Amytal Withdrawal and Detox

Amytal Info

• Amytal Addiction and Abuse
• Amytal Symptoms and Warning Signs
• Amytal Treatment and Rehab
• Amytal Withdrawal and Detox

Amytal (or Amobarbital) is a pre-anaesthetic medication, commonly used for surgery. When delivered in regulated doses, it can also function as a sleeping aid. However, this drug is also commonly used illicitly to induce a ‘buzzed’ feeling, which is similar to the ‘high’ produced by alcohol. Amytal goes by different names on the street, such as redbirds, blue velvets, or blues and it can be easy to think that since it is a sleeping aid, it cannot be harmful.

If you consume or inject too big a dose of Amytal, you could stop breathing because of an overly depressed brain function. Each time you use Amytal without a doctor’s prescription, you stand on the thin line between overdose and death. It is therefore crucial to notice when Amytal withdrawal or addiction symptoms appear before it’s too late.

The essential first step to recovery is to get professional Amytal withdrawal and detox treatment. If you or someone you love is struggling with Amytal withdrawal symptoms or showing physical, psychological or behavioural signs of addiction, you need to talk to an addiction specialist. You’ll be able to find out what your options for treatment are and begin your journey to a drug-free life.

What is Amytal withdrawal?

If you are addicted to Amytal and suddenly stop taking the drug, you can experience a range of symptoms associated with barbiturate withdrawal. Withdrawal from Amytal is similar to that of alcohol, and recovery usually begins with a period of detoxification (or ‘detox’). It is essential to begin treatment for Amytal withdrawal with detox, followed by rehab, because this substance is a depressant with a long half-life, meaning it remains in your body longer than other drugs.

Using Amytal for a long period of time can easily cause addiction and induce withdrawal when you try to quit. The ‘high’ it produces is similar to the feeling of being drunk, lowering your inhibitions and relaxing muscle coordination. It may also produce some negative side effects that can lead to a desire to stop using Amytal.

When you decide to quit, you may experience Amytal withdrawal symptoms such as muscle pain, anxiety, and confusion. This withdrawal period can be difficult and, in some cases dangerous. Left untreated, certain symptoms which occur can put your health at risk, even resulting in death.

Causes of Amytal withdrawal

When you first start abusing Amytal, you might enjoy the ‘high’ feeling as a recreational experience. However, over time, your body becomes accustomed to the substance and will depend on it just to function normally. This means you’ve become physically dependent and will have to undergo a period of adjustment before your body can return to proper functioning without Amytal.

A psychological dependence to Amytal can also be developed when used beyond a couple of weeks. Both physical and psychological dependence on Amytal can result in withdrawal when you stop taking the medication. Therefore, as you recover from the effects of using the drug, your brain and body also go through a period of withdrawal.

Using barbiturates like Amytal can cause high blood pressure and breathing rate, dizziness, anxiety, muscle pains and confusion. When you stop using Amytal, you could notice its negative side effects more than ever. At almost every stage of Amytal withdrawal, you’re very vulnerable to a relapse, as you will feel a powerful craving for the medication in order to feel better.

Initial Withdrawal Phase

The first phase of withdrawal can start around eight to twelve hours after you stop using Amytal. You might experience mild to severe withdrawal symptoms, depending on your dosage at the time of quitting, as well as any other underlying health issues you already have. Some of the symptoms you may experience at this stage include headaches, agitation, twitching, shakiness, nausea, vomiting and difficulty falling asleep. These symptoms may build in intensity and linger for up to four days.

Acute Withdrawal Phase

At this stage, withdrawal has become full-blown, and may take hold two to four days after you stop taking the drug. Symptoms during this stage are usually physical and psychological in nature and may include a combination of restlessness, tremors, seizures, anxiety and psychosis. Without proper treatment, hyperthermia, circulatory system failure and death are all possible. Acute withdrawal symptoms may continue at their peak for five fifteen days and then begin to fade.

Fading of symptoms

Over time, the symptoms associated with acute Amytal withdrawal will slowly begin to fade. The rate at which symptoms disappear will however depend on your personal experience and the type of treatment received. Detox continues as your body eliminates the build-up of toxins from prolonged Amytal use.

