After stopping medications for various conditions, symptoms may return to the patient. In doing so, they appear with greater force. As a result, the patient's condition deteriorates significantly, and he may fall into a coma. This manifestation is called withdrawal syndrome. This phenomenon was first discovered by doctors when using hormone therapy.
Reasons
Withdrawal syndrome is an acute manifestation, the cause of which is a violation of biological, chemical and hormonal processes caused by the fact that when we refuse to take medications, our body does not receive certain substances necessary for normal functioning. This is due to the fact that any hormonal drugs have a negative effect on the nervous system, disrupting the normal psychological and emotional background. If such drugs are taken for a long period of time, the patient may develop a feeling of constantdiscomfort and depression. Therefore, you should not use medicines without the recommendation of a qualified specialist.
The most common addictive drugs and substances that can lead to withdrawal symptoms when not taken are:
- drugs such as cocaine, opium, etc.;
- psychostimulants and antidepressants;
- alcohol;
- nicotine.
Each provocateur listed in the list has a different degree of addiction. Therefore, dependence on them develops in a person over a different period of time. For example, addiction to drugs develops much faster than to nicotine or alcohol. The most dangerous thing is that such addiction has a detrimental effect on the body. In some cases, it can even be fatal.
A frequent picture is the withdrawal syndrome of hormonal ointments, which are widely used in gynecology to treat various diseases. Cancellation of their use leads to hormonal failure, and consequently, to withdrawal.
Withdrawal Syndrome: Symptoms
The withdrawal syndrome is always the same. This applies to absolutely all cases, regardless of what caused the addiction. An exception can be considered only those situations where withdrawal symptoms are not so pronounced.
The main withdrawal symptoms are:
- deterioration of well-being, constant depression, decreased performance;
- increasedirritability, aggressiveness, apathy, depression;
- violation of the normal functioning of the internal organs, accompanied by shortness of breath, increased heart rate, nausea, digestive upset, muscle tremors, increased sweating;
- constant craving for an addictive substance.
Throughout the withdrawal symptom, the patient can hardly think of anything else.
All of the above manifestations indicate that the patient has developed a withdrawal syndrome. Signs in this case can be both pronounced and less obvious.
When does withdrawal begin?
Withdrawal symptoms can occur at different times and depend on many factors, the main among which are the degree of dependence caused by certain substances.
In most cases, withdrawal symptoms will manifest themselves in terms such as:
- in the case of nicotine addiction, the desire to smoke can occur as little as an hour after the last smoke break;
- you can find out if there is a withdrawal syndrome with alcohol abuse in a few hours;
- withdrawal from antidepressants occurs 1-2 days after stopping them;
- with the use of narcotic substances, withdrawal occurs approximately a day after taking the last dose.
It is worth noting that the onset of withdrawal symptoms do not appear immediately, but gradually.
Durationwithdrawal symptoms
Many people are interested in the question of how long the withdrawal syndrome lasts. Is it dangerous or not? However, there is no single answer, since each organism is individual and tolerates refusal to take substances that have caused dependence in different ways. The duration of the syndrome is also affected by the time it takes the body to eliminate toxins.
Despite the fact that there are no exact figures, nevertheless, scientists were able to calculate the approximate duration of withdrawal.
The results of the observations are as follows:
- with the refusal of alcohol, the duration of withdrawal can be from one week to several months;
- drug withdrawal syndrome lasts several weeks;
- when quitting smoking, abstinence can last from several days to several weeks, depending on the length of the smoker;
- Antidepressant-induced withdrawal can take up to three weeks.
According to doctors, withdrawal is much easier to endure with the support of the family. The substituted shoulder of loved ones adds determination and increases the willpower of the patient. Therefore, the likelihood of completely getting rid of addiction increases.
Withdrawal from alcohol
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome can significantly worsen the patient's well-being. This is accompanied by mental, neurological and somatic abnormalities. Clinical manifestations of abstinence begin 3 days after the completerefusal of alcohol, and the first manifestation is a hangover. In some cases, the withdrawal syndrome can cause hallucinations, which in turn increase the patient's aggressiveness.
Neurological manifestations of alcohol withdrawal
Rejection of alcohol after prolonged use of it creates a great burden on the nervous system, so the patient's hands begin to tremble, there may be convulsions and pseudo-paralysis. Due to the increased sensitivity of the skin, the patient increases sweating, not related to the temperature in the room or on the street.
Physiological manifestations
With alcohol withdrawal syndrome, the digestive, genitourinary and cardiovascular systems suffer. As a result, the following symptoms appear:
- an upset stomach with nausea, vomiting and loose stools;
- reduced sexual activity;
- frequent urge to urinate.
It is worth noting that drinking alcohol over a long period of time causes physiological changes in the myocardium. As a result, a sharp refusal of alcohol can lead to cardiac arrest.
Withdrawal from hormonal drugs
Abrupt discontinuation of hormonal drugs causes a withdrawal syndrome, which may be accompanied by various symptoms, depending on the principle of the drug's effect on the body. First of all, a disease that was treated with hormonal agents makes itself felt inmore severe form. In addition, the patient may develop a syndrome of adrenal insufficiency, which progresses very quickly and often leads to cardiac arrest.
This type of withdrawal is very rare as doctors prescribe hormone phase-outs to their patients, gradually reducing the dosage.
Without taking antidepressants
Antidepressants are widely used in psychiatry to treat various disorders. However, they have a strong effect on the nervous system. Therefore, the withdrawal syndrome of "Phenazepam" or any other similar drug leads to a sharp deterioration in well-being and various problems throughout the body.
Clinical manifestations
After abruptly stopping antidepressants, the patient relapses into depression and develops a withdrawal syndrome. What to do in such a situation so that the clinical manifestations are not so pronounced? Stop taking the drugs should be gradual, gradually reducing the dosage. It is important to understand that withdrawal will still make itself felt. It's just that the patient will be able to endure it more easily.
To cope with a dreary mood, you can take various herbal remedies and preparations of the normotonic group. However, it is very important that any medications be taken exclusively under the supervision of a qualified specialist, as self-medication can lead to dangerous complications.
SymptomsWithdrawal symptoms for antidepressant withdrawal are:
- insomnia;
- apathy;
- lack of good mood;
- involuntary convulsions;
- trembling limbs;
- increased heartbeat.
The patient's well-being and clinical manifestations of the withdrawal syndrome can be aggravated by various medications. Therefore, it is not recommended to self-administer any medication to combat depressed mood.
Without smoking cessation
The course of the withdrawal syndrome when quitting smoking is very much like the one that occurs when you stop drinking alcohol. But its clinical manifestations are milder, despite the psychological dependence. Experts note that in medicine there is no abstinence when quitting smoking, but the smoker acquires it on his own.
When quitting nicotine, no treatment is required, since the signs and symptoms that accompany the withdrawal symptom do not pose any threat to he alth and life. Withdrawal symptoms are increased irritability and a constant obsessive desire to smoke a cigarette. But if the smoker gets the proper moral support from loved ones, then he can easily cope with this. The most difficult period is the first week of weaning from addiction. Then it becomes much easier.
Conclusion
Withdrawal is a phenomenon that can happen to anyone. No matter how strongdependence on a drug or any addictive substance, and no matter how severe the withdrawal syndrome is, the patient will be able to cope with everything. Especially if he is serious about getting rid of the habit, and also if he feels constant support from loved ones. But you should not rely only on relatives and self-medicate, since withdrawal is a very serious manifestation that can pose a threat to human he alth, as well as lead to death.
