What is withdrawal in drug addicts? Symptoms, causes, treatment, duration of withdrawal. Drug addict withdrawal or withdrawal syndrome

A person uses drugs to experience a feeling of euphoria. Initially he feels good. There is a feeling that all problems have disappeared. But after each such ecstasy, drug addicts experience withdrawal.

The addict completely loses control over himself. He has only one obsessive thought - to get the next dose and again experience the state of “high”. But money to buy drugs is not always available; real torment awaits the addict. And then short-term joy changes into long-term torment.

Causes

Withdrawal or withdrawal syndrome is a condition in which a drug addict experiences a desire to immediately receive another dose of a drug. Caused by drug withdrawal or dosage reduction.

The degree of dependence determines the severity of the drug - the stronger it is, the longer the withdrawal period lasts. This is influenced by the drug’s ability to integrate into human metabolism.

Withdrawal syndrome appears due to disturbances in work nervous system. Drugs replace neurotransmitters, which are responsible for the timely delivery of nerve impulses. As a result, the body stops their production.

Without neurotransmitters, the connection between the brain and the nervous system, musculoskeletal system and internal organs is lost. Without regular drug use, this relationship breaks down and human body becomes a collection of cells rather than a complete mechanism. This is what causes drug withdrawal.

Appearance time

The time it takes for severe withdrawal symptoms to occur depends on the drug used. The lack of the drug can be felt after 3-5 hours. General health worsens within a day. This causes a feeling of withdrawal.

Withdrawal is felt by all organs that are involved in metabolism. But not everyone knows how long withdrawal actually lasts for a drug addict. This feeling can last from several days to several weeks, with an average of 10 days.

In the process, the body feels a lack of:

• minerals;
• vitamins;
• microelements;
• nutrients, etc.

If this lack of vital substances is not provided in time, the process of depletion will begin. The result is that it is difficult for the body to get out of this state, recover and begin to function normally. If he fails to cope with this task, the addict may die.

Main features

Although different drugs have different effects, most symptoms are similar. It all starts with disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system and continues with problems with internal organs.

Psychopathological symptoms

Symptoms of drug withdrawal initially manifest themselves as disturbances on the emotional level. The addict feels anxious and afraid. This causes insomnia. From lack of sleep, a person becomes irritated, he is dissatisfied with everything. Bouts of aggression may occur.

Then the drug addict becomes restless. Can't eat or sleep normally. Communication with others is reduced to a minimum or completely stopped. He is unable to concentrate his attention on anything other than the desire to get the dose. The result is poor health, mental disorders and social isolation. Such withdrawal symptoms are also called psychopathological.

Somatovegetative symptoms

According to research by narcologists, withdrawal symptoms initially resemble a common cold. The temperature rises, a runny nose and slight chills appear. The patient's pupils dilate, sneezing and yawning occur. Subsequent withdrawal symptoms:

• increased sweating;
• low or excessively high blood pressure;
• cardiopalmus;
• labored breathing;
• vomiting and nausea;
• problems with the musculoskeletal system, etc.

The patient stays in bed for a long time and does not want to do anything. Because of the chills, he is constantly trying to warm up, which only makes it worse. Body temperature changes quickly, and it is difficult for the body to tolerate sudden changes from heat to chills. Some drug addicts constantly want to sleep, others cannot sleep.

Severe problems with the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract begin. The result is manifestations of diarrhea, which further weakens the body. It takes away the ability to resist pain in muscles and joints. The drug addict experiences terrible sensations due to seizures.

Increased salivation may begin. And also the stool is disturbed. Arrhythmia and tachycardia develop. The first signs appear mental disorders which can develop into phobias.

Exposure to various drugs

The composition of the drugs is different, so the manifestations are different. The symptoms are similar, but upon closer examination it is easy to find the differences.

Signs of drug withdrawal when exposed to various drugs:

• marijuana – a depressive state, perception of the world as something disgusting and terrible, reluctance to do anything;
• antidepressants – the highest degree of depression, physical torment, indifference to life;
• cigarettes - irritation, intrusive thoughts about cigarettes Bad mood etc.

The worst consequences occur when using synthetic drugs. Today there are more than 30 species. They are psychotropic, and therefore cause long-term and severe torment, which is accompanied by clouding of the mind.

Drug treatment

Symptoms of withdrawal syndrome disappear as soon as the patient takes the next dose. But such a solution is not an option. Therefore, it is almost impossible to cope with drug addiction on your own, because the addict no longer has the willpower. Due to severe pain throughout his body, he cannot withstand the torment and prefers to use drugs to make it stop.

The hardest stage is serving time. The addict’s task is to wait out the withdrawal. During the process, the drugs must “leave” the body so that it can be cleansed. But not everyone can survive this stage. Then a breakdown occurs, everything repeats from the beginning.