Amytal withdrawal symptoms: What to expect

Amytal withdrawal occurs when you are addicted to the drug and attempt to quit. It involves a set of unpleasant and difficult-to-manage symptoms that occur within a few hours after you take your last dose. Within the first 24 hours, you may experience symptoms such as severe abdominal cramps, dizziness, anxiety, vomiting, muscle pain, sweating, light-headedness, paranoia and headaches.

Between 24 and 72 hours, more severe symptoms may include confusion, seizures, delirium and high fever. Insomnia, rapid heartbeat, shortness of breath, nightmares and hallucinations are symptoms you can expect on days three to eight of Amytal withdrawal. Usually, there is a high chance of developing seizures on the second or third day after withdrawal, while psychosis can appear around three to four days after. Psychosis refers to losing touch with reality and seeing or hearing things that do not exist.

Amytal withdrawal is one of the most dangerous types of withdrawal, and should not be attempted without the help of an addiction specialist. Withdrawal can prove fatal if certain types of symptoms occur, such as hypothermia, circulatory or heart failure. Abrupt cessation of Amytal usage can increase the possibility of death.

Timeline of Amytal Withdrawal

Several factors determine the duration and intensity of your experience during Amytal withdrawal. These include your age and health condition, level of tolerance, length and frequency of drug use and presence of any co-occurring mental health disorders. The timeline of Amytal withdrawal is generally different from one person to the next. You may not experience any of the common symptoms, but it is essential to be prepared for anything.

The most common symptoms of Amytal withdrawal include extremely high body temperature, hallucinations, agitation, difficulty sleeping, respiratory depression, tremors, shakiness and seizures. The most intense withdrawal symptoms tend to occur about eight to sixteen hours after your last dose and can remain for up to two weeks. Even though Amytal withdrawal is mostly severe and unpleasant, quality residential facilities with qualified staff can help to ease the process.

Several weeks to months after your last dose of Amytal, you could experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome. During this period, your brain continues to heal from the neurocircuitry changes that it experienced while you were using Amytal. Therefore, symptoms such as sleep and mood problems can linger for months or even years.

What is Amytal detoxification?

Detoxification is only a part of the recovery process.

It involves removing the drug from your system so that treatment can focus on your body’s physical addiction. However, helping you recover from a psychological dependence and addiction to Amytal requires counselling. This can start at the initial stage of detox and continues throughout the process.

During counselling sessions, issues relating to drug use and the resulting psychological cravings will be addressed. You can also continue counselling after detox has been completed. You may choose to continue with treatment for Amytal withdrawal in an inpatient rehab facility or on an outpatient basis.

Amytal detox process

One of the most important aspects of the Amytal detox process is withdrawing from the drug. The withdrawal symptoms experienced during this period can be intense, but medically supervised detox can reduce the severity of some of them. The Amytal detox process can be carried out via three main methods:

Gradual detox:

This is a traditional treatment and involves a gradual withdrawal of Amytal. You may be administered phenobarbital to replace Amytal in order to eliminate initial withdrawal symptoms. If necessary, more medication can be applied to help wean you off over an extended period of time. Gradual detox can be used to treat you via an outpatient setting, but consistent supervision may be needed to ensure successful detoxification.

Inpatient or Residential Detox:

This method involves staying in a rehab facility and quitting Amytal completely. With this method, you are placed under the close supervision of a team of medical professionals. In addition, medication may be provided to ease withdrawal symptoms until you’ve completed detoxification. As a result of the severe withdrawal symptoms that occur with the sudden and complete cessation of Amytal, this method of detoxification is not suited to outpatient settings.

Rapid Drug Detox:

This process involves a medical procedure whereby you’re put under anaesthesia in order to detox. Most withdrawal symptoms can usually be prevented using this method. You’ll be given medication to help you relax, and then placed under general anaesthesia for up to one hour. Rapid drug detox is only available as an inpatient treatment, and is ideal for long-term recovery.

