Find drug withdrawal timelines and symptoms for the 36 most abused drugs in the United States. Use the table of contents to search by category / type of drug. Along with an overview of symptoms you will find links to detailed guides that cover every aspect of withdrawal from alcohol, heroin, benzos, oxycodone, fentanyl, cocaine, crystal meth, and many more addictive substances.
In This Article:
Drug withdrawal, in essence, is the result of changes made by the body and brain to continue functioning in the presence of drugs. Withdrawal symptoms are not a result of the drug per se, but the responses the body makes to the continued presence of a drug. Different drugs affect the body in different ways and to different degrees, thus there can be a wide range of withdrawal symptoms ranging from slightly uncomfortable to life-threatening depending on the specific drug used.
The changes that are made by the body and brain in response to chronic drug use will often produce extremely uncomfortable effects once drug use ceases. The timeline for drug withdrawal can vary from just a few days to several weeks depending on a number of different factors. Following this acute phase of withdrawal, many people experience post-acute withdrawal syndrome, which is a less intense form of withdrawal symptoms that may persist for quite some time.
Opioids are extremely addictive and can produce some extremely uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms. The timeline for opioid withdrawal can vary between particular drugs, as can the intensity. Some opioids produce mild withdrawal symptoms, while others can produce severe symptoms. The timeline for opioid withdrawal can also vary between drugs; from 3 days to 2 weeks. Find out more about withdrawal symptoms and timelines for heroin, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, Vicodin, codeine, Opana, Dilaudid, fentanyl, methadone, Suboxone, tramadol, and kratom below.
The symptoms of heroin withdrawal can be extremely painful, both physically and psychologically. It will cause pain in the muscles, joints, and bones while also producing insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, tremors, repeated yawning, cardiovascular issues, and intensely hot and cold flashes. Psychological symptoms may include intense anxiety, strong cravings, and deep depression which may persist for weeks or months.
Withdrawal Timeline: 4 to 7 Days
This timeline may vary between people, but it can be as short as 4 days or as long as 7 days. Note that this is the acute phase of withdrawal which exhibits symptoms both physical and mental. The post-acute phase is strictly psychological and may last for weeks or months. The largest contributor is how much heroin someone used, how long they used it, and which route they chose to use it
The physical symptoms include insomnia, frequent diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, shakes and tremor, severe cardiovascular fluctuations, intensely hot and cold flashes, alongside deep pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. The psychological symptoms are just as intense and include very intense cravings for fentanyl, a deep and profound depression, and severe anxiety.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
The timeline for fentanyl withdrawal is similar to other opiates, and may possibly be a little longer. Due to fentanyl’s half-life, someone may begin experiencing symptoms within 12 hours of the last time they used the drug. The physical and psychological symptoms will appear and intensify rapidly, typically reaching their peak around 4 days after they begin. Toward the end of the first week after they appeared, the physical symptoms will begin to dissipate, usually being resolved around 8 days after they first appeared. The psychological symptoms are another story, and while the first week may see a slight improvement, they should be expected to remain at high levels for several weeks at least. They may be present to some degree for several more months.
The physical symptoms of morphine withdrawal include tremors, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, constant yawning, cardiovascular abnormalities, with intense flashes of hot and cold. Psychologically, morphine withdrawal may manifest anxiety, strong morphine cravings, and depression.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
Morphine withdrawal symptoms usually begin within 6 to 12 hours after the last time morphine was used. The length of morphine withdrawal can vary somewhat but is usually around 5 to 7 days. The physical symptoms will emerge, escalate, and disappear over this timeline, but psychological symptoms may persist for several weeks or even months afterward. It is often a months-long process to fully recover from morphine withdrawal.
Oxycodone withdrawal seems to affect the gastrointestinal tract more than other opiates so nausea, diarrhea, and abdominal cramping can be severe. In addition, someone may experience insomnia, tremor, cardiovascular problems, hot and cold flashes, as well as pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. The psychological symptoms include deep depression, intense anxiety, and strong cravings.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
Oxycodone withdrawal symptoms will begin to appear between 6 to 12 hours after the last time someone used the drug. The withdrawal timeline from oxycodone may be roughly 5 to 7 days, but will most likely tend towards the higher end. This is due to its potency as well as the half-life of oxycodone and its active metabolites. This week will mark the appearance, intensification, and finally the resolution of the physical symptoms, although the psychological symptoms will persist much longer than this; oftentimes lasting for several months.
