Unlike many prescription drugs, antidepressants aren’t considered addictive. A drug addiction results from a user’s physical or psychological dependence on the drug leading the user to begin compulsively seeking out more of the drug for use. Users taking antidepressants do not develop a dependence on the drug. With the lack of dependence, compulsions do not develop and a drug addiction will not result. What may develop is a psychological addiction to the balancing effects of the drug on the user rather than the drug itself.
Detox and Withdrawal
Without addiction, there is no withdrawal from antidepressants. The slight discomfort that arises from ceasing the drug use is more of a discontinuation syndrome than a true withdrawal. Though there is no actual physical withdrawal, the discontinuation syndrome will mean a short period of fatigue, dizziness and nausea after ending the drug use. A detoxification program can help to alleviate the symptoms of discontinuation syndrome the same as with actual withdrawal. During this detox period, a safe and comforting environment is provided for the syndrome patient. The patient is also supervised medically during the short symptom period in case of the occurrence of side effects from ceasing the drug use.
An overdose of antidepressants affects the nervous system and heart of the drug user. Within two hours of an overdose, the user may grow drowsy and begin experiencing nausea, vomiting, confusion and a headache. As time progresses after the overdose, symptoms become more pronounced with a possibility of seizure and cardiac dysrhythmias.
Rehabilitation from psychological addiction related to antidepressants centers around leveling out the user’s mood without the antidepressant. The rehab process is geared toward finding methods to relieve the patient’s depressive state now that the antidepressant is not in use, or to find the causal motivations behind the drug use. This approach is a shift in treatment away from dealing with an addiction to the actual drug, as the cravings the patient may feel are toward the related drug’s effect rather than the drug.
To learn more about antidepressant abuse and rehabilitation, call 1-888-287-0471 . The call is toll-free, and all discussions with any treatment specialists who you speak to will be kept confidential.
While antipsychotics are not commonly abused, the body and brain may become accustomed to having a certain level of the drug available after long-term abuse. If this is the case, the patient is technically addicted, and stopping the medication abruptly can lead to physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. For this reason, treatment in a rehabilitation center may still be necessary for patients who wish to stop taking the drugs.
Antipsychotic Detox and Withdrawal
Patients who are experiencing antipsychotic detox may have a variety of symptoms, including irritability, central nervous system depression, or tremors. If you have been taking antipsychotics for a long period of time or at reasonably high dosages, it may become necessary for you to visit a rehabilitation center to detox safely and avoid withdrawal symptoms.
Antipsychotics are commonly used to treat mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. They act on the patient’s neurochemistry and help reduce instances of irritability and mental distress, as well as auditory and visual hallucinations. When antipsychotics are suddenly discontinued, these symptoms can reappear or patients can develop ill effects such as seizures.
Antipsychotic overdoses do not commonly occur accidentally. Because the drugs are used to treat patients with mental illnesses, overdoses of these medications are usually considered suicide attempts. For this reason, patients who have overdosed on antipsychotics are generally stabilized in a medical hospital before being referred to an outpatient detox center. If someone you know attempts an antipsychotic overdose, call your local emergency number immediately.
Patients who wish to stop taking antipsychotic medications may benefit from antipsychotic rehab. If you or someone you know wants to find out more about antipsychotic rehab options, please call our 24/7 rehabilitation center hotline at 1-888-287-0471 or click here to contact us online.
A barbiturate addiction is the result of long-term use of a drug in the barbiturate family or usage that exceeds recommended medical dosages. Addiction to barbiturates tends to quickly follow a user’s physical dependence on the drug and is marked by a compulsive need to continue with the drug use. Daily ingestion of 400 mg or more of a barbiturate for more than 90 days is generally enough to produce the dependence necessary for an addiction to develop.
Barbiturate Detox and Withdrawal
Once a user becomes addicted to a barbiturate, ending the use of the drug or significantly reducing the amount of the drug regularly taken can lead to barbiturate withdrawal. Withdrawal is the user’s physical response to having less of the drug in his or her system than the user’s body has become accustomed to having. The withdrawal process can be an uncomfortable experience that begins within 8 to 12 hours after taking the last dose of the drug and lasts up to 15 days. During withdrawal, the user may experience insomnia, anxiety, nausea, vomiting, seizures and delirium among other symptoms. Withdrawal symptoms can be avoided or reduced by participation in a detox program. A detox program will slowly taper off use of the drug to reduce the physical dependence of the user. Once the drug intake dose is considered small enough, stoppage can occur without severe withdrawal symptoms, or without withdrawal occurring at all.
Barbiturates have a sedative effect on the user, slowing down his or her brain activity. When a barbiturate is taken recreationally, the user experiences a relaxing feeling along with euphoria and contentment.
Overdose from a barbiturate is a common occurrence during recreational use. There is not much difference between a safe dose and an overdose amount. As the user’s tolerance to the drug grows, each additional dose must be higher than the last to have the same results. This increase can quickly pass the overdose amount. Symptoms of a barbiturate overdose include a drop in the user’s body temperature and a slowdown in respiration that can lead to possible respiratory failure.