Medically supervised amytal withdrawal detox

When seeking treatment for dependence and addiction, there are two types of detox provided by treatment centres: social detoxification and a medically supervised withdrawal. Social detox usually provides a safe and comfortable environment to experience withdrawal. It also includes the services of trained staff that provide support and encouragement as you go through withdrawal. While this detox is helpful for withdrawal from certain drugs, it is insufficient for Amytal withdrawal and detox.

Medically supervised treatment is the best option, especially with sedative-hypnotic drugs such as Amytal. It provides access to a full treatment team, made up of highly trained and experienced health professionals. These experts can ensure you undergo a safe withdrawal by providing suitable assistance at different stages of the process. This can include:

Medications used during Amytal detox

Addiction to sleep aids such as Amytal needs to be treated in the right environment and under close supervision of medical staff. Detoxification is an important step in treating Amytal withdrawal, as the substance can produce symptoms similar to delirium tremens. As a result of its close resemblance to alcohol withdrawal symptoms, Amytal detox can be regarded as life threatening.

After your body has been fully cleansed, pharmaceutical treatment can then be administered. Currently, there are no drugs specifically used to treat Amytal withdrawal. However, during the detox period, doctors can apply a range of drugs to take care of the initial sleep problems that resulted in Amytal dependence.

In some cases, doctors may recommend melatonin, which is a naturally produced hormone that boosts regulated sleep and wakefulness. It can be sourced as a non-addictive and non-toxic medication to replace stronger sleeping pills. The goal with using medications during detox is to wean you off an addictive sleeping aid like Amytal and help you sleep better, using harmless and more natural alternatives.

Home detox

When dependence develops, uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms can occur when you attempt to quit.

You might want to consider home detox as a way to ‘get clean’. However, this method of detox can be risky, because of the numerous withdrawal symptoms involved. The easiest and most effective way to treat Amytal addiction is to undergo inpatient rehabilitation.

If you or someone you know is addicted to Amytal, you can get the help you need via professional treatment. This method involves careful, round-the-clock supervision by a medical team. Most rehabilitation centres offer a tapered Amytal detoxification, which means a gradual reduction of your Amytal dose. With home detox, you may be unable to adequately taper your dosage to avoid dangerous withdrawal symptoms.

You might not be prepared for these symptoms or the severity in which they can manifest. Many of them can affect your mental and emotional health (as well as your physical health). In addition to nausea and vomiting, life-threatening conditions can also be triggered during Amytal detox. Undergoing home detox can prevent you from realising the seriousness of these potentially dangerous symptoms.

Trying to detox without medical supervision can also negatively affect your mental health. As a result, you may suffer anger and irritability, anxiety, paranoia, hallucinations and confusion, in addition to your physical symptoms. Some of these psychological symptoms can be so severe that you could harm yourself or others around you, which is what makes detoxification at home ill-advised.

Treatment for withdrawal

Amytal is typically intended for short-term use, as prolonged consumption can lead to dependence, addiction and withdrawal symptoms when you try to quit. Treatment for withdrawal consists of a period of detoxification, during which your Amytal dosage is reduced slowly, until your body can adjust to the absence of the drug in its system.

Under medical supervision, Amytal withdrawal treatment can significantly reduce the symptoms of withdrawal. This treatment method – known as ‘tapering’- is effective because at each new step, your body adjusts to the lowered drug amount. By gradually reducing your dosage, you can avoid a painful and dangerous withdrawal.

During the tapering process, withdrawal symptoms may still occur. If they appear in a severe form, the doctor supervising your withdrawal may temporarily increase your dosage. This will allow you to get used to your present levels, before starting to lower them again. As your dose approaches zero, you may only experience some minor withdrawal symptoms, which may be treated using over-the–counter medicines.

Guided Amytal therapy

Generally, treating an Amytal addiction involves gradually weaning you off the medication over a suitable period of time. This is a form of guided therapy, which is crucial for avoiding the potentially fatal consequences of Amytal withdrawal. Some of the long-range effects and symptoms of severe Amytal withdrawal include respiratory failure, circulatory failure, overdose, heart attack, coma and stroke.

