Withdrawal cold turkey

The delinquent nonaddicts also had more negative Inlormation about opiates during their critical exposure period (aye 16)-they had seen overdoses or had watched a cold turkey withdrawal. The importance of information is compatible... 

The withdrawal syndrome starts with flu-like symptoms, yawning and sweating. Next, weakness, chills and gooseflesh are added ( cold turkey ) and then vomiting, hyperthermia, involuntary movements, hypertension, myalgia. The whole syndrome usually takes about a week to resolution but hypotension, bradycardia and mydriasis may be present for months. Note that miosis is the normal drug effect. Withdrawal is very unpleasant but not usually dangerous. 

The continued use of opioids results in the development of physical dependence, as demonstrated by the appearance of a characteristic abstinence syndrome upon interruption or cessation of use. The symptoms of withdrawal include hyperactivity, anxiety, restlessness, yawning, diarrhea, vomiting, chills, fever, lacrimation, and runny nose. Piloerection (gooseflesh or cold turkey), mydriasis, increased blood pressure and heart rate, and hyperpyrexia may be observed. Tremors, abdominal cramps, and muscle and joint pain may be present. Drug craving is an important feature of opioid withdrawal. In contrast to some other drugs of abuse, withdrawal is not life threatening. 

Individuals who are addicted to benzodiazepines should not try to quit cold turkey on their own. Often, individuals addicted to a benzodiazepine have an addiction to another substance or drug, such as cocaine or alcohol. These multiple addictions are complicated. Recovery from these addictions should not be attempted alone. Withdrawal from abuse of benzodiazepines may cause life-threatening complications. 

GHB is also addictive. Regular, daily use of GHB can cause physical dependency with harsh withdrawal symptoms. At four to six average doses per week, people report finding that they need to increase their dose to get the same level of intoxication. Many subsequently report that they need a little GHB just to feel normal. With very heavy use (one or more doses per day), many people report very serious physical addiction. Stopping cold turkey results in anxiety, inability to sleep, and feeling like the heart is arrhythmic (irregular). 

Racemic methadone (13) continues to be used as a maintenance drug in the treatment of addiction to heroin (14).13 Methadone has also been used in treating severe pain.14 The value in using oral racemic methadone is that it also helps to combat the spread of human immunodeficiency virus by reducing injection of heroin.13 Under medical supervision, the addict can lead a more stable life, but there is a temptation to remain on racemic methadone to avoid the withdrawal symptoms known as cold turkey.13 The illegal use of methadone taken together with other drugs such as benzodiazepines... 

Heroin withdrawal is much less dangerous than alcohol and barbiturate withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms are craving for opioid, restlessness, irritability, increased sensitivity to pain, nausea, cramps, muscle and bone aches, insomnia, anxiety, cold flashes with goose bumps (cold turkey), and movements (kicking the habit).5... 

These are the objective signs of withdrawal distress which can be measured the subjective indications are equally severe and the illness reaches its peak within 48-72 h after the last dose of the opioid, gradually subsiding thereafter for the next 5-10 days. The withdrawal syndrome proper is self-limiting and most addicts will survive it with no medical assistance whatever (this is known as kicking the habit, cold turkey ). Abrupt withdrawal is inhumane, but with the use of such drugs as methadone, it is possible to reduce the distress of withdrawal very considerably. ... 

Minor tranquilizers and sedative-hypnotics are widely used in general medical practice and psychiatry. Although the benzodiazepines as a class are much safer than earlier medications (there is less risk of dependency and abuse, and withdrawal symptoms are generally much less dangerous than with barbiturates), problems do exist when patients begin to reduce doses, especially if they discontinue rapidly or "cold turkey." Benzodiazepine withdrawal sjmdromes are encoimtered frequently. They cause considerable patient distress, can be dangerous at times, and are almost always avoidable if the clinician follows the discontinuation guidelines carefully. 

The expression cold turkey comes from the goose-bumps" seen in addicts withdrawing from heroin. 

Both psychological and physical components, the latter made evident by the withdrawal or abstinence syndrome, which may include anxiety, lacrimation and rhinorrhea, sweating, yawning, goosebumps ( cold turkey ), hot or cold flashes, muscle cramps and spasms ( kicking the habit ), GI distress (cramps and diarrhea), and pain originating in the CNS. 

Table 8. Signs and symptoms of heroin withdrawal following cessation of heavy use ("cold turkey").

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