feel panicked and anxious because their body isn’t able to function without drugs or alcohol at this point. It is normal to feel scared, as if this is one of the most difficult experienced in your life, because it is but it does not last forever.
Typical physical symptoms of withdrawal include but are not limited to: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, trouble breathing, a tight feeling in your chest, heart palpitations, a racing heart, heavy sweating, tension in your muscles and tremors. These symptoms will face in the weeks to come, you will begin to feel refreshed, your body will once again learn how to function without drugs or alcohol and you will be on the road to recovery.
Emotional Symptoms of Withdrawal
While emotional symptoms of withdrawal are much less severe than the physical symptoms, there are just as scary when going through the withdrawal period. The following are emotional symptoms of withdrawal; depression, anxiety, trouble sleeping, headaches, isolating yourself socially, inability to concentrate and restlessness. There may be times that you will feel as if you do not deserve to live, that you are not worthy of the love of your family and friends, as if you have completely destroyed your life. This is all normal, as the withdrawal period begins to pass you will begin to feel like you again. You will get your sanity back, so to speak, and find your mood uplifted as you can see a bright future ahead of you in sobriety.
Find Support in Withdrawal
While you can go at it alone, it is never advised to go through the withdrawal period on your own. There are too many rushes of emotions, changes in your physical condition, and serious health risks involved in withdrawal from drugs and alcohol. To keep yourself safe, help to reduce the symptoms of withdrawal, you should enter into a treatment or detox center to undergo an individualized detoxification plan that will help you cleanse yourself of the chemicals and toxins related to drugs and alcohol with support of medical staff and medication if needed.