Guided Amytal therapy can be successfully implemented to manage withdrawal under close supervision at a qualified treatment centre. The results are usually reflected in an improved mental, emotional and psychological state after treatment is completed. Abruptly quitting is rarely part of the treatment process when it comes to treating barbiturate dependence or addiction. Instead, treatments such as guided therapy may be applied, which involves:

Guided therapy is useful, as it can reduce the intensity of withdrawal symptoms by spreading them over time. It can be a lengthy method, so is typically carried out in an outpatient setting. An inpatient setting may however be used until you are stable and fit to begin the weaning process.

Live a drug-free life again

Quitting Amytal can be difficult. Fortunately, no one expects you to overcome it on your own, nor is it recommended. Amytal detox and other treatment programmes are available to help you safely expunge the substance from your system. You will also be able to learn new coping skills and enjoy a healthy, happy life, free of Amytal addiction.

You can start by speaking with a doctor about your Amytal habit. They will be able to determine whether you will benefit from a taper and may also recommend additional treatment after detox is completed. Detox alone cannot provide a comprehensive treatment for Amytal dependence and addiction. Relapse can be deadly, especially in the case of Amytal. Therefore, it is necessary to follow medical detox with intensive therapy.

Therapy can help you dig into the why and how of your journey into addiction, and help you create a treatment plan for sustained recovery. If you’re ready to live a drug-free life again, find the help you need to diagnose and treat your Amytal addiction.

Preventing relapse

It’s possible to fall back into a cycle of drug abuse when you don’t allow yourself enough time to work on your recovery. Inpatient residential programmes offer a distraction and trigger-free environment, which can be helpful in preventing relapse. Good residential programmes also provide a range of social activities and other opportunities to engage in interesting hobbies and sports to keep you physically and mentally occupied.

Certain rehab centres have classes in yoga, meditation, drug education, art and drama, journaling and relaxation techniques. All of these have consistently been proven to help reduce the chances of relapse whilst in recovery. A comprehensive Amytal aftercare programme can also be provided, where you will be required to attend for at least the first 12 months after treatment. These aftercare sessions take place at your rehabilitation centre or in recommended centres for ongoing treatment.

In addition, you can continue in individual counselling when you return home, as well as attend Narcotics Anonymous groups and other support meetings in your local area. Amytal relapse can be dangerous due to the risk of death from overdose. If you think you might be relapsing, it is crucial to seek help from a licensed treatment centre.

Tips for Handling Cravings

Amytal is a medication with a high potential for dependence and addiction. Abruptly quitting can lead to physical and psychological cravings that can be difficult to handle. Cravings are a powerful urge to use the drug, which may begin hours or days after you quit. While cravings naturally decrease over an extended period of time, it can take months or even years for them to end.

If you’ve been struggling with Amytal cravings, you may be able to handle them utilising several tips and techniques, including:

• Identifying your triggers by making a list of the feelings and situations that result in thoughts of using drugs. As soon as you can identify them, make a focused plan to avoid the situations that bring on your cravings.
• Seeking support from family, friends and others in recovery to help you stay drug-free. Groups like Narcotics Anonymous, SMART recovery and other support related meetings can be helpful.
• Diverting your attention away from cravings by engaging in physical or mental activities which interest you. This may include going for a walk, playing a sport, reading a book or watching television.

Find a treatment centre

Amytal withdrawal can be challenging and uncomfortable. The safest way to stop using the medication is to enter a reputable addiction treatment programme. Finding a treatment centre is essential, because you can have access to guidance, accountability and unconditional support. You’ll be in the care of professionals who understand what you’re going through and know how to help you recover.

There are many treatment centres offering a range of Amytal withdrawal and detox treatment. However, these centres vary in terms of cost and environment. When looking for a treatment centre, you may need to take several factors into consideration, such as the duration of treatment, types of therapies used, and whether you want to undergo inpatient or outpatient treatment.

It takes courage to admit that it’s time for you to seek assistance – especially if you’ve been putting off getting the help you need for your addiction. It might be helpful for you to know that you are not alone, and the right kind of treatment is all you need to begin recovery. If you have any questions about Amytal addiction, please contact a qualified addiction specialist as soon as possible.

FAQS

How long does it take to detox from Amytal?

Detoxification from Amytal can take several weeks to a month. However, the process can be easier and quicker if you seek proper medical assistance. Usually, the duration for detox will vary depending on your individual situation.