An effective method of combating is detoxification. It includes a set of procedures during which medications are administered to the patient. Effective drugs that help relieve withdrawal symptoms:

1. General strengthening. They help partially restore immunity and improve the general condition of the drug addict. Such medicines contain vitamins of all groups, magnesium sulfate, unitol, etc.
2. Supporting cardiac activity. Natural remedies – caffeinated coffee, cordiamine. For tachyarrhythmia, drugs containing β-blockers and glycosides are prescribed.
3. Antidotes. They help with poisoning from cocaine, LSD, amphetamine, and opioids. Naloxone will help against heroin and morphine. In the fight against benzodiazepim, Flumazenil will have an effective effect. If antidepressants were used as a narcotic substance, you should take Galantamine.

If a drug addict's withdrawal continues for a long time, prescribe ultra-fast detoxification. This is necessary if you are using opioids or methadone. The essence is that the patient is put into a state of artificial sleep. This way he doesn't feel much pain. The process involves clearing the drug and its metabolites.

Self-medication is strictly prohibited! Treatment is prescribed by doctors. Withdrawal symptoms are treated in a drug treatment clinic. But the healing process does not end there.

Instrumental therapy techniques

Detoxification cannot be called a full-fledged treatment. This is just one stage in the fight against drug addiction. After it, the patient feels better, the physical and emotional symptoms of withdrawal are eliminated.

The subsequent stage of treatment consists of instrumental therapy techniques. The most effective are xenon therapy, electrosleep, and physiotherapy.

Xenon therapy

Consists of xenon inhalation sessions. They are not harmful to the body, helping to restore and establish normal brain activity. Inhalation sessions:

• improve the drug addict’s sleep;
• eliminate depressive moods;
• relieve acute attacks of anxiety and panic, etc.

The effect after each session comes quickly and lasts 3-4 days. On average, a course of xenotherapy treatment consists of 4–5 sessions. There are no contraindications to this procedure.

Electrosonotherapy

This is a treatment method that affects the brain of the drug addict. Using constant impulses electric current he falls into electrosleep. This is a state in which a person completely relaxes and does not experience pain. In the process, the body is restored, and the functioning of all organs is normalized.

Under the influence of electrosleep, metabolism improves and the elimination of toxins is accelerated. The functional state of the nervous system is normalized.

Physiotherapy

It takes place under the supervision of a doctor and is painless. The main advantages are the absence of unforeseen consequences and negative effects on the patient’s body.

Components of physiotherapy:

1. Acupuncture. The goal is to remove the physiological component of drug addiction. When pricked with needles, the work of the autonomic nervous system is activated. The body's adaptive capabilities improve. The result will be the development of drug motivation.
2. Lymphatic drainage. It involves removing excess fluid containing drugs from the body. After lymphatic drainage, the muscles relax, the blood vessels dilate, and lymph circulates normally throughout the body.
3. Massage. Helps relieve withdrawal symptoms. The flow of impulses generated during the massage process stimulates and increases the tone of the central nervous system.

Laser therapy has a positive effect on a cleansed body after detoxification. The process involves irradiation of the blood. The goal is to protect the patient from exposure to aggressive oxidizing agents. Can be carried out in conjunction with drug treatment.

Psychotherapy

After drug treatment It is important to eliminate addiction on a psychological level. A psychotherapist will help with this.

The first thing to do is to isolate the drug addict from an unfavorable social environment. It is necessary to hospitalize him, treat him in a hospital and keep him under control. He should not have contact with people who supply him with drugs. If the patient goes home after detoxification, he may return to his previous lifestyle and start using drugs again.

Group therapy

It is important that the drug addict agrees to this method of treatment. Without his interest, the desired result will be very difficult to achieve.

Groups can be formed according to 2 characteristics. The first is that drug addicts with varying degrees of addiction gather. Second, patients are divided into categories based on the following factors:

• degree of dependence;
• duration of drug addiction;
• the drug the patient is taking;
• number of attempts to overcome withdrawal symptoms, etc.

The second distribution factor is more effective and is recognized as the correct approach, because it takes into account the characteristics of the dependence.

The goal of group therapy is to change your attitude towards life. As a result, indifference and dissatisfaction must be replaced with joy, happiness and interest in your future.

First, there is an introduction to the group members. Everyone talks about their problem: how and when it arose, why it is difficult to get rid of, etc. In the process, internal tensions and conflicts are relieved. Drug addicts see that they are not the only ones who have this problem; they can fight it. This charges you with internal motivation.

In group therapy sessions, the psychologist tries to reproduce a certain model of society. This helps drug addicts speed up the process of social adaptation. It is important that each participant is active and not silent.

The group meets regularly. The topic of discussion is set by the psychotherapist or one of the participants. It is important that it be socially oriented and show possible consequences different types of behavior.

The benefit for participants is that they can apply different models of behavior towards themselves or others. This resembles a role-playing game, which makes the treatment painless and easy. They gain experience that is necessary to adapt to real social conditions.

