Codeine Addiction Withdrawal Symptoms

Codeine addiction withdrawal symptoms can be extremely painful.

A withdrawal is a reaction from your body making you feel like you need the drug even more.  This is usually the reason some never even attempt to get help to end their addiction.  As with any Opiate, using codeine whether it is prescribed to you or not, you run the risk of becoming physically and mentally dependent on the drug.  At this point, if you try to stop using codeine, your body is going to react making you feel the need to continue its use.

The withdrawal symptoms of codeine addiction can vary in strength as well as interrupt your ability to accomplish even the smallest of tasks.  The symptoms of withdrawal can also lead to impaired social function because you may not feel the ability, or the want, to interact with other people.  Isolating yourself is very dangerous when you are going through the withdrawal symptoms of Codeine as they can cause you to experience a seizure or fall into a coma.

Physical Symptoms of Codeine Withdrawal

The physical aspects of Codeine withdrawal will usually start when the amount of codeine in your body is at the level you would normally begin wanting to take the drug again.  This can be just hours after the last use of the drug.  The physical symptoms can be very painful which one reason most people addicted to codeine are scared to seek treatment.  The severity of the withdrawal symptoms can also be treated to help minimize their effects.

The most common symptoms of withdrawal are a heightened sensitivity to pain, sleeplessness, a lethargic feeling, and uncontrollable muscle movements.  You will also feel an overwhelming sense of nausea, headaches, and moderate to severe muscle aches and cramps.  Regardless of how much the symptoms are being reduced with treatment, they will always be present throughout the withdrawal period.

Mental Symptoms of Codeine Withdrawal

The length of time a person will feel the withdrawal effects vary from person to person.  The physical withdrawal symptoms of codeine can also be very dangerous if you are not in the presence of a physician or trained staff.  This is true for the psychological withdrawal symptoms of codeine detoxification as well.  The treatment for the mental symptoms of withdrawal will take much longer to recoup, and may even need ongoing treatment and a large support base.  Codeine is a much milder form of opiate than morphine or heroin, which leads to the illusion that it is not as easy to form a mental dependency.

While it may be true that it may take a longer time to form the habit, it is just as hard to stop taking it, even if it is prescribed and the directions are followed precisely.  Some of the withdrawal symptoms that will affect someone psychologically are an intense physical cravings for the drug, thoughts of suicide or hurting others, psychosis, irritability, obsess about getting the drug, easily agitated, racing thoughts, and even hallucinations.