What Are the Symptoms of Detox?

The length and severity of the detoxification process (detox) depends on a number of factors, including the substance being detoxed from, the temperament of the patient and the length of time the patient has been dependent on the drug. Detox is a two-fold process that includes both mental and physical symptoms and side effects that must be treated for a successful recovery.

Alcohol

• Alcohol detox takes a variety of forms that range in severity, depending on the amount and length of time the alcohol has been consumed. Mild withdrawal may not produce physical symptoms worse than mild shaking, nausea and night sweats. More severe cases of withdrawal can be life threatening and include hallucinations, convulsions and seizures. Symptoms will become progressively worse within 48 hours after the last drink. Delirium tremens (DTs) can begin within 3 to 5 days and appear as confusion, hyperactivity and extreme blood pressure hikes. There is no cure for the DTs, and patients must be monitored for a possible heart attack.

Heroin

• Though uncomfortable, the physical withdrawals from heroin are typically not life threatening. Heroin detoxification signs begin to show within about 12 hours of the last shot of the drug and continue for an average of 4 days. Physical symptoms of heroin withdrawal include changing body temperatures, alternating between hot sweats and chills, insomnia and lack of appetite. Diarrhea, body aches and flu-like symptoms can lead to dehydration.

Prescriptions

• Prescription painkillers can prove difficult for patients to withdraw from, because those who become addicted may not be prepared for the idea that they have become addicted. Often prescribed for post-surgical pain and for treatment of injuries, medications such as Vicodin and Lortab contain a powerful narcotic called hydrocodone. Hydrocodone withdrawal symptoms usually last for 24 to 72 hours and include intense cravings, irritability, sweats, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting, depending on the amount and duration of the addiction.

Cocaine

• Cocaine is a drug that stimulates the pleasure centers of the brain, as well as produces an increase in blood pressure and heart rate. Cocaine is primarily mentally addicting, since the drug has been used to control the release of dopamine for so long, addicts come to rely on the substance for feelings of well-being and happiness. Symptoms begin within 24 hours of the last dose and include depression, intense cravings, disturbed sleep, muscle pain and agitation.

Psychological

• No matter what kind of drug is being abused, the psychological withdrawal symptoms are the most difficult to overcome, say experts at the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA). Whether it's nicotine from cigarettes, alcohol, sugar or heroin, the addict has developed a dependency on the substance. In addition to intense cravings that can last for up to a year, addicts of all kinds must deal with the initial motivators that caused them to turn to the drugs for distraction in the first place. Whether it's constant pain or childhood traumas, the incidents will play themselves out until therapy and long-term abstinence can provide healthy alternatives to returning to the drugs.