Drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be very difficult for anyone to deal with. Additionally, they can be incredibly dangerous. Those who try to get clean and sober on their own are putting themselves at a high risk of relapse, too.
There are ways to ease withdrawal symptoms, but these require a professional detox center to help. When you go through professional detox, you’ll have a much better chance of staying sober and getting treatment.
What are Withdrawal Symptoms?
Anyone who develops an addiction to drugs or alcohol experiences symptoms of withdrawal when getting clean. This happens because the body doesn’t know what to do now that the drugs or alcohol are absent. It’s important to note that withdrawal symptoms vary based on the substance. For example, heroin withdrawal is much different than cocaine withdrawal. However, there are a few commonalities.
Common symptoms of withdrawal from downers:
- Aches and pains
- Anxiety
- Cold sweats
- Cramping
- Depression
Common symptoms of withdrawal from uppers:
- Insomnia
- Long periods of sleep
- Irritability
- Anxiety
No matter what substance you abuse, there’s always a chance that you can experience heart failure during withdrawal. Long-term drug or alcohol addiction puts the heart under undue stress and drastically weakens it. People who try to detox alone are at risk of high blood pressure and cardiac arrest. Other substances like alcohol and benzodiazepines can cause very dangerous seizures as well.
Treating Withdrawal Symptoms
The best way to get clean is by going to a professional detox facility. They’re able to minimize the symptoms. Not only that, but a medical staff watches you at all times to ensure that you’re as safe as possible. A medical professional at the facility may prescribe medications that reduce blood pressure, alleviate nausea, or help you sleep. In addition, some medications help by making the brain believe that you’re still drinking or using drugs.
Recovery Comes from Addiction Treatment
After you get through any type of withdrawal, including alcohol painkiller withdrawal, you need to attend addiction treatment. Detoxification only puts a bandage on the overall problem because you need to learn how to stay clean. The way you do this is by attending a facility that understands the disease of addiction and can provide therapy. It’s important to learn the specifics about addiction so you understand more about your disease.
Addiction treatment involves an ongoing process of healing in the brain and replacing old behaviors with new ones. It’s also important to understand where your addiction came from. You can often get these answers in therapy. Many people are incapable of recovering alone, so group therapy is there to lend support. Throughout treatment, you’ll develop a wide range of tools that you can take home to continue your recovery.
Pinnacle Peak Recovery is here to help you, and we’re partners with a local detox. Call us today at 866-377-4761 to begin your journey to recovery.