In addition to the usual physical withdrawal symptoms from opiates such as insomnia, intense tremor, diarrhea, vomiting, stomach cramps, and hot and cold flashes there will also usually be a greater degree of cardiovascular disruption. The psychological symptoms will be much more intense as well and include crippling anxiety, profound depression, and severe cravings for methadone. Due to the added effects on glutamate receptors, there will be more neurological hyperactivity during methadone withdrawal than with other opiates.
Withdrawal Timeline: 10 to 14 Days
The timeline for methadone withdrawal is much longer than it is for other opiates. This is mostly due to the extremely long half-life of methadone. The symptoms can commonly last for around 2 weeks, with a gradual appearance, increase, and slow dissipation over this timeline. The intense psychological symptoms may persist for much longer than 2 weeks, however, typically lasting 6 months or more.
The major physical symptoms during suboxone withdrawal include insomnia, minor stomach cramps, diarrhea, repeated yawning, severe restlessness, and mild pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. The psychological symptoms include anxiety, depression, and cravings for suboxone.
Withdrawal Timeline: 14 to 17 Days
Suboxone withdrawal is a very long process; much longer than withdrawal from most other opiates. Due to suboxone’s long half-life and the fact that it is very lipophilic, symptoms usually don’t appear until 2 to 3 days after the last dose was taken. Once they do appear, they may increase slowly over 5 days or so, plateau, and then gradually reduce. Usually, about 14 to 17 days after the last dose was taken, the physical withdrawal symptoms have resolved, although the psychological symptoms may remain for several months.
The physical symptoms can include insomnia, diarrhea, minor tremors, yawning, minor cardiovascular irregularities, hot and cold flashes, and minor pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. The psychological symptoms include intense anxiety, depression, and cravings for hydrocodone.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 8 Days
The timeline for hydrocodone withdrawal is similar to most opiates, and while not quite as intense, it may tend slightly to the longer side. Lasting roughly between 5 to 8 days, the physical symptoms should appear within a day of last use and will increase, stabilize, and begin resolving over this timeframe. The psychological symptoms will begin alongside the physical symptoms but will persist long after the physical symptoms have resolved, typically taking several weeks to fully subside.
The physical symptoms may appear as insomnia, diarrhea and minor stomach cramps, slight tremor, repetitive yawning, cardiovascular abnormalities, minor hot and cold flashes, with mild pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. Psychological symptoms can include cravings, depression, and anxiety.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 8 Days
Due to the quite long half-life of ~8 hours, the withdrawal timeline for Vicodin may be slightly longer than withdrawal from other opiates. Symptoms should appear within ~18 hours of the last time someone used the drug and will increase over the next few days. By the third or fourth day after the last use, the symptoms should reach their maximum level, and begin a slow remission. All in all, the physical symptoms of Vicodin withdrawal may last between 5 to 8 days in total. The psychological symptoms will persist for several more weeks.
Physical withdrawal symptoms from codeine will include the standard opiate withdrawal symptoms including insomnia, nausea and mild diarrhea, frequent yawning, slightly increased heart rate or blood pressure, minor holt and cold flashes, and mild pain in the muscles, joints, and bones. The psychological symptoms will include anxiety, depression, and cravings.
Withdrawal Timeline: 4 to 7 Days
The timeline for codeine withdrawal is roughly 4 to 7 days and symptoms will begin within 24 hours of the last time someone used the drug. The physical symptoms will begin and intensify over the first few days, peak on the third or fourth day, and decrease until resolved by the end of 7 days. The psychological symptoms will appear alongside the physical symptoms, but often persist much longer; commonly taking several weeks to fully resolve.
The physical symptoms include insomnia, tremors, excessive diarrhea, vomiting, constant yawning, cardiovascular disturbances, with intense hot and cold flashes. Pain in the joints, bones, and muscles will be moderate to severe and a feeling of intense restlessness is common. The psychological symptoms include severe anxiety, deep depression, and very intense cravings for Dilaudid is common.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
Dilaudid withdrawal can be excruciating, and due to its potency and short half-life, the symptoms can begin and escalate within 6 to 12 hours of the last time the drug was used. The total time frame involved is somewhere between 5 and 7 days. The physical symptoms will appear and escalate quickly, usually reaching their peak within two or three days before plateauing and gradually declining. The psychological symptoms may persist for many weeks or even months longer than this, although they will decrease with time.