Rehab from a barbiturate addiction involves extensive therapy with a medically trained professional. The therapy occurs in both one-on-one series of sessions with a drug counselor as well as group therapy sessions with a group made up of other recovering drug users. The purpose of both types of therapy is to find the underlying causes behind the drug use, and then to develop alternate methods for dealing with the causes other than by taking drugs.
Recovery from a barbiturate addiction with the aid of an addiction treatment program can lead to a long-term drug-free existence. To find a program that fits your needs, call 1-888-287-0471 . There are addiction treatment specialists on hand at the toll-free number who can answer any questions you have about barbiturate treatment options. They can also refer you to a treatment program and facility that can be of help.
Patients who are addicted to benzodiazepines may demonstrate tolerance to the effects of this type of drug, as well as irritability or an inability to cope without it. They may also display drug-seeking behavior, attempting to increase their dosage to achieve the same effect they felt previously at a lower dose. If you are addicted to benzodiazepines, you may find that you’re much more anxious and irritable when you do not have access to the medication, or that you need higher doses to feel normal.
Benzodiazepine Detox and Withdrawal
Patients who are withdrawing or detoxing from benzodiazepines may feel highly irritable or anxious. They may also experience insomnia, muscle aches, hypersensitivity to touch, restlessness, or self-harming behavior. For this reason, it is generally recommended that benzodiazepine detox take place in a detox center or hospital. If you or a loved one needs help to detox, consider calling a 24 hour helpline to find a location near you.
Benzodiazepine acts as a sedative, calming the nervous system’s response to a variety of stimuli. It is commonly used to treat anxiety, and can be addictive in high doses.
Common symptoms of benzodiazepine overdose include central nervous system depression, slurred speech, and sedation. Overdose is generally nonlethal, but death can occur if the medication overdose is combined with alcohol. Hospitalization is typically necessary after a benzodiazepine overdose.
Patients who are addicted to benzodiazepines can generally be successfully treated in rehabilitation centers. If you need assistance finding a drug rehabilitation center near you, please call 1-888-287-0471 .
A narcotic addiction occurs when a narcotics user begins to experience both a physical and psychological compulsion to take the drug regardless of the negative consequences of doing so. An addiction to narcotics results from extended use of the drug or use of the drug in high dosages. The addiction isn’t immediate though. It begins with a developing tolerance in the user’s body to the drug. As the tolerance builds, the user takes increasing dose levels to achieve the same drug effects. After a while the increased doses creates a dependence in the user, soon leading to addiction.
Narcotic Detox and Withdrawal
The narcotic user’s body becomes dependent on having the drug in the system after extended use. If the amount of the drug is reduced or the drug use stopped entirely, withdrawal will occur. Within 24 hours, the user will begin to experience a variety of withdrawal symptoms including nausea, vomiting, muscle soreness, dry mouth and constipation. These symptoms can be uncomfortable but aren’t life threatening. They can be avoided however through the use of a narcotic detox program. During detox, the user is weaned off the drug. The amount of the drug dosage is lowered steadily until it’s stopped at a point where the withdrawal symptom fail to occur, or lack severity due to a lowering of the user’s dependence on the drug.
Taking narcotics produces three primary effects in the user. These effects include a reduction in the user’s sensitivity to pain, a calming almost sedative effect on the user and a feeling of euphoria when used in larger doses. The negative effects of narcotics can include drowsiness, an inability to concentrate, respiratory depression, nausea and vomiting.
An overdose of narcotics occurs when the dosage of the narcotics taken by the drug user exceeds the safe levels for use. Individuals suffering from an overdose exhibit signs associated primarily with extreme drunkenness. The symptoms of overdose include slurred speech, confusion, drowsiness, vomiting and difficulty walking. If the overdose is an especially large one, it can result in cardiac arrest.
Narcotic rehab occurs right after the detox period. The purpose of the rehab is to help the drug user avoid a relapse after the physical dependence on the drug is ended through the detox process. During narcotics rehab, the user is taught skills that can help him or her avoid the temptation of returning to the drug use.
Finding a rehab facility for treatment can seem difficult when you’re searching for one alone. Calling 1-888-287-0471 can put you in touch with a treatment advisor who can help you in your search for a treatment program that fits your needs.
Repeated use of opiates, such as heroin, can lead to physical and psychological dependence on these drugs. However, a person can be physically dependent on opiates without having an actual addiction. An opiate addiction is characterized by drug-seeking behaviors, cravings, and a perceived need to use one or more opiate drugs in spite of their harmful effects.
Opiate Detox and Withdrawal
When an addicted person stops using opiates, he or she is likely to experience withdrawal symptoms. These symptoms may include anxiety, cold sweats, nausea, yawning, muscle aches, hot flashes, vomiting, and tremors. With medically assisted detox, the severity of these symptoms can be reduced.
Opiate use typically causes a sense of euphoria and intense relaxation. Other effects can include respiratory depression, drowsiness, and nausea. In high doses, opiates can have life-threatening effects.