Group therapy takes on average 8–10 sessions. Quantity depends on mental state sick.

Neurolinguistic programming

The technique is based on hypnosis. Aimed at improving and improving the individual.

A person is taught on a subconscious level that drug addiction is bad; the temporary effect of a high will not cover up further torment during withdrawal. They explain that a healthy body and a clear mind are the key to a joyful and happy life.

During treatment, the patient is told about success stories getting rid of drug addiction. The “correct” thoughts, movements, and skills are imposed on him. According to NLP, behavior patterns can also be changed without bad consequences for the drug addict.

There are different treatment techniques based on NLP. They are aimed at:

• achieving goals, making the right decisions;
• developing a feeling of disgust for any narcotic substances;
• increasing motivation, etc.

Social rehabilitation directly depends on personal growth. It is necessary to develop sober fortitude, the ability to stand up for oneself and make decisions. NLP helps not only to acquire new skills, but also to improve existing ones.

Conclusion

Withdrawal syndrome in drug addicts occurs when a person gives up drugs or decides to reduce the dose. Another reason is the lack of the required amount of the narcotic substance. Signs of withdrawal in a drug addict are fatigue, mental confusion, vomiting, and nausea. The patient becomes irritated, aggressive and dissatisfied.

The severity of withdrawal symptoms depends on the drug. The stronger it is, the more pronounced the withdrawal syndrome will be. Drug addiction is treated by taking medications. Psychotherapy and instrumental therapy techniques are considered effective.

Drug addiction is a serious disease that leads to defeat internal organs, the development of neurological and mental disorders, and leading to personality degradation. A drug addict is a person who is physically and mentally dependent on psychoactive substances and needs to gradually increase their dose.

Drug addiction develops very quickly, and the person himself does not notice how he falls into its network. Drugs act on the brain in such a way that the person using them for a long time believes that he is in control of himself, and if desired, he can easily give up psychoactive drugs.

Depending on the severity drug addiction, abstinence from drug use often leads to withdrawal syndrome, or as it is also called, drug withdrawal.

Drug withdrawal is a pathological condition that manifests itself in different people through different time drug use. Basically, withdrawal syndrome develops against the background of taking hard drugs, heroin.

Typically, withdrawal symptoms occur after using drugs for several weeks. During this period, a person usually develops drug addiction, and there is a need to increase the dose. The higher the “experience” of a drug addict, the more intense the drug withdrawal syndrome.

But in people who have certain characteristics of the nervous system or its painful changes, withdrawal may occur even after two or three times of drug use.

A person begins to realize that he has fallen into the insidious web of drug addiction only when withdrawal symptoms appear. If it is impossible to take the drug, the patient feels withdrawal symptoms. It is different for every drug addict, but in all its symptoms it is always painful and unpleasant.

Symptoms of drug withdrawal

The first signs of withdrawal syndrome in a drug addict appear after 8-10 hours from the last dose. The first signs of drug withdrawal are nervousness and irritability, inability to control one’s behavior and emotions. The body shudders from severe chills, profuse salivation and lacrimation are observed, the nose is stuffy from a runny nose, and sweating increases.

After some time, the dilated pupils of the drug addict stop responding to light. Severe vomiting begins. A drug addict cannot eat anything. There is no appetite at all, and even trying to eat anything results in swelling. If the patient does not use the drug, all withdrawal symptoms will intensify and reach their peak intensity after three days.

Then the drug addict’s blood pressure rises, his pulse quickens, and diarrhea develops. But the most basic and most painful symptom of drug withdrawal is severe pain in the bones and joints. It seems to break a person. His muscles are spasming. Exhausted by pain, the addict does not even have time to rest or switch off. Men may experience spontaneous ejaculation during withdrawal.

But more severe than physical pain, a drug addict endures psychological suffering during withdrawal symptoms. It turns out that pain during withdrawal is imaginary, phantom. When a person starts using drugs, he expects a feeling of pleasure from them. But when withdrawal comes instead of pleasure, the patient understands that the drug will not give him the desired pleasures. Once withdrawal symptoms begin to develop, the “high” from the drug disappears altogether, and the addict is forced to take drugs to get rid of suffering.

Drugs have properties that inhibit neurons, so they block pain sensations. After regular drug use, the nervous system gets used to this type of work, and its cells stop producing their own painkillers - endorphins, which are also responsible for feelings of pleasure and joy. The cells of all tissues and organs begin to require narcotic substances, refusing to function without them. Instead of adequate signals, the brain receives signals that the body is suffering. That's what it is drug withdrawal.

Relieving drug withdrawal

Removing drug withdrawal is the first victorious result in the fight against drug addiction. The very name “drug withdrawal” sounds scary, but it’s even scarier to see this condition with your own eyes, not to mention experience it yourself. If a drug addict were able to painlessly overcome withdrawal symptoms, he would easily be able to give up drugs. It is the painful sensations during withdrawal that force the addict to use the drug again and again. After experiencing withdrawal, an addict can no longer exist without drugs.