These physical symptoms include insomnia, constant yawning, cardiovascular issues, frequent diarrhea, tremors, vomiting, intensely hot and cold flashes, and moderate or severe pain in the bones, joints, and muscles. The psychological symptoms include intense anxiety, profound depression, and severe cravings for opana.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
The timeline for opana withdrawal is quite similar to general opiate withdrawal, typically lasting between 5 and 7 days. Due to the half-life of opana, someone may begin to feel withdrawal symptoms between 12 and 16 hours after the last time they used the drug. These symptoms will intensify over the next few days, stabilize by the third or fourth day, and begin resolving until they are gone. The physical symptoms are often totally gone by the end of the seventh day. The psychological symptoms may persist for many weeks, or possibly even months longer.
The physical symptoms include stomach cramps, insomnia, mild diarrhea, yawning, hot and cold flashes, and aches in the muscles, joints, and bones. Some of the psychological symptoms include deep depression (possibly with suicidal thoughts), severe anxiety and/or panic attacks, wild mood swings, fatigue, a profound lethargy, and strong cravings for tramadol. The psychological symptoms are the real threat, as they can be quite severe.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
The timeline for tramadol withdrawal can vary, depending greatly on co-occurring mental health issues. For the most part, the physical symptoms will be resolved within 7 days; starting between 6 to 12 hours after the last time someone used the drug. The psychological symptoms may persist for many weeks or possibly even months. The severity of these mental symptoms will diminish over time, but withdrawal from tramadol can be a psychologically harrowing experience.
The most common symptoms include yawning, anxiety, depression, insomnia, mood swings, tremor, diarrhea, nausea, elevated blood pressure, and pain in the muscles, joints, or bones.
Withdrawal Timeline: 6 to 10 Days
The timeline for kratom withdrawal may be slightly longer than classical opioid withdrawal. The main active compound has a half-life of ~6 hours, which is about twice as long as morphine. Additionally, due to the relative weakness of kratom compared to morphine coupled with its half-life, a rough estimate of the acute withdrawal timeline is between 6 to 10 days, although this depends greatly on the amounts that someone used. Similar to opioids, there will be an acute withdrawal phase characterized by painful or uncomfortable physical symptoms followed by a protracted but, strictly psychological, post-acute set of symptoms which may take additional weeks or months to fully resolve.
Withdrawal from depressant drugs can produce some of the more dangerous symptoms. Depending on the drug, withdrawal can sometimes even be fatal. The intensity of withdrawal symptoms will vary between different drugs, but depressants tend to produce very uncomfortable symptoms even during episodes of mild withdrawal. The timeline for depressant withdrawal can vary greatly, again, depending on which particular depressant drug someone has been using. Find out more about the withdrawal symptoms and timelines for alcohol, Xanax, Valium, Klonopin, Ativan, GHB, Ambien, Ketamine, Lyrica, gabapentin, phenibut, and marijuana.
Some of the most common symptoms are increased anxiety, tremor, insomnia, depression, confusion, and cardiovascular disruptions. The more severe symptoms include seizures, hallucinations, and delirium which may progress to a condition unique to alcohol withdrawal known as delirium tremens.
The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal are some of the most dangerous out of any withdrawal syndrome. Unmonitored alcohol withdrawal can easily be fatal due to the severity of the neurological disruptions it produces. If someone is expecting to go through alcohol withdrawal, they often need medical supervision as this is an extremely dangerous withdrawal syndrome.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 to 7 Days
The timeline for alcohol withdrawal can vary greatly between individuals, largely dependant upon use history and liver health. In general, the withdrawal symptoms from alcohol can begin between 6 to 12 hours after the last time someone had a drink. These symptoms will worsen over the first few days with the greatest risk of dangerous complications being from 36 to 72 hours after withdrawal began. From there, symptoms will fade and are typically resolved by a week after the last drink. Post-acute symptoms may persist for several more weeks or months, although these will dissipate with time.