Severe respiratory depression can occur with an opiate overdose, making it difficult to breathe. A person may also experience clammy skin, convulsions, and cardiac arrest. In some cases, an opiate overdose results in a coma or death. Certain medications can reverse the effects of an overdose if they are administered quickly enough.
An opiate addiction can be overcome with professional treatment. Rehabilitation is provided in inpatient and outpatient settings, and it often includes medical assistance, therapy, and behavioral modification programs.
If you or someone you know needs help for an opiate addiction, please click here to complete our short contact form or call 1-888-287-0471 . This toll-free hotline is confidential and available 24/7.
Sedatives account for a large group of drugs, which include barbiturates and benzodiazepines among others. Addiction and dependence on either of these two drug classifications can lead to serious psychological and physiological issues for the user. While dependence is a physical occurrence in which the user’s brain believes that the sedative is necessary for proper function, addiction is a psychological phenomenon. Addiction usually begins harmlessly, stemming from attempts to cope with anxiety disorders, insomnia, or some health problems.
Sedative Detox and Withdrawal
After users develop a dependence on sedative drugs it becomes very difficult to stop taking the medications due to the onset of withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal should not be taken lightly, especially in the case of benzodiazepine and barbiturate withdrawal syndromes. Such withdrawals can be quite severe and stressful on the user’s mind and body. Detox refers to the process of overcoming withdrawal and flushing the drugs from the user’s body.
Sedatives, sometimes referred to as hypnotics, reduce excitement or irritability and depress some of the body’s functions. Common effects of taking sedatives include anxiety reduction, production of a calming effect, and, at high doses, sleepiness.
Overdose results from ingesting large amounts of sedative drugs that the body cannot tolerate. Overdose symptoms are slightly more severe for barbiturate users than those taking benzodiazepines. Sluggishness, difficulty thinking, shallow breathing, and faulty judgment are common overdose symptoms. In the most severe overdose cases coma or death can occur.
The recommended treatment methods for sedative addiction and dependence require detoxification. Detox centers exist for sedative dependence and can be either inpatient or outpatient. Following detox, rehab centers are available that can help addicts restructure their lives and overcome addiction.
If you are suffering from sedative addiction or dependence and would like to know more about what you can do, please call 1-888-287-0471 , and a professional will privately discuss your options.
Tobacco is a highly addictive, legal substance that is widely available and relatively inexpensive. It comes in the forms of loose tobacco for pipes, cigarettes, and tobacco for chewing. The addictive chemical found in tobacco is called nicotine. When your body becomes accustomed to the presence of nicotine and can’t function normally without it, it is called dependence. Dependence leads to addiction, which means that if you are forced to go without nicotine, you develop symptoms of withdrawal.
Tobacco Detox and Withdrawal
Tobacco detox is the purging of all traces of nicotine and tobacco from your body. This process begins naturally within a few hours of your last cigarette, and generally takes between one to seven days to complete. During this period, you will likely experience withdrawal symptoms that can vary in intensity. Some symptoms of tobacco withdrawal include headache, irritability, diarrhea, constipation, lethargy, cravings for sweets, depression, and nausea. There are some methods that can help minimize withdrawal symptoms, such as patches that give you progressively decreasing amounts of nicotine until you no longer need it. Gradually stepping down your dosage each day masks withdrawal symptoms and can make quitting smoking easier for many people.
Thanks to a multitude of public health campaigns, the dangers of tobacco smoking are widely known. In the short term, smoking can make you smell bad, damage your teeth, discolor your nails, and give you a persistent cough. Long-term effects of smoking are serious, and include emphysema and lung cancer. Fortunately, you can greatly reduce your chances of developing these side effects by stopping smoking. Even if you have been a smoker for years, studies have shown that you can greatly reduce your chances of developing a serious disease when you stop smoking. Call 1-888-287-0471 for free recommendations of local tobacco detox and withdrawal treatment centers.
Tranquilizers work as a depressant that affects the central nervous system. They are often used to help people to sleep. Unfortunately, their method of action often means people can get addicted to tranquilizers.
Tranquilizer Detox and Withdrawal
Tranquilizer detox and withdrawal need to be done under medical supervision. Withdrawing on your own can be uncomfortable, and there are medications that can help ease withdrawal symptoms. If you or a loved one needs help with a tranquilizer addiction, please call 1-888-287-0471 today. The call is free, so you can start getting the help you need.
Tranquilizers make people feel sleepy. Effects of taking tranquilizers can include difficulty concentrating, slowed heartbeat, slowed breathing, a floating sensation, and confusion, as well as sleepiness. In addition, if tranquilizers are taken regularly, and the recommended dose is exceeded, a physical addiction may form.
Tranquilizers depress the central nervous system, so an overdose can cause the heart and lungs to function so slowly that they stop. This can occur when tranquilizers are combined with other CNS depressants such as alcohol, GHB, or barbiturates. If an overdose is suspected, dial 911 immediately.
Rehab offers addicts the chance to rebuild their lives and reconnect with their loved ones. It teaches them how to cope with the stresses that led to the addiction and move on from using drugs. Rehab should be the beginning of a new life for the addict.