What are Withdrawal Symptoms Really Like?

Knowing what symptoms to expect when withdrawing from a substance can help you manage their severity, fortifying the grounds for successful recovery.

What is withdrawal?

Substance withdrawal is the collection of symptoms you experience as your body and mind get used to functioning with a substance they depend on. Sudden or gradual quitting of a substance creates a wide variety of physical, mental and emotional symptoms, some of which can become dangerous if they’re not properly managed.

The primary goal of managing withdrawal symptoms is gradually tapering off the substance, minimising the severity of symptoms and preventing complications as you recover. Getting through withdrawal and reaching successful recovery usually needs a multi-layered approach rather than abruptly ending the use of the drug. The recovery process involves slowly and safely working the drug out of your system, developing support programmes in recovery, and then providing ongoing outpatient care to reduce post-recovery risks.

Every withdrawal process is specific to each person’s circumstances. Just as the factors that lead someone toward a drug addiction are multifaceted, so is the withdrawal process itself, presenting multitudinous challenges that need specific care and treatment.

Common physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms

We may broadly categorise the constellation of substance withdrawal symptoms into two types: physical and psychological.

Physical symptoms

Physical symptoms can vary depending on the substance used and the duration, dosage and frequency. In general, the more time you spend taking a drug, the stronger your tolerance will become over time, making the physical symptoms of withdrawal more severe.

Some of the most common physical symptoms include:

• Nausea and vomiting
• Sweating and shaking
• Severe headaches and migraines 
• Muscle pains, aches and cramps
• Fatigue, insomnia
• Fever, chills and flu-like sickness
• Increases in heart rate and blood pressure

Psychological symptoms

In addition to the physical symptoms of withdrawal, there can be disturbances in your mental and emotional health as you get used to life without a substance.

Common psychological symptoms of withdrawal include:

• Deep cravings and urges for the substance
• Anxiety and depressive episodes
• Social isolation and withdrawal
• Paranoia and hallucinations
• Anhedonia (being unable to find pleasure in activities)
• Intense mood swings
• Becoming more irritable and easily agitated

Generally, psychological withdrawal symptoms happen as your brain gets used to no longer having the substance you relied on. New activity in the brain’s reward system and in its ability to regulate mood and pleasure can be unsettling and difficult to manage.

Common withdrawal symptoms by substance

Detoxifying from one substance can present a different group of symptoms to another. The rapidity of the onset of a symptom and the amount of time it lasts can also be difficult to predict. It can take days, weeks, and, in some cases, months for withdrawal symptoms to resolve.

Below are the most common symptoms people experience when withdrawing from specific substances:

Why do withdrawal symptoms vary?

No two experiences of substance withdrawal are ever exactly the same. While some of the symptoms follow certain patterns related to the drug, the overall impact on your well-being can differ in each case.

Factors that affect withdrawal symptom severity include:

• Type of substance: Different drugs affect your body in unique ways. The journal Psychology Today warns us that withdrawing from opioids, alcohol, and benzodiazepines can be fatal, so going “cold turkey” and suddenly ceasing use can be extremely risky. Withdrawal from addiction to other substances like marijuana and cocaine is usually less life-threatening.
• Frequency of use, dosage and potency: Using a substance over time builds your body’s “tolerance” toward the drug. The severity of a withdrawal symptom is directly linked to how much you’ve grown to depend on it.
• Polydrug use: Developing a drug addiction after using multiple substances at the same time can create overlapping withdrawal effects that are harder to predict. Using alcohol and benzodiazepines at the same time, for example (both depressants), can cause extreme withdrawal effects like seizures and delirium tremens.
• Health and genetics: Having a pre-existing medical condition can make withdrawal symptoms more complex or worsen them. Problems like high blood pressure can cause greater spikes in heart rate when withdrawing from alcohol.
• Environmental and emotional state: In addition to the more direct factors listed above, your environment and emotional well-being can also worsen withdrawal symptoms. Being close to sources of stress or having a lack of support makes the withdrawal process more difficult to endure.

How withdrawal symptoms impact recovery

Going through withdrawal and its painful symptoms is one of the biggest hurdles a person may ever have to go through. The first few days can feel like being at the foot of a mountain you need to climb. Without the right support, you might tell yourself the challenge is too great, and the risk of relapse can increase with the desire to escape discomfort and despair.

Some of the challenges common in recovery that make relapse more likely are:

• Physical exhaustion: As your body detoxifies, you may feel physically exhausted almost all of the time. You may vomit frequently, experience muscle pains and struggle to get adequate sleep to reset each day. Fatigue can make staying motivated and carrying out healthy physical activities much harder.
• Cravings: The withdrawal process can create extremely strong urges to return to using the drug. As your body gets used to life without the substance, you might feel conditioned to seek the substance to escape.
• Emotional instability: Withdrawal symptoms like anxiety and depression can drag you down to feelings of hopelessness as you recover. New emotions can become overwhelming and disorienting, so you might have thoughts of turning back to using the drug just to feel as though your mood is more “stable.’ Effective recovery teaches us that this feeling of stabilisation is only short-lived.
• Cognitive impairment: For many people, the withdrawal process can impair cognitive abilities, such as memory, concentration and capacity for decision-making. This can lead to decisions that impair the likelihood of full recovery, like skipping group meetings and disengaging from therapy.
• Post-acute withdrawal syndrome: The initial phase of withdrawal, known as acute withdrawal, comes with intense physical and psychological symptoms. However, recovery doesn’t end there. In the weeks and months that follow, the brain continues to adjust to life without the substance, leading to lingering effects known as “Post-Acute Withdrawal Syndrome” (PAWS). During this phase, waves of symptoms like insomnia and mood swings can appear unpredictably, making relapse more likely.

What to expect and how to cope with withdrawal

Understanding what to expect as you enter recovery can help you prepare for the journey ahead. Symptoms will vary depending on the factors we mentioned, but most people experience waves and stages of physical discomfort, emotional toil and intense cravings as their body adjusts to life without the drug.

Your symptoms can make you feel turmoil, but know that recovery is possible. Use these methods to help you cope, stay strong and finally reach full recovery:

The importance of medical observation

As the body undergoes the monumental shift from dependence to sobriety, the resulting changes can become dangerous to manage alone. Medical support in rehab is needed to reduce the risk of dangerous complications, which can be common in withdrawal.

Medical staff monitor your vital signs like blood pressure, heart rate and breathing, which can all be affected to dangerous degrees as the body detoxifies. In addition, detoxing from substances like alcohol, benzodiazepines, and opioids can lead to seizures and heart issues. Having trained professionals nearby ensures that symptoms are managed at the right time.

Aside from the physical risks and challenges, you may also feel emotional and psychological pressures that hinder your efforts to stay sober. Not having anyone to talk to is one of the biggest reasons many people relapse, undoing the great lengths they’ve taken to remove a drug from their lives.

Addiction recovery is a complex process that strains the body and mind. With the right people around, your dream of regaining control and returning to a happier, sober life can be reached.

How UKAT can help you through withdrawal

If you or anyone you know is struggling with addiction or withdrawal symptoms, you should know that you never have to suffer alone. At UKAT, we’ve learned to recognise how overwhelming the process can be, so we’re here to ensure your recovery is safe, comfortable and supported every step of the way.

Our expert team provides comprehensive detox programmes designed to ease withdrawal symptoms and guide you towards lasting recovery. With personalised treatment plans tailored to your needs and a strong network of support groups, we help you stay on track and manage the severity of withdrawal.

The road to recovery begins with a single step. Let us help you take it. Reach out to UKAT today and start your journey toward a healthier, addiction-free life.