The most common symptoms of withdrawal include muscle pain, involuntary muscle spasms or jerks, sensitivity to light and sound, severe anxiety and irritability, strong cravings, depression, hallucinations, insomnia, confusion and delirium, and an increased risk of seizures. Xanax withdrawal seizures have been documented to result in coma and death if left untreated.
Withdrawal Timeline: 1 to 2 Weeks
Because of the half-life of Xanax, withdrawal symptoms will begin within a day of the last time someone used the drug. The symptoms may escalate rapidly and remain intense for an extended time. Hallucinations and risk of seizure are most severe in the first week of withdrawal, but the rest of the symptoms will persist for at least 2 weeks on average. While the majority of the physical symptoms may have resolved by 2 to 3 weeks after ceasing Xanax use, the psychological symptoms and insomnia may persist for many more weeks or even months.
Some of the most common symptoms include tremors, severe anxiety, insomnia, irritability, muscle pain, muscle spasms, hallucinations, cravings, and clouded or disorganized thinking. These symptoms may be relatively mild as far a benzo withdrawal goes, but they are nonetheless extremely unpleasant.
Withdrawal Timeline: 2 to 3 Weeks
The duration of valium withdrawal can be prolonged, often lasting many weeks or even months. Symptoms will usually emerge slowly between 2 and 3 days after the last time someone used the drug. While the symptoms may vary throughout the duration, the first and second weeks seem to exhibit the most severe symptoms. Hallucinations are most intense during the first week, and then gradually subside over the next month. Tremor, anxiety, irritability, muscle spasms, and insomnia may remain intense until ~4 weeks after the last drug use and then begin to resolve slowly. Muscle pains may begin slowly during week 1, increase until week 3, and then begin a slow resolution. It is often many months before someone will begin to feel normal again after quitting valium.
Symptoms include insomnia, muscle pain and spasms, hallucinations, hypersensitivity to light and sound, severe anxiety, intense cravings, deep depression, increased risk of seizure, and profound disorientation or delirium. In the absence of medical supervision, Klonopin withdrawal seizures may result in coma and/or death.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 to 4 Weeks
These symptoms will appear and intensify slowly but will reach extreme severity within a week of the last time someone used Klonopin. These may persist at a high level for several weeks, and the worst of the physical symptoms may resolve around 3 to 4 weeks after they began. The psychological symptoms commonly persist for many months or even years before they resolve completely.
Symptoms of Ativan withdrawal include insomnia, intense anxiety and irritability, hallucinations, confusion and delirium, depression, muscle pain and involuntary spasms, increased sensitivity to light and sound, strong cravings, and an increased risk of seizure. Ativan withdrawal seizures may be fatal if left untreated.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 to 4 Weeks
The timeline for Ativan withdrawal is quite long as far as drug withdrawal goes; typically lasting several weeks. Symptoms may begin to appear around 1 day after the last time someone used the drug and escalate quickly over the first few days. Hallucinations and delirium may be severe at first and slowly resolve over the first week. The rest of the physical symptoms may appear and increase over 2 weeks or so before plateauing and finally dissipating. In total, the acute withdrawal symptoms may be resolved after 3 to 4 weeks after the last Ativan use, but the psychological symptoms will remain for several months to some degree.
Some of the most common symptoms include increased anxiety, insomnia, irritability, depression, headaches, stomach pain, shakiness, and clouded or disorganized thinking. These may be mild, but they usually last for a relatively long time.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 Weeks
The half-life of THC can vary between regular and infrequent users due to its fat solubility. In a regular marijuana user, the half-life can be around 10 days. Due to the long half-life and high solubility of the active compounds, particularly THC and CBD, the marijuana withdrawal timeline can often take several weeks. The first week will see the emergence of the worst symptoms with a gradual decrease in severity over the second week. The third week may mark the resolution of the worst symptoms, and it may be several more weeks or months for post-acute symptoms to fully resolve.
