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Definition of drug Withdrawal

Drug withdrawal refers to the symptoms that may be experienced when a person who takes drugs (an addict) suddenly stops takes drugs.

Who can get drug Withdrawal?

Drug withdrawal is usually seen in adults, but also in teenagers and occasionally children. Drug Withdrawal usually occurs within 5-24 hours after the last fix, and may last as long as 7-10 days. Drug Withdrawal is more likely to occur when larger quantities of drugs are used regularly, but also if the person has other medical conditions.

Drug withdrawal symptoms

Drug withdrawal symptoms include:

1. mild drug withdrawal symptoms such as loss of sleep, agitation, raised levels of anxiety and panic attacks.
2. Moderate drug withdrawal symptoms such as sweating and tremor.
3. Marked drug withdrawal symptoms such as vomiting and severe diarrhoea.
4. Very severe drug withdrawal symptoms known as delirium tremens and including confusion, disorientation and visual hallucinations.
5. drug withdrawal seizures which are drugism withdrawal induced epileptic fits.

Will drug withdrawal symptoms stop by themselves?
Drug withdrawal symptoms usually commence between 12 and 24 hours after the last drink, peak in intensity at about 72 hours and mostly resolve by 96 hours after the last drink. Raised levels of agitation and difficulty with sleep may persist for weeks or months in some cases.

Despite the fact that drug withdrawal symptoms resolve by themselves in time, it is usually inadvisable to stop drinking suddenly if you have become physically addicted to drug. drug withdrawal may be fatal in some cases, and cause permanent disabling brain damage in other cases. The safest and most effective route to cessation of drinking is drug detoxification. Detoxification involves the prescription of medication to relieve drug withdrawal symptoms. This medication is routinely reduced in increments over a period of about one week, and if the detoxification is performed professionally the patient will experience no or few of the usual drug withdrawal symptoms.

Why does drug withdrawal occur?

In people who drink heavily on a regular basis, the brain becomes tolerant to (used to) drug. Having developed an drug tolerance the brain becomes highly overactive if its usual dose of drug is suddenly withdrawn. This overactivity of the brain results in direct effects such as epileptic seizures , memory damage, and drug withdrawal symptoms in the body. Increased adrenaline release in the body occurs as a result of this overactivity, resulting in excessive sweating and shaking, the typical drug withdrawal symptoms.

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