The longer drug use lasts, the more difficult it is to overcome drug withdrawal. With a long history of drug addiction, withdrawal symptoms should be removed in a hospital so that the patient is constantly under the supervision of doctors. Withdrawal symptoms cause the drug addict to experience severe discomfort, from which only qualified narcologists can relieve him.

The process of relieving withdrawal symptoms from drug addiction involves completely stopping drug use. When relieving withdrawal symptoms in a drug addict, pain is eliminated and nervousness is reduced. Exception from general rules constitute only serious cases of drug addiction, in which abrupt withdrawal from drugs can lead to the death of the patient. When relieving withdrawal symptoms, toxins and unabsorbed poisons are first removed from the addict’s body. This procedure is called detoxification. This phase of treatment is mandatory when eliminating drug withdrawal syndrome.

How to overcome drug withdrawal? In modern drug treatment practice there is a fairly wide arsenal of means to relieve withdrawal symptoms, but in order to achieve the desired effect, it is necessary in each specific case to determine the composition and quantity of medications or prescribe other detoxification methods. Only a qualified specialist can do this.

Some drug addicts try to relieve withdrawal symptoms on their own, at home. But such cases have never brought desired result. The patient takes alcohol in the hope that it will relieve him of the pain, but this only makes the situation worse. Trying to fall asleep to get rid of the aching pain, the addict takes painkillers and sleeping pills. But without all these remedies, withdrawal is even less dangerous. Particularly dangerous is the use of various psychostimulants during withdrawal symptoms, which in this situation pose a huge risk to the health and life of the drug addict.

When treating withdrawal symptoms at home, there is always a risk of complications, and in such conditions there is no strict control over the patient’s compliance with the necessary sobriety regime. Therefore, relief from withdrawal symptoms and treatment of drug addiction should be done in a hospital setting, where there is a the necessary conditions, equipment and drugs.

The patient should know that withdrawal symptoms will last 5-7 days, during which his body will be cleansed of toxins and drug residues and withdrawal symptoms will be mitigated and then removed. In most cases, the procedures begin with the intravenous administration of a polyionic saline solution to the patient, which restores the electrolytic balance in his body. Sedatives, hypnotics, vasodilators, diuretics and other drugs are added to this solution.

After detoxification of the body, the patient is given vitamins and minerals that help the body mobilize internal forces for faster recovery.

Withdrawal relief is the first stage in drug addiction treatment. A drug addict must understand that after eliminating withdrawal symptoms, treatment for a destructive addiction to drugs must necessarily follow, otherwise his life will go downhill.

Treatment of drug addiction begins with withdrawal symptoms, followed by drug therapy. After this, much attention is paid to psychological rehabilitation and social adaptation of the person. Together with the patient, specialists from drug treatment clinics go through all stages of this difficult path and support him at every level of recovery from drug addiction. If the patient strictly follows all the doctors’ recommendations and takes his treatment seriously, he will be able to return to normal life and find family, friends, work again...

TREATMENT OF SALT ADDICTION

Features of treatment and rehabilitation for salt addiction

Collocation salt addiction treatment remained incomprehensible to most people for quite a long time. Today, salt addiction is one of the worst forms of drug addiction.

This article will not discuss the classification of salts from the table chemical elements Mendeleev. We won't talk about table salt. We will talk about the drug salt and treatment the most complex disease- dependence on salt. It would seem like a harmless “bath salt” at first glance. Under this name, these drugs appeared on the shelves of stalls in many Russian cities and for a long time were legally sold to everyone indiscriminately.

The word "drug" comes from the Greek word "narcosis", that is, a substance that intoxicates or puts one to sleep. It is extremely difficult to list all types of modern drugs. Almost every day more and more new substances appear, and more and more powerful ones. A drug like salt is no exception. Getting used to them comes instantly. Coping with salt addiction on your own, especially at home or for free, is a utopia. In most cases, compulsory treatment for salt addiction is required.

What is the drug salt?

Why legal? (by the way, hence the second name of salt “legal”) Because this type of drug at that time was not on the list of drugs (List of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and their precursors subject to control in the Russian Federation). And there are still competitions “who is faster” between criminal chemists, who constantly change the drug formula to a new one, and the authorities who do not have time to add new formulas to the list of prohibited drugs.

So what is the drug salt? Salts are a powerful drug of the amphetamine class, causing addiction from the first use! Unlike opium drugs, it does not cause physical withdrawal, but severely affects the central nervous system. And we want to tell you the shocking details of the effects of salt, something that is usually not talked about.