The symptoms include muscle cramps, intense headaches, severe anxiety and irritability, depression, hallucinations, insomnia, confusion and delirium, and an increased risk of seizures. These symptoms require medical attention and may be fatal if left untreated.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 10 Days
The symptoms of Ambien withdrawal usually begin about 48 hours after the last time someone used the drug. While there have been very few clinical studies describing Ambien withdrawal, mostly due to the low rate of abuse, it most likely is shorter than benzodiazepine withdrawal, due to both the very short half-life and the relative weakness of zolpidem compared to other benzos. After symptoms begin, it may be between 5 to 10 days before the most dangerous acute symptoms fade. After this, the post-acute symptoms of depression, anxiety, and cravings will most likely persist for several more weeks or months.
Some of these symptoms include delirium, seizures, hallucinations, psychosis, paranoia, tremors, hyper- or hypothermia, cardiovascular abnormalities, insomnia, irritability, and extreme anxiety. Many of these symptoms may result in death or injury, not only to the person experiencing withdrawal but others nearby if the GHB user becomes psychotic and violent.
Withdrawal Timeline: 2 Weeks
Due to the very short half-life of GHB of roughly 1 hour, symptoms will appear and intensify very quickly, often within 6 hours of the last time someone used the drug. The acute withdrawal symptoms typically last for about 14 days, although delirium may come and go over this time. After this time, post-acute withdrawal syndrome will be the biggest concern, although the symptoms are strictly psychological. Post-acute symptoms include strong cravings, depression, and anxiety and these may last for many more weeks or even months before completely resolving.
Symptoms of acute ketamine withdrawal include anxiety, depression, irritability, psychosis, tremors, fatigue, cravings, and cognitive difficulties. The possibility of psychosis, hallucinations, and irritability can be a dangerous cocktail of symptoms that may result in violent outbursts. Medical help is definitely advised if someone is going to undergo ketamine withdrawal.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 to 7 Days
Due to the lack of clinical studies on ketamine withdrawal since such heavy use is exceedingly rare as well as its very complex mechanism of action, it is difficult to pin down the exact timeline for ketamine withdrawal. As an estimate, acute withdrawal may last between 3 to 7 days while post-acute withdrawal symptoms may linger for several weeks afterward.
The symptoms of Lyrica withdrawal include severe headaches, fatigue, lethargy, anxiety, depression, tremors, insomnia, and joint or muscle pain. There may be an increased risk of seizure as well, although this is rare.
Withdrawal Timeline: 1 Week
The exact timeline for Lyrica withdrawal is hard to define clearly. While it works in a roughly similar way to other drugs, it does so in an indirect and roundabout manner. That being said, it has a half-life of ~6 hours so withdrawal symptoms should start within a day or two after the last time someone used the drug. Due to its relatively low potency, the withdrawal symptoms will most likely subside after around 7 days, although this has not been well studied. Keep in mind that these are the acute withdrawal symptoms, and the post-acute symptoms may persist for several more weeks or months.
Some of the most commonly experienced symptoms include seizures, tremors, nausea, anxiety, depression, fatigue, headaches, and increased irritability. Seizures are an especially dangerous risk, as these can progress to status epilepticus, which may be fatal. It is necessary to acquire medical help and supervision if gabapentin withdrawal is expected.
Withdrawal Timeline: 1 to 3 Weeks
The timeline for gabapentin withdrawal can vary quite a lot between people. Symptoms may start between 12 hours to 7 days since the last time someone used the drug. The symptom timeline closely resembles benzodiazepine withdrawal in that the acute phase may last for several weeks, followed by a protracted post-acute withdrawal syndrome lasting several months. Since the time of symptoms onset varies so much, the overall withdrawal timeline may vary greatly between individuals as well.
The most common symptoms of phenibut withdrawal include severe anxiety, increased irritability or hostility, insomnia, depression, delirium, and possibly seizures. In rare cases, hallucinations have also manifest. These symptoms can vary greatly in intensity, both due to tolerance as well as the fact that there is no regulation of purity for most phenibut outside of Russia. These symptoms may become life-threatening due to seizures, and medical help is absolutely recommended when someone is undergoing phenibut withdrawal.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 Weeks
The timeline for phenibut withdrawal has not been studied very closely, but we can present a rough guide due to its similarity to benzodiazepines and other GABA agents. Phenibut has a short half-life of ~5 hours, so withdrawal symptoms will begin within 12 hours of the last time someone used the drug. The acute symptoms may intensify over the first week and begin dissipating during the second week. Around three weeks after the last time someone used phenibut, the withdrawal should enter the post-acute phase with strictly psychological symptoms. These may linger for several months but will gradually decrease in intensity.
