Drug detoxification takes place when people stop taking drugs to end their addiction. The body reacts to the loss of regular drug dosage it has been receiving. Addicts experience different withdrawal symptoms, depending on the particular drug and how long they have been addicted. People go through drug detox as a first step in drug treatment. Doctors recommend undergoing detoxification under the supervision of health care professionals. Medication can help addicts deal with the effects of withdrawal. Rehab and recovery treatment follow the detox stage.
Varied Effects
The length of withdrawal symptoms vary and can take from two or three days to two weeks, according to Michael's House, a rehab treatment center in Palm Springs, California. Symptoms differ for the type of substance abuse. Many people going through drug withdrawal may experience depression, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and irritability. Cravings can occur when people still have a strong desire for a drug. These cravings may lead to relapse, especially when people do not continue with professional help or support within a controlled drug treatment program.
Heroin Withdrawal
Physical symptoms vary for drug users or addicts. Symptoms experienced during heroin withdrawal include nervousness, restlessness, pain in the muscles or bones, insomnia, vomiting, diarrhea or cold flashes, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse. These symptoms may last for a few days, but feelings such as depression or despair from going without regular doses of the drug may persist for weeks. Medication, such as methadone, helps bring relief from withdrawal.
Prescription Addiction
Withdrawal from strong prescription painkillers, such as oxycodone, may last a few days or weeks. Symptoms vary and may include abnormal skin sensations, pains, fever, diarrhea, headaches, mood swings, rapid heartbeat, imagining things that are not there and insomnia, the Waismann Method notes. Sometimes waves of symptoms return during the end of the process, making detox long and difficult. Doctors may prescribe methadone and other synthetic opiates for detox involving prescription drugs.
Nicotine
Nicotine withdrawal can last for about five days, the symptoms peaking around the third day, according to the Love to Know website. However, some former smokers continue to feel physical symptoms for two weeks. Detoxification depends on how long people have smoked and how often they usually smoked during the day. Emotional withdrawal can last longer than physical withdrawal because the ex-smoker faces triggers that cause urges to smoke. People who give up nicotine try to prepare for reminders that include places where smoking once took place or times of the day people usually smoked.
Excessive Drinking
Detox from alcohol can take from 24 hours to weeks, according to Health Services at Columbia. As with other drugs, the withdrawal process depends on how strongly people are addicted to alcohol and how long they have been drinking to excess. Symptoms for people withdrawing from alcohol include shakiness, sweating, nervousness, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, sleeping problems and a continued strong desire to drink. Seizures become possible for recovering alcoholics who do not seek proper medical treatment during detox.
