Can Withdrawal Kill You?

Opiate Withdrawal

Opioid withdrawals can feel like a bad flu⁵, or the sickest you’ve felt in your entire life. Typically, though, it’s not one of the withdrawals that can kill you. The severity of symptoms depends on your dose and how long you’ve been taking opioids. 

The discomfort of opiate withdrawals can make you crave opioids even more. For many, temptations to alleviate the pain can cause a relapse⁵. Detoxing in a residential setting could help you avoid this in your early days of recovery.

During your opioid detox period, you might experience

• Diarrhea
• Dysphoria
• Goosebumps
• Restless legs
• Muscle pains
• Dizziness
• Insomnia
• Malaise
• High heart rate

You can die from dehydration during opioid withdrawals⁶, caused by excessive vomiting and diarrhea. This catastrophic effect usually happens in jails, where prompt (and sufficient) medical care isn’t as common. 

Medications can curb the effects of opioid withdrawals⁷. For opioid detox, your doctor may prescribe methadone, buprenorphine, clonidine, and lofexidine. Each operates in different ways to diminish cravings and make withdrawals more comfortable. You can continue to take these medications to maintain your sobriety.

Heroin Withdrawal

As a short-acting opioid, heroin’s withdrawals typically set in 8-24 hours after your last dose⁷. They can last 4-10 days. 

Heroin’s withdrawal symptoms mimic a very bad flu. Turning to opioid-agonists, like methadone, can help you taper off high doses and maintain sobriety. Methadone relieves cravings and discomfort without the euphoric rush of heroin and other opioids⁸, making it non-addictive at the proper dose. 

And, using a maintenance medication like methadone reduces the risk of relapse by satisfying cravings⁸. This can also prevent HIV and infections caused by needle sharing—and, largely, relapse in general. 

Benzodiazepine Withdrawal

Depending on your dose and length of use, benzodiazepine withdrawals can be life threatening. Benzos treat anxiety and sleep disorders⁵ but could become addictive if used too long. Detoxing from benzos presents several dangers.

Benzo withdrawals resemble alcohol withdrawals⁵, which have a death risk. For that reason, you’ll likely need to detox in a medically monitored setting, like a hospital or residential rehab. Here’s what you might experience during benzodiazepine detox⁹:

• Seizures
• Muscle pains
• Insomnia
• Anxiety
• Restlessness
• Agitation
• Difficulty concentrating
• Hand tremors
• Excessive sweating
• Heart palpitations
• Catatonia
• Death

Withdrawal symptoms usually begin 2-10 days after your last dose and can last 2-8 weeks. You can manage the symptoms by gradually weaning off benzodiazepines⁵, which gives your body time to adjust to lower doses. Going cold turkey, or stopping all at once, could cause psychosis, death, seizures, and convulsions¹⁰.  

Withdrawing From Multiple Substances

There’s limited research on detoxing from multiple substances. But, the available research shows each drug needs its own attention during detox¹¹. For example, detoxing from a stimulant and a depressant at the same time requires a more nuanced approach. So, physicians may prescribe 2 withdrawal medications to combat the effects of multiple substances. 

Withdrawing from multiple substances has its challenges, but it’s not uncommon. A study found 71% of patients in detox were withdrawing from 2 or more substances¹¹. Your care provider will make the ultimate decision regarding any medications you’ll need during detox and how the process might look for you. 

Getting Treatment for Withdrawal Symptoms

At best, detoxing might feel uncomfortable. At worst, it could kill you. But for each end of the detoxing spectrum, you have treatment options. 

For many withdrawal symptoms, you may need the help and care of a detox center. Or, a residential rehab with a detox program. In a center like this, you can begin therapeutic residential treatment right after detoxing.
To see your options, you can browse our list of rehabs with detox that includes pricing, photos, insurance information, and more.