What substances are included in the list of narcotic drugs and why salt addiction is a separate line

Many people gradually become addicted to the drug without even knowing it. A person taking sleeping pills or painkillers, for example, also risks joining the ranks of drug addicts. Even some legal painkillers, which are sold in pharmacies with a doctor’s prescription, become addictive very quickly. What can we say about salt addiction...

What exactly is drug addiction? This is an irresistible desire to obtain a specific substance. There are a great variety of different types available in the world today:

• all kinds of salts
• opiates;
• hallucinogens;
• psychostimulants;
• smoking mixtures;
• types of alcohol with the addition of psychotropic components - both natural and artificially created.

This is just a short list of all the narcotic or addictive drugs of our time. Compulsory treatment for drug addiction today is the only way out for people whose loved ones have become dependent on a particular substance.

A special place in this list is occupied by salt addiction. What does this have to do with? Why do narcologists shrug their shoulders when we're talking about O treatment of salt addiction?

Main types of addictions

According to the international classification of narcotic substances, every second person in the world can be called a drug addict. The most common type of drug addiction is smoking. Nicotine excites the central nervous system, causing oxygen starvation.

Alcohol is the second enemy of modern man. He quickly relaxes. Addiction to it is characterized by both physical and psychological dependence. Mortality due to powerful alcohol intoxication quite high. This is the same overdose that the body cannot withstand.

Do not think that taking soft drugs, which include marijuana or spice, is a way out. A very characteristic phenomenon for them is a strong mental dependence. It just doesn’t form as quickly as when using hard drugs. The main signs of using smoking mixtures are various psycho-emotional disorders. You can't miss them.

It is much more difficult to become addicted to hard drugs than to publicly available cigarettes, smoking mixtures and alcoholic beverages. Once tried, a person will no longer be able to refuse this drug. The feeling of euphoria completely kills the will and changes the perception of reality. It is extremely difficult to recover from salt addiction.

Signs of salt drug use

The psychological effect of the drug is such that all feelings under the influence of salts are aggravated many times over. This is both a feature and a sign of using the drug salt. For example, if it is fear, then it turns into panic paranoia. If this sexual attraction(and it is almost always present when salt is consumed), then it turns into hours-long madness, into sexual obsession. Sexual desire is so strong that it clouds the mind and goes beyond the permissible limits of what is permitted. The user can masturbate for hours and even have sex with the same sex, being in a sober state a categorical opponent of same-sex love. It is quite easy, as you can see, to lose yourself under the influence of salts. Based on the signs of salt consumption, you can easily identify the problem:

01 Insomnia. (a drug addict can go without sleep for a long time, this is due to the fact that salts are a stimulant)

02 Lack of appetite, aversion to food. (Often the addict refuses food for several days)

03 Dilated pupils. (Moreover, the addict’s pupil remains dilated even when a bright light is directed at it)

04 Sudden weight loss. (In some cases, with active use, a drug addict can lose up to 4 kg.)

05 Injection marks, sore nose (salts can be used intranasally, inhaling the drug through the nose, or intravenously.

06 Inadequacy in behavior (paranoia, hallucinations, loss of control over the body, speech impairment (speech too fast, stuttering, mooing, etc.)

07 To use salt, the drug addict tries to turn off the light at the time of the injection, close his eyes with a towel and take a horizontal position. This is an important tradition for the use of this drug.

Based on these basic signs of use, it is possible to determine with a high degree of probability that a person is using the drug salt. We hope this will help you identify addiction without reaching the point of no return and promptly begin treatment for salt addiction

Today there is a lot rehabilitation centers, in which they struggle with drug addiction, but not all of them are successful. Voluntary or salt addiction treatment is offered by the Vita Drug Addiction Rehabilitation Center. Professionalism and confidentiality are guaranteed.

Salt addiction treatment

Doctors, narcologists and others are simply powerless in treating salt addiction. Since there is no physical withdrawal, it is difficult for the addict to accept that he has problems. Although from the moment of the first taste of salt, the addict thinks only about one thing: how to find and use more. This is a difficult case - treatment of salt addiction, but still subject to professional rehabilitation.

The rehabilitation program is based on a symbiosis of two of the most effective methods of getting rid of addiction: the 12 Steps and the Day-Top program. The only thing required to treat salt addiction is to follow the recommendations of this simple, spiritual, but not religious program, based on the principles of love, responsibility, discipline and everything that is creative in nature.

Salt addiction treatment at the center it is carried out anonymously. If necessary, a team of doctors and psychologists travels to an address in any corner of Russia to help overcome withdrawal symptoms and make a decision about rehabilitation.

Vita Rehabilitation Center

DRUG ADDICTION TREATMENT - RESULTS

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What is withdrawal in drug addicts? As a rule, this phrase can be heard on the radio or television. This pathological condition develops in a person who has taken the last dose of the drug. The body cannot exist without it. He requires artificial doping that will allow him to work.