Stimulant withdrawal is rarely fatal on its own, although it can still be extremely unpleasant. The symptoms are usually psychological, but this can still lead to dangerous complications in some cases. The length of stimulant withdrawal can be fairly prolonged. Even though the symptoms begin to resolve within a few weeks, it may be quite some time before someone is feeling “normal” again. Find out more about the withdrawal symptoms and timeline for drugs such as crystal meth, cocaine, crack, Ritalin, Adderall, Vyvanse, ecstasy, and dextromethorphan below.
The most common symptoms include deep depression, overwhelming fatigue, lethargy, increased appetite, sleep problems, strong cravings, and cognitive problems including clouded thinking and memory difficulties.
Withdrawal Timeline: 7 to 10 Days
The timeline for cocaine withdrawal can be fairly long, commonly lasting several weeks. The half-life of cocaine is extremely short at roughly 1 hour, so withdrawal symptoms will begin very shortly after the last use. While there is technically no “acute” phase of cocaine withdrawal, the symptoms will start out very intense and then gradually reduce over subsequent weeks. The first week will exhibit severe symptoms, but after 7 to 10 days, these should be greatly reduced. The symptoms which typically persist the full 10 weeks and are the last to resolve are usually cravings, irritability, and lethargy.
Symptoms include profound depression, utter fatigue, profound lethargy, sleep problems (either insomnia or hypersomnia), psychosis and confusion, cognitive issues, and intense cravings for meth. It is not uncommon for people experiencing meth withdrawal to become delirious or even psychotic when the drug begins to wear off, although this commonly resolves in the first day or two of abstinence. The symptoms of crystal meth withdrawal are strictly psychological in nature, however they are extremely severe.
Withdrawal Timeline: 7 to 10 Days
With a half-life of ~6 to 17 hours, the symptoms of meth withdrawal will begin within a day of the last time someone used the drug. The acute phase of meth withdrawal commonly lasts between 7 to 10 days which is the average time it takes dopamine levels to stabilize after such a profound depletion. Upon quitting meth use, the psychosis and delirium will fade first but the cognitive issues and other psychological symptoms will persist for a very long time. It is often many months or even years before the symptoms have completely resolved. This timeline can differ, sometimes greatly, between people and has a great deal to do with individual genetics and the possibility of co-occurring mental health issues.
Someone may expect depression, fatigue, lethargy, sleep disturbances, cravings, irritability, and minor cognitive issues during withdrawal. The sleep symptoms in particular may begin as hypersomnia, but progress to insomnia throughout the course of withdrawal. Cognitive issues may range from being slightly distracted, to having extremely clouded and disorganized thoughts.
Withdrawal Timeline: 6 to 8 Days
The withdrawal timeline for Adderall can vary quite a bit between people due to genetics and overall mental health. Due to Adderall’s half-life of ~12 hours, the symptoms will begin to appear about 1 day after the last time someone used Adderall. These symptoms will typically worsen in the first few days, stabilize around the middle of the first week, and begin to resolve a few days after they began. In total, about 7 days is the extent of acute Adderall withdrawal from symptom appearance to dissipation. That being said, some of the symptoms such as depression and fatigue may be present for quite some time; often several months after Adderall use has ceased.
Symptoms of Ritalin withdrawal include depression, fatigue, lethargy, sleep trouble, clouded thinking, cravings, and increased irritability. Due to Ritalin’s relatively low potency, these symptoms will be very uncomfortable but pose no direct danger to the individual themselves, nor to others since psychosis is extremely rare during Ritalin withdrawal.
Withdrawal Timeline: 5 to 7 Days
The timeline for withdrawal from Ritalin is fairly short as far as stimulants go, although vestigial symptoms may linger for several weeks or months. Ritalin has a very short half-life of between 3 to 4 hours, so someone will begin experiencing withdrawal symptoms within 12 hours of their last use. These symptoms will appear and amplify over 3 days or so before stabilizing and beginning a gradual resolution. All in all, the most severe symptoms should be gone within 7 days of the last time someone used Ritalin.
Some of the most common symptoms of Vyvanse withdrawal include sleep problems, depression, fatigue, lethargy, cognitive problems, irritability, and cravings. These symptoms are not fatal, and dangerous symptoms such as psychosis or delirium are extremely rare.
