The most common therapeutic drugs that cause withdrawal symptoms include barbiturates, benzodiazepines and opioids such as oxycodone. Other drugs that cause withdrawal symptoms include heroin, nicotine, alcohol, cocaine, amphetamines, caffeine, inhalants, cannabinoids and various sedative-hypnotic drugs. The text "Essential Psychopharmacology" explains that the severity and types of withdrawal symptoms depends on the length of time the drug was used and the dose that the body has grown accustomed to.
Autonomic Nervous System Responses
Withdrawal symptoms from particular drugs typically mimic the opposite action of the drug itself, says "Principles of Pharmacology." If the drug that was withdrawn functions partly to suppress the activity of the autonomic nervous system, such as an opioid given to relieve pain, then withdrawal results in autonomic nervous system hyperactivity. This manifests itself as a fast rate of respiration, racing heartbeat, dilated pupils, diarrhea and abdominal cramping, sweating and feelings of agitation. Barbiturates, benzodiazepines and alcohol withdrawal cause similar symptoms. Conversely, drugs that increase the activity of the nervous system, such as methylphenidate, a medication used to treat ADD, cause a person to experience fatigue, lack of motivation and an increase in appetite when withdrawn.
Emotional Responses
The emotional sensations experienced with drug withdrawal can be blamed in part on the unpleasant physical sensations caused by withdrawal, says "The Clinical Handbook of Addictive Disorders." A person who wants to stop taking a substance to which he is addicted finds it tempting to continue using drugs to avoid withdrawal. This can result in feelings of frustration, anger, agitation, irritability and anxiety. Support groups and cognitive therapy may be useful in overcoming these hurdles.
Detoxification
Some people who have used high dosages of certain substances for a long period of time require hospitalization in order to ensure a safe detoxification process. "Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment" explains that alcohol and barbiturate detoxification can be especially dangerous because withdrawal can cause over-excitability in the nervous system, resulting at times in seizures, fevers and convulsions.
Morphine and heroin addicts frequently benefit from detoxification by opioid substitution therapy. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, roughly 80 percent of addicts resume daily opiate drug use within a year of finishing a drug treatment program. Opioid substitution therapy aims to reduce the rate of relapse to illegal and dangerous use of street drugs such as heroin by providing patients with a prescription for a long-acting opiate such as methadone. Methadone effectively reduces the unpleasant withdrawal symptoms associated with opiates while simultaneously decreasing the desire for euphoria, or a "high."
References
- "Principles of Pharmacology: The Pathophysiologic Basis of Drug Therapy 2nd Edition"; David E. Golan, M.D.; 2007
- "Essential Psychopharmacology: Neuroscientific Basis and Practical Applications (2nd Edition)"; Stephen M. Stahl; 2002
- "The Clinical Handbook of Addictive Disorders (Third Edition)"; Richard J. Frances et al.; 2005
- National Library of Medicine: TIP 20: Chapter 1 -- Patient Matching: Historical Perspective and Overview
- "Drug and Alcohol Abuse: A Clinical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment (Sixth Edition)"; Marc A. Schuckit; 2006