How does withdrawal manifest itself in drug addicts? When does this moment come? All this depends on individual factors. Some addicted people feel the syndrome after taking a couple of doses, while others develop withdrawal symptoms after several months of using the drug.

What is withdrawal?

After taking a dose, a person experiences a kind of euphoria. Then he has very serious condition. This is called drug addiction withdrawal. Unlike alcohol addicts, abstinence in such patients is much more intense.

Drug abstinence includes psychopathic and somatic disorders that develop due to physical failure from the remedy. The sources of the formation of negative signs are a decrease in the usual dosage.

The severity of the syndrome depends on how the drug is able to be involved in metabolic processes. Opiate compounds are considered the most dangerous and destructive. In turn, taking methadone provokes severe withdrawal symptoms. This type of remedy can torment the addict for several months. Usually it is very difficult for drug addicts to survive this period. And not everyone manages to get out of it.

Withdrawal from other weak hallucinogens does not cause physical dependence. So, what is withdrawal? This is the most terrible state of a patient who constantly wants to return to the time when he used the drug. Unfortunately, at this moment it is very rare for a person to control himself. He becomes aggressive and unrecognizable.

What are the reasons for the development of the syndrome?

Pathological changes in the body develop during drug withdrawal. They occur when a person uses drugs for a long period of time. In turn, these substances are integrated into metabolic processes. They affect the functioning of all systems and internal organs of the human body.

What are the causes of withdrawal? The occurrence of this process lies in the above-mentioned actions of the drug. But the main source of the problem is that the drug affects the functioning of the central nervous system. Subsequently, it controls the transmission of brain impulses.

How do drugs affect the brain?

First, these drugs interfere with metabolism, and then completely replace neurotransmitters. The latter are responsible for receiving and sending nerve impulses. As a result, the body loses the ability to produce neurotransmitters necessary for life.

In the brain, the drug causes the same changes as in a schizophrenic. That is, someone who is addicted to this drug becomes stupid. This occurs due to the death of nerve cells in the brain, which contributes to a decrease in a person’s intellectual abilities.

As a result, without these chemically bioactive compounds, the musculoskeletal system and the relationship between the cells of the internal organs are disrupted. The patient's body is a chaotic collection of cells and nerve impulses.

How do processes occur inside a person?

So, we have answered the question of what withdrawal is. Now let’s find out what happens in the body of a drug addict when using the drug. A person who takes drugs begins to feel the need for them after several hours of absence. The body understands after a couple of days that it is deprived of doping. This is when withdrawal symptoms begin.

How long does withdrawal last for a drug addict? Abstinence can last for several months or a couple of hours. During this time, the human body will have to remember how to synthesize the necessary substances itself.

The duration of withdrawal also depends on the type of drug the patient used and the stage of development of the addiction. After prolonged abstinence, psychosis may appear. Drug addicts often commit suicide because at this moment their consciousness is clouded, they experience memory loss and hallucinations.

Withdrawal is a kind of painful and painful recovery of the body, which is deprived of surrogate neurotransmitters. For a person, this is considered an almost insurmountable obstacle.

The situation is bad if a person has several chronic pathologies. In addition, his body will be in an extreme state of exhaustion. Also, a very long period of drug use can lead to disastrous results.

What are the signs of withdrawal syndrome?

Withdrawal symptoms vary in severity and intensity. Let's look at the main signs of withdrawal in drug addicts, which are identified by experts. These include fever, headaches, nausea and sudden change moods. The patient also experiences discomfort in the muscles and bones.

First withdrawal symptoms

At first, withdrawal symptoms are very similar to the state of a person with a cold. Also, the drug addict does not want to communicate with anyone and becomes withdrawn. TO this state symptoms such as runny nose and cramps, lethargy, fever and confusion, irritability and excruciating discomfort in the body are added.

After some time, vomiting is added to them. Then diarrhea begins. This in turn leads to dehydration. The patient notes terrible joint and muscle pain.

As a rule, in this state, patients begin to roll on the floor and hit objects. At this moment they do not experience any pain. Such human behavior can lead to injury. Also added to this is sleep disturbance. He becomes superficial and anxious.

A little about psychopathic withdrawal symptoms

Withdrawal occurs when the addict is deeply depressed. The person stops communicating with family and friends, he is not interested in anything. The nightmares he has continue to haunt him. real life in the form of hallucinations.

The drug addict mistakes those around him for terrible creatures who bring him this very suffering. At this moment he may commit a crime. The main psychopathic symptoms include hallucinations and increased level anxiety, outbursts of rage and aggression that the addict does not control.

What are the somatic signs?

Typical symptoms of this type include pain in the joints and muscles. Abstinence is initially preceded by initial somatic symptoms. The drug addict experiences dilated pupils, sneezing and yawning.