Withdrawal Timeline: 6 to 8 Days
The timeline for Vyvanse withdrawal can be difficult to pin down, due to the individual differences in metabolism which can affect the levels of the drug someone was exposed to. The half-life of lisdexamfetamine is less than 1 hour but the half-life of dextroamphetamine, the major active metabolite of Vyvanse, is 12 hours. Due to this, the Vyvanse withdrawal timeline may be very similar to Adderall withdrawal in duration, usually lasting about 7 days from the last time someone used the drug. Minor symptoms may persist for several weeks, or possibly even months after use has ceased but these will reduce in intensity over time.
Some of the most commonly reported symptoms include deep depression (with or without suicidal thoughts), irritability, extreme fatigue, severe lethargy, increased appetite, sleep disturbances, memory difficulties, and cognitive issues which can be quite severe. Both the memory and cognitive issues can be quite severe, and a full recovery may take years if it happens at all.
Withdrawal Timeline: 2 Weeks
The timeline for ecstasy withdrawal is close to that of crystal meth, although slightly less intense. Ecstasy’s half-life of between 6 to 10 hours means that someone will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms within a day of their last use. Symptoms will begin and intensify over the first week, stabilize, and begin to reduce during the second week. Usually, by 12 to 15 days after symptoms have begun, they should be greatly improved. Memory issues and cognitive problems may be a long-term, or even permanent, feature after chronic ecstasy use and withdrawal.
Common symptoms include disorganized or slowed thinking, impaired coordination, depression, fatigue, nausea, diarrhea, lethargy, and increased anxiety. These symptoms are certainly uncomfortable, but as far as withdrawal syndromes go, dextromethorphan seems to be on the milder side.
Withdrawal Timeline: 3 to 6 Days
There have not been many human studies performed on the timeline for dextromethorphan withdrawal. That being said, due to its relatively short half-life of between 3 to 6 hours and the disparate neurological systems affected, dextromethorphan withdrawal may last between 3 to 6 days roughly. Of course, this depends on the amount of DXM someone was using, and the length of their use, as both of these factors can alter the timeline.
Symptoms of acute nicotine withdrawal include increased anxiety, irritability, headaches, clouded thinking, insomnia, depression, and severe cravings. While not fatal or dangerous, these symptoms are intense and extremely unpleasant.
Withdrawal Timeline: 4 to 5 Days
The timeline for nicotine withdrawal is fairly short compared to other drug withdrawal syndromes. Nicotine has a short half-life of ~1 to 3 hours, so withdrawal symptoms will begin around 4 to 5 hours after the last time someone used nicotine. The acute symptoms will escalate over the first two days without nicotine and may resolve on the fourth or fifth day. The next three weeks will exhibit a gradual reduction in the post-acute symptoms and after a month without nicotine, most of these symptoms should be resolved.
Designer drugs are not a specific type of drug, but rather a family of synthetic compounds that are intended to mimic naturally occurring drugs. The withdrawal symptoms from these types of drugs can vary greatly, as can the withdrawal timeline. Some drugs may produce symptoms for days, while withdrawal from other designer drugs may result in symptoms lasting for weeks or even months. Find out more about withdrawal from designer drugs such as bath salts and spice below.
The symptoms of spice withdrawal are very similar to marijuana withdrawal and include insomnia, increased anxiety, depression, stomach pain, increased irritability, shakiness, headaches, and clouded or disorganized thinking. These symptoms may not be very severe, but they often last a long time.
Withdrawal Timeline: 2 to 3 Weeks
The timeline for spice withdrawal is difficult to describe accurately, as the active ingredients in spice change rapidly, as does the ratio of active ingredient to filler between batches. They are synthetic cannabinoids, and when one becomes illegal, manufacturers simply put a newer, not-yet-illegal cannabinoid in place of the recently illegalized one. Because of this, there is no way to know for sure what the exact timeline is. For a rough guide, we can trace the marijuana withdrawal timeline which is roughly 3 to 4 weeks depending on how much someone used. The worst symptoms should be gone by week two, with an almost complete resolution by the end of a month. Post-acute symptoms may persist for several more weeks or months, although these will decline in intensity over time.
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