Many addictive drugs cause harmful long-term effects when they are abused over and over again. However, quitting is often a double-edged sword due to the uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms they can also cause.
If you’re addicted to drugs or alcohol, you may experience some withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit. The duration and severity of drug withdrawal vary depending on the person and the drug(s) being abused, so not every person will experience drug withdrawal symptoms in the same way. Regardless, drug withdrawal can be unpredictable, so quitting drugs and alcohol cold turkey is not generally recommended.
The chart below may give you a better idea of what you can expect during detox and withdrawal. For answers to other common questions about drug detox and withdrawal, please refer to the following resources on the Briarwood blog:
- How long does drug detox and withdrawal last?
- What is the worst drug to detox from?
- What is post-acute withdrawal syndrome?
- How to get insurance to pay for drug detox
- Why are some people afraid of getting sober?
| DRUG | WITHDRAWAL SYMPTOMS |
| Alcohol |
|
| Cocaine |
|
| Heroin |
|
| Marijuana |
|
| Methamphetamine |
|
| Prescription Opioids
(Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet, Opana, Kadian, Avinza, codeine, fentanyl, etc.) |
|
| Prescription Sedatives and Tranquilizers
(Valium, Klonopin, Xanax, Halcion, Ambien, Lunesta, Sonata, Luminal, Nembutal, etc.) |
|
| Prescription Stimulants
|
|
| Steroids |
|
| Tobacco products
(Cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, snuff, dip, etc.) |
|
Drug withdrawal symptoms can sometimes be severe or even deadly, so it’s important to seek medical attention if you’re trying to get sober. Briarwood Detox Center provides safe, comfortable, and professional medical detox programs for all the addictive substances listed in the chart above. If you’d like to learn more about our medical detox centers and programs in Austin and Houston, please call (888) 857-0557 to speak with an admissions representative today.
References:
- https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/addiction/alcohol-withdrawal-symptoms-treatments
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000947.htm
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000949.htm
- https://teens.drugabuse.gov/blog/post/marijuana-withdrawal-real
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3071736/
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-opioids
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-cns-depressants
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/prescription-stimulants
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/anabolic-steroids
- https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/cigarettes-other-tobacco-products