Then the previously mentioned symptom joins in. A person experiences unbearable pain when his muscles are cramped with excruciating cramps. Afterwards, the patient’s condition begins to deteriorate sharply and signs such as a sharp increase in blood pressure, vomiting and chills, aches throughout the body, increased sweating and problems with the gastrointestinal tract. The latter most often manifests itself in the form of diarrhea.

What should you do if you have withdrawal symptoms?

If during withdrawal the addict takes another dose, this condition will disappear, but not completely. In this case, you must seek help from qualified doctors.

It is impossible to treat withdrawal symptoms at home on your own. It is in a specialized hospital that the effects of abstinence are relieved. Drug addiction in mandatory needs treatment. Withdrawal relief is carried out by narcologists. For this they introduce special medicines. So, to improve heart function, “Caffeine” is prescribed.

The patient is prescribed general strengthening medications, such as Unitol. At certain types antidotes are used for drugs. If the patient has used methadone and opioids, he undergoes accelerated detoxification under general anesthesia. Unfortunately, this therapy cannot provide treatment for addiction. This remains main problem Today.

What are the consequences of withdrawal?

As noted above, the patient goes through withdrawal when he is depressed. Thoughts of suicide enter his head. At this time, there is no control over emotions from the brain. In order to escape from this painful state, a drug addict may commit suicide. Also at this time, the patient loses his basic instincts. He doesn't want to drink or eat or sleep. In addition, there is a disappearance of the instinct of self-preservation. Therefore, during this period, the drug addict can harm himself and get injured.

Severe complications are also observed in brain activity. A person may develop psychosis, major depression, epilepsy and progressive dementia. This occurs as a result of the destruction of individual parts of the brain. In this case, competent assistance from a specialist is required. Otherwise, the personality will degrade and the aging process will accelerate. A person may die. Therefore, if you have a friend who suffers from this disease, do not wait until he is gone, but seek help.

When you are faced with the question of treating drug withdrawal, you need to remember that all types of drug addiction have the same clinical picture. The stages of drug addiction are divided into the following:

• Intoxication (use of drugs, alcohol);
• Acute withdrawal (drug withdrawal);
• Period of post-withdrawal disorders;
• Formation of therapeutic remission.

Any treatment should be based on the period of the disease. Treatment of drug addiction begins with harm reduction during acute withdrawal disorder through detoxification, or, roughly speaking, withdrawal from drug withdrawal.

Abstinence begins when a person’s drug addiction has already developed, and access to the drug has stopped for some reason.

How does drug addiction develop?

A single use of the drug does not cause addiction. Dependence appears after 3-5 injections or intranasal use of heroin, 10-15 injections of morphine, 30 doses of codeine. On average, the episodic drug administration stage lasts 2-3 months. If drug use becomes regular from the very beginning, then the period of drug addiction is reduced to 1-2 weeks.

Drug addiction also has its stages.

Stages of drug addiction:

• First stage. The regularity of anesthesia is the beginning of the first stage of the disease. Superficial sleep, suppressed appetite, decreased amount of urine, constipation. Doses are gradually increasing. The absence of the drug manifests itself after 1-2 days, mainly in the form of mental disorders. The duration of the first stage when taken by injection is from 2 to 4 months, when taking codeine - up to six months, when ingesting poppy straw - up to several years.
• Second stage. Tolerance increased sharply (100-300 times). The physiological effect of the drug changes - constipation disappears, a cough appears during colds, sleep is restored, and pupil constriction persists. Behavior becomes lethargic and passive. Signs of physical dependence appear.
• Third stage. Most drug addicts do not survive to this stage. In the third stage, not only the major drug addiction syndrome is expressed, but also the consequences of chronic intoxication. In the foreground is physical dependence. Tolerance drops to 1/3 of the previous dose. The effect of the drug is exclusively stimulating, there is practically no euphoria. A dose of 1/8-1/10 of a constant dose is required to achieve physical comfort. Outside of intoxication, there may be no ability to move. Withdrawal syndrome is less pronounced, but occurs sooner, and its duration reaches 5-6 weeks.

Patients of the third stage seek medical help because they cannot get the required amount of the drug and suffer from prolonged manifestations of withdrawal syndrome. Sometimes they try to give up the drug on their own, trying to replace it with alcohol, tranquilizers, barbiturates, but this, as a rule, does not lead to success. Sometimes there is a transformation of one drug addiction into another or the formation of polydrug addiction.

Withdrawal symptoms may vary depending on the type of drug the person was using, for example:

Opium (morphine, heroin)

Withdrawal from morphine addiction occurs several hours after taking the last dose of the drug. Various somatovegetative and psychoneurological symptoms are noted.

Physical manifestation:

• yawn,
• sweating,
• lacrimation,
• diarrhea,
• chills,
• pupil dilation,
• nausea,
• vomit,
• tides,
• elevated temperature,
• increased breathing,
• spasms of the muscles of the larynx, abdomen and other groups, pain in them,
• dehydration and weight loss.

