Emergency Detox: Signs You’re Experiencing Withdrawal

By no means do all people who stop drinking experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

If, however, you’ve been drinking alcohol long-term and you stop abruptly, you’re likely to trigger a battery of side effects. Since alcohol is a CNS depressant, if you suddenly stop or moderate your intake when dependence has developed, you risk seriously disrupting your central nervous system after your last drink.

Some severe withdrawal symptoms of alcohol can include:

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Insomnia
• Agitation
• Anxiety
• Tremors
• Seizures
• While it is not straightforward to predict who will suffer intense withdrawal symptoms upon stopping drinking, the quantity and frequency of intake will typically impact the severity of withdrawal.

FDA-approved medications (disulfiram, naltrexone, acamprosate) can help mitigate the intensity of withdrawal symptoms, while at the same time helping to tamp down cravings for alcohol. Because alcohol is one of the deadly types of withdrawal, it may be best to seek the help of an emergency department if you or a loved one is experiencing life-threatening symptoms.

If you are suffering from heroin use disorder, you can expect to experience some intense and uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms when you detox.

Fortunately, the most acute heroin withdrawal symptoms subside in just 5 to 7 days. In some cases, PAWS (post-acute withdrawal symptoms) last for weeks or months.

Just like with alcohol use disorder, heroin use disorder can be treated using the FDA-approved medications buprenorphine, naltrexone, and methadone.

Heroin is not the only opioid capable of causing withdrawal symptoms that may require help from emergency departments, though, and to avoid repetition, the symptoms of withdrawal from heroin are broadly similar to those of opioid use disorder.

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant, but cocaine withdrawal is rarely physically dangerous and comprised mainly of disturbing psychological symptoms, including:

• Nervousness
• Irritation
• Depressed mood
• Ongoing tiredness
• Persistent lethargy
• Thoughts of self-harm
• Hallucinations
• Psychotic episodes

With no FDA-approved medications currently suitable for treating cocaine withdrawal, the best approach is to address the underlying causes of addiction using psychotherapy like CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) or DBT (dialectical behavior therapy). This should help you to formulate healthier coping strategies, vital for avoiding relapse.

If you stop using cocaine abruptly after a period of abuse, you can expect a pronounced rebound effect in mood, crashing from euphoria to depression. Withdrawal usually occurs within a day of last use, and symptoms can linger for weeks. While not typically life-threatening, cocaine withdrawal is nevertheless challenging, and quitting cold turkey at home is inadvisable, as well as liable to lead to relapse.

Benzodiazepines or benzos are a class of drugs used to treat panic disorder, anxiety disorder, and some types of seizure disorder.

While highly effective when used short-term and precisely as prescribed, benzos can be highly addictive, with dependence forming rapidly.

Some commonly-prescribed benzos include:

• Xanax

• Librium

• Klonopin

• Ativan

Benzo withdrawal starts within 6 to 12 hours of last taking benzodiazepines with a timeline of 7 to 14 days before symptoms start subsiding.

The best method of withdrawing from benzos is through a slowly tapered reduction in dosage. Under the supervision of your healthcare provider, you’ll step down by perhaps 0.5mg every 3 to 5 days.

Stopping benzodiazepines at home abruptly is potentially dangerous. When dealing with a substance use disorder, it is generally best practice to seek out the help of a professional treatment program or an emergency department if needed.