methadone abuse facts

Withdrawal symptoms  |  Withdrawal timeline  |  Detox |  Back to top

Close to 24 million Americans struggle with an addiction to alcohol or drugs, but only about 11% of them receive treatment.

If you find yourself addicted to methadone and realize you want to break the addiction, you’ll have to deal with methadone withdrawal symptoms.

These symptoms are never easy to deal with, but thankfully there are some things you can do to help manage it. Keep reading to figure out how!

symptoms of methadone withdrawal

Abuse facts  |  Withdrawal timeline  |  Detox |  Back to top

Methadone withdrawal symptoms include:

  • Runny nose
  • Watery eyes
  • Headache
  • Cold sweats
  • Chills
  • Abdominal pain
  • Muscle aches
  • Body pain
  • Nausea/diarrhea

methadone withdrawal timeline

Abuse facts  |  Withdrawal symptoms  |  Detox |  Back to top

If you’re going to try and break your addiction to methadone, you’ll likely experience some of these symptoms. You should try and do it under the care of a professional to ensure your safety.

Within the first thirty hours, you’ll likely start feeling tired, anxious, or restless. You may also start sweating, have a runny nose, and watery eyes.

You might have trouble sleeping but find yourself constantly yawning as well. You might feel like you have the flu because a lot of the symptoms are the same, and they can be severe for the first few days.

After three days, you’ll likely have other symptoms as well. These include having really bad nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or cramps.

While you also have craving for the drugs, you’ll also have muscle aches and pains, goosebumps, and experience depression.

These symptoms will normally only last a week, but some of them can last even longer.

symptoms of methadone detox

Abuse facts  |  Withdrawal symptoms  |  Withdrawal timeline  |  Back to top

1. Exercise

However, one thing you can do to help cope with these symptoms can be doing some type of exercise to try and keep your mind off of it.

Some people like doing something simple like going for a walk or running. Any type of aerobic activity will help you feel better as your brain releases endorphins. This can be a great, natural way to help your brain restore a natural chemical balance.

In addition to that, exercise is also great at relieving stress and easing tension in your body. It can also help you feel better by getting in shape and improving your self-esteem.

2. Get Professional Care

You should never have to go through withdrawal symptoms alone, so you should think about finding a detox facility that can monitor you. They’ll make sure that you’re safe and will do everything you can to help relieve all of your symptoms.

If you don’t want to go to a facility, you can do it at home, but make sure that you are always in contact with your doctor. Always talk with them before you decide to start anything.

3. Try Other Medications

It sounds counterintuitive, but sometimes trying other medications can help to relieve your symptoms.

However, make sure that you always talk with your doctor or other professional to make sure you aren’t going to be making your symptoms worse.

4. Build Emotional Support

Having some emotional support on your side might not take away the physical symptoms, but it can help to ease some of the mental ones.

You’ll need someone by your side during a difficult transition period, and you’ll be surprised by how much it can help.

If you are going to do a detox at home, make sure that someone can be there with you or at least check up on you.

Sometimes people feel like they can have no one to turn to, but there are plenty of support groups that can help you as well. There are methadone addiction support groups, where people will be able to offer advice, tell their stories, and give you support to let you know that you’re not going through it alone.

One of the most important things you’ll also get from a support group is also having someone hold you accountable.

5. Have a Healthy Diet

You should also try and eat a balanced diet and stay hydrated.

You should eat meals that have a lot of essential vitamins and protein because these are important for restoring your body function and your brain health.

The alcohol and drugs will take away all the nutrients in your body, so while you’re going withdrawal, make sure you try and ease the symptoms by eating only healthy foods. Try not to eat any sugars, oils, or saturated foods because these can actually make you feel worse.

6. Maintain a Good Sleep Schedule

When you sleep, your body starts to repair and heal itself, which you’ll really need when going through withdrawal.

Feeling well-rested will also help give you the mental energy to deal with the feelings of anxiety and depression you’ll likely experience.

In order to get some good sleep, you can try doing some relaxation techniques, like meditation.

7. Do Yoga or Meditation

Some people enjoy doing yoga because it’s relaxing and can act as a meditation as well, which can help get rid of the cravings. Yoga has also been said to help people feel more balanced and focused.

It’s also great because the stretching can help your blood move and circulate throughout your body, which can help to alleviate tension and reduce some of the pain in your muscles.

Guided breathing also makes you feel more in tune with your body and understand some of the emotional responses and reactions.

Discover More of the Methadone Withdrawal Coping Mechanisms

These are only a few of the methadone withdrawal coping mechanisms, but there are many more that you might find helpful.

The important thing is to have a professional oversee your withdrawal period and help you through it. The experts know best how to help you manage your symptoms.

If you need help detoxing, make sure that you contact us today!

Medically Reviewed: September 25, 2019

Dr Ashley

Medical Reviewer

Chief Editor

About

All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.

Dr Ashley Murray obtained her MBBCh Cum Laude in 2016. She currently practices in the public domain in South Africa. She has an interest in medical writing and has a keen interest in evidence-based medicine.


All of the information on this page has been reviewed and verified by a certified addiction professional.



Methadone Detox Centers

Methadone is a useful medication when taken correctly. People who abuse it may need professional help. Get connected with a methadone detox near you today.