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Once your body becomes used to the consumption of drugs, there is a withdrawal period that follows after beginning sober living. Oftentimes, this withdrawal period comes with adverse physical and mental side effects. You may be wondering, can you avoid drug withdrawal? If not, what can you do to at least decrease the severity of the side effects? Our addiction team at North Georgia Recovery Center is here to explain.
Is Drug Withdrawal Avoidable?
Sadly, no. There is no surefire way to completely skip this phase. However, you can take certain steps to mitigate the side effects or shorten the amount of time during which you feel the side effects.
First, it’s important to understand that drug withdrawal symptoms will differ from person-to-person, depending on:
- The type of drug used
- The length of time the drug was used
- One’s tolerance to the drug
- How much of the drug was used each day
Generally speaking, the more frequent the drug use and the longer the period of addiction, the more severe the drug withdrawal period can be.
Easing the Side Effects of Drug Withdrawal
First, before stopping use of substances, speak with a healthcare professional. They can guide you on the safest way to begin sober living. Stopping drug use safely can be more complicated than one might think, so be sure to talk to a knowledgeable professional before making any sudden changes.
The next best way to ease your side effects is by easing into sobriety. Quitting ‘cold turkey,’ or immediately, can cause your body to experience a type of shock resulting in severe withdrawal symptoms. In the most serious cases, this can actually do bodily harm. Instead, you may be better suited to taper off your drug use, eventually working down to complete sobriety. This will also help your symptoms along the way.
Another option is to take over-the-counter medications to help manage your symptoms. Speak with your doctor before taking or mixing any medications, as you want to avoid additional or harmful side effects.
You Can Get Sober with North Georgia Recovery Center
The initial hump is one of the hardest parts of the entire journey to sobriety. Once you have successfully gotten through withdrawal and started pure sobriety, you can continue to achieve anything you put your mind to. Our team at North Georgia Recovery Center is here to help you begin your recovery journey and provide unwavering support when you need it. Speak with our team today to learn more about our programs, therapies, and getting started.
