How Do You Solve Withdrawal Symptoms?

When a person experiencing addiction decides to get on the road to recovery, one of the biggest challenges they must overcome is the detox process. The detoxification period can be painful, harrowing, even dangerous, and many people avoid getting clean because they are fearful of just how intense their withdrawal symptoms will be.

Various factors influence how serious a person’s withdrawal symptoms are when they stop taking drugs. In many cases, the pain and discomfort of their withdrawal symptoms are enough to send them back to the substances they’re trying to get clean from.

As you begin your journey toward sobriety, you may have one question in the front of your mind: How do I navigate withdrawal symptoms?

We’re here to help guide you through this process and put you in the best position to succeed in your recovery.

It Depends on the Substance

While withdrawal applies to multiple addictions and their associated substances, not every process is the same. Things like alcohol, opioids, benzos, and more can have unique side effects on the recovering addict, but they can vary on a case-by-case basis. Some of the most common side effects include:

Insomnia
Depression
Irritability
Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Restlessness
And more

Fighting through these symptoms and committing to your recovery can often feel like an insurmountable task, but there is still hope.

Have a Strong Support System in Place

One of the most important things for your ongoing recovery is having a strong support system to help. When dealing with the initial onset of withdrawal, it can feel impossible to function like a normal person. Having someone in your corner supporting you through the physical symptoms can help ease the burden and lead you toward a more stable existence.

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help

There are programs available to help you through your withdrawal. Medically assisted detox programs can give you the support you need to make it through the process and deal with the more unpleasant side effects of detox. There are also additional ways to counteract these symptoms and give yourself a better chance at lasting recovery.

Prioritize Self-Care

Throughout the process of getting clean, it’s important to pay attention to your physical and mental well-being.

Maintain a Regular Exercise Regimen

One of the biggest hurdles in maintaining sobriety is restoring your brain’s chemistry to its pre-addiction state. When you are in active addiction, your brain becomes conditioned to release endorphins and positive chemicals when drugs are in your system. Restoring a healthy balance of natural chemicals (not dependent on drug use) can take longer than you may realize. As your brain resets, you may experience stress and tension or feel on edge more than you’re used to. These are part of the normal adjustment period for your mind and body after chronic drug use.

Regularly exercising can start retraining your brain to release these beneficial chemicals like they did before you became dependent on drugs. Studies have shown that regular exercise can help minimize the chances of relapsing and reduce cravings during the earliest stages of sobriety.

Eat a More Balance Diet

Nutrition significantly affects how well you deal with increasing withdrawal symptoms. Feeding your body the right balance of nutrients can help your mental and physical recovery. An addiction rehab program can also provide you with balanced meals, nutritional planning, and meal advice that will help you prioritize your nutritional needs as you navigate the first steps of sobriety.

Maintain a Structured Sleep Schedule

Insomnia remains one of the most common withdrawal side effects. Difficulty maintaining a proper sleep schedule can throw your entire body out of sync, causing you to spend more time feeling irritable and trying to find ways to spend your time. Your thoughts become more clouded; you’re more likely to experience mood swings and give into cravings. Minimizing how much stimulation you experience before bed can help you get to sleep easier and get the restful sleep your body craves.

Take Care of Your Mental Health

One common withdrawal symptom that might go unnoticed but can be the thing that pushes you over the edge is your mental health. Recovering addicts in the beginning stages of their withdrawal can experience varying stages of depression and anxiety that can trigger a relapse. In most cases, these conditions can be treated and addressed with the help of trained professionals, group therapy sessions, and personalized treatment programs. The best addiction treatment programs help treat the entirety of the patient — mind, and body.

Let Steps to Recovery Help You Manage Your Withdrawal Symptoms

When dealing with your withdrawal symptoms, simply choosing to persevere through it is often not enough and puts you at a disadvantage. Finding ways to constructively and proactively deal with the symptoms you’re experiencing can help put you in the best position to succeed. With the help of Steps to Recovery’s addiction treatment center in Levittown, PA, you can get the support you need to successfully navigate your withdrawal symptoms.

If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, please contact our team to learn more about our treatment and therapy programs.