Drug Withdrawal in Brownsville, TX

Drug withdrawal occurs when a physical dependence on a drug has developed and an individual stops using the drug. Drug withdrawal in Brownsville is best undertaken in a drug withdrawal treatment facility to ensure safety and comfort during the withdrawal process.

What Causes Drug Withdrawal?

When you abuse drugs, your brain compensates for the presence of the substance by changing the way it produces and uses neurotransmitters, or brain chemicals, in an attempt to stabilize brain function. Over time, this causes an increase in tolerance, which means that because brain function is changing in response to the presence of a drug, you need increasingly larger doses of the drug to achieve the same effects.

Chronic abuse can eventually lead to dependence, which occurs when the brain begins to operate more comfortably when the drug is present than when it's not. When the drug is withheld, brain function rebounds, and the increase of activity of neurotransmitters leads to withdrawal symptoms.

Common Symptoms of Drug Withdrawal

Different substances cause different symptoms of withdrawal, but one thing they all have in common during withdrawal is intense cravings for the substance. Symptoms of withdrawal may be mild or severe, depending on factors like the severity of the dependence and how much of the drug was used prior to withdrawal. Not everyone will necessarily experience all of the symptoms of withdrawal.

Alcohol withdrawal produces symptoms that include nausea and vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, and tremors. Severe withdrawal symptoms may set in, including seizures, high fever, and a dangerous increase in heart rate. These symptoms are collectively known as delirium tremens, or DTs, and they can be fatal.

Opioid withdrawal from drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers like OxyContin causes excruciating symptoms that mimic the flu and include intense body aches, nausea and vomiting, abdominal cramps and diarrhea, and cold chills. While opioid withdrawal isn't generally dangerous, it can be miserable enough that it sends you right back to using just to end the discomfort.

Stimulant withdrawal, such as from meth, cocaine, or prescription drugs like Adderall, can cause a deep depression as well as agitation and serious sleep disturbances. Extremely intense cravings are also common among people withdrawing from stimulants.

Sedative withdrawal from barbiturates and benzodiazepine sedatives like Xanax and Valium, which are used to treat anxiety, is dangerous and should be undertaken only through a drug withdrawal treatment facility. Withdrawal symptoms associated with this class of drugs includes nausea and vomiting, depression and anxiety, restlessness, insomnia, and tremors. Dangerous or fatal seizures may occur, and since there's no way to treat these, detoxing from these drugs involves tapering off the doses over time to prevent the onset of symptoms.

Why Medical Detox is Essential for Withdrawal

Successful drug withdrawal in Brownsville depends largely on supervised medical detox. Medical detox is offered through drug withdrawal treatment centers and involves administering medications as needed to reduce the severity of withdrawal symptoms and even shorten the duration of detox.

For alcohol and benzodiazepine drug withdrawal in Brownsville, medical detox is essential for safety, since withdrawal from these substances can be dangerous or fatal. Withdrawing from these at home can lead to complications that need to be addressed quickly by medical professionals. The medical professionals at our drug detox center in Brownsville are the best at making sure that the patient is comfortable throughout the withdrawal process so that they don't have to suffer.

But medical detox isn't just about safety. It's also about comfort and support. Withdrawal is extremely unpleasant, and most people who try to withdraw on their own will quickly return to using drugs just to stop the symptoms. Our drug withdrawal treatment center offer a high level of emotional support during withdrawal as well as a variety of therapies that help reduce stress and alleviate symptoms, such as yoga classes and acupuncture or massage services.

Medical detox is best administered in an inpatient setting that offers around-the-clock supervision and support, but outpatient detox is also available for those who are highly motivated to stop using drugs and who have a high level of support at home.

Drug Withdrawal in Brownsville is Not the Same as Addiction Treatment

The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) stresses that while drug withdrawal treatment programs end the physical dependence on drugs or alcohol, they don't treat the addiction.

Addiction is a complex disease that causes changes in the structures and functions of the brain, which affect thought processes and behaviors. Beating an addiction requires re-learning healthy ways of thinking and behaving, and this takes time. A variety of therapies in our addiction treatment programs in Brownsville are used to help people change their dysfunctional thought and behavior patterns for long-term successful recovery.

According to NIDA, addiction treatment is almost always needed to help end an addiction for the long-term. Our high quality, holistic addiction treatment programs are essential for ending the cycle of drug abuse once and for all. Call Brownsville Drug Rehab Centers today at (877) 804-1531 to learn more about our addiction treatment services.