Psychological manifestation:

• There is an anxious state, restlessness, an unaccountable fear of death, which comes in influxes.
• Sleep is disturbed and often accompanied by nightmares.
• Changeable mood: mild euphoria with overestimation self and their capabilities, then low mood with depression, then irritability, anger with apathy and aggression.

Spicy, most difficult period abstinence - 7-10 days. However, then, within 1-1.5 months. severe asthenia, depression, somatovegetative disorders, and decreased performance continue. There are short-term psychoses with changes in the state of consciousness. There may be Korsakov's amnestic syndrome and convulsive seizures. Mental disorders become noticeable and are expressed in psychopathization with dysphoria and deceit. A decrease in a person’s moral and ethical qualities, emotional devastation, and loss of ability to work are revealed. Neurological changes are mainly expressed in the form of autonomic disorders (constriction of the pupils, dry mouth, stool retention, fluctuations in blood pressure, etc.)

At the late stage of opium addiction, all syndromes of the disease state become more complex and aggravated. Tolerance decreases, and disruptions in the rhythm of taking the drug occur, especially during periods of somatic distress. However, as the condition improves, drug use resumes. There is practically no euphoria observed, the stimulating effect of the drug is reduced. Mental dependence is satisfied partly by improving the mental state and some increase (stimulation) of intellectual and physical processes.

Physical dependence is severe. In withdrawal syndrome, all the symptoms of the chronic (II) stage of drug addiction appear in a more acute form. Asthenic syndrome becomes especially difficult and protracted, and even taking a drug alleviates it for a short time. Depression is severe, often with suicidal thoughts.

In patients, a decrease in the intellectual and mnestic properties of the personality becomes pronounced, they lose individuality traits, become similar friend on a friend. Asthenia and adynamia predominate. It is worth remembering that heroin withdrawal should only take place with consultations and under the supervision of medical personnel.

External manifestations of drug addicts:

• There is a general aging
• cachexia,
• sallow gray skin
• trophic disorders in the form of crumbling teeth, hair loss,
• diseases of individual organs or systems: cardiovascular, genitourinary, respiratory, gastrointestinal tract,
• impaired coordination of movements.

Methadone withdrawal manifests itself in physical symptoms:

• Dizziness,
• lacrimation,
• Runny nose,
• Sneezing,
• Nausea,
• Vomit,
• Diarrhea,
• Fever,
• Chills,
• Tremor,
• Tachycardia (rapid heartbeat),
• Pain in the joints of the legs,
• Increased pain sensitivity,
• High blood pressure.

Mental symptoms:

• Thoughts of suicide
• Depression,
• Adrenal exhaustion
• Prolonged insomnia
• Rave,
• Auditory hallucinations,
• Visual hallucinations
• Increased perception of smells, reality or imagination,
• Noticeable decrease in sexual desire,
• Anxiety,
• Panic,
• Paranoia.

Why does methadone cause such effects?

Long-term use of methadone is addictive and the effect of the drug is reduced. This process is called "tolerance" to the drug. Tolerance to the drug may require increasing doses of methadone to prevent painful withdrawal symptoms.

As the dose of methadone increases, the amount negative impact drug on the body. This impact includes:

• Dulling of emotions
• Lack of sleep
• Loss of consciousness,
• Loss of sex drive and interest,
• Loss of clarity of thinking,
• Slower reaction, increased likelihood accidents,
• Dehydration and inability to properly metabolize.

Methadone withdrawal symptoms are the most severe of all drugs.

• Painful and debilitating symptoms may last for several weeks or, with high doses, for several months.
• Almost no one has been able to complete methadone withdrawal on their own; medical assistance is required.

Facts about methadone withdrawal:

• Methadone is a narcotic substance, like other opiates and opioids such as g heroin, oh xyContin, in Icodine, oh xycodone, hydrocodone.
• Methadone is the most addictive drug.
• People taking methadone experience severe deficiency essential vitamins and minerals.
• People taking methadone will experience severe and painful withdrawal symptoms if they stop the drug abruptly.
• The pain of methadone withdrawal can be compared to a very bad case of the flu, only 10 times worse.
• Using methadone for pain relief can be fatal.

Symptoms of codeine withdrawal

If you have been taking codeine for a long time, you may experience codeine withdrawal if you abstain from the drug. Symptoms appear in two stages. The early phase occurs within a few hours after the last dose. Secondary symptoms occur later as the body becomes accustomed to life without codeine.

Early symptoms of codeine withdrawal are similar to all symptoms of heroin withdrawal.

Secondary symptoms include:

• Diarrhea,
• Stomach cramps,
• Dilated pupils,
• Nausea and vomiting,
• Goosebumps.

Many of the symptoms of codeine withdrawal become the opposite of the effects of codeine. For example, using codeine causes constipation, but if you stop using it, it can cause diarrhea. Codeine often causes drowsiness, but during withdrawal the person suffers from insomnia.