SearchYawning is a routine daily action, whether you’re feeling exceptionally tired or seeing someone else do it and you become compelled to follow suit. Rarely is yawning linked to a more serious condition; however, it could also be a sign that drug addicts have entered the early stages of withdrawal. But why does this seemingly normal part of life become a signal that they might be angling for their next fix?
What Is Dope Sick?
When you or someone you love starts to experience opiate withdrawal, they enter a state commonly referred to as “dope sick.” This slang term refers to the physical pain they experience when they no longer have their drug of choice in their system. As they begin to feel the effects of the drug leave their system and their body tries to return to normal function, some of the most common side effects of dope sickness include:
- Insomnia
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Fully body chills
- Aches
- Diarrhea
- Intense night sweats
Before these symptoms manifest, there are additional signs that you can notice that signify the withdrawal symptoms are imminent — including yawning.
What Role Does Yawning Play?
Most addicts experience an array of symptoms before they delve headlong into opiate withdrawal symptoms. For the average person, these signs happen so regularly that we would dismiss them without a second thought. Whether you start excessively yawning, have a restless leg, back soreness, or even a runny nose, most addicts can link these seemingly innocuous symptoms as a sign that the painful symptoms of withdrawal are coming.
Yawning represents the first indication that they must either deal with their withdrawal or find a reliable source for their next fix. In most cases, addicts aren’t ready to commit to staying clean and will avoid feeling these painful side effects at all costs. For long-term addicts, that first yawn can act as an alarm bell that signifies they need to obtain their next fix at all costs.
For many addicts that have gone through withdrawal before, if they haven’t made it through a rehabilitation or substance abuse treatment center, they may reach for the next hit, so they don’t have to confront the physical pain of getting clean. They aren’t necessarily looking for their next fix solely to get high — they want to avoid feeling the pain.
Can Medically Assisted Programs Help Deal With the Withdrawal Symptoms?
When an addict feels one of these yawns coming, they face an important decision — deal with the symptoms and face their withdrawal head-on? Or do they seek out their vice of choice and continue their cycle of abuse? For many dealing with drug and alcohol addiction, it can prove incredibly challenging to go through the initial flushing of their systems without relapsing on their own. Quitting cold turkey without a strong support system can often prove next to impossible. However, Silver Pines Treatment Center is here to help.
Our addiction rehab and treatment services are designed to help our patients deal with the most difficult aspects of their recovery and provide the support they need to successfully quit. A proven treatment program from a reliable addiction center can offer the addict in question the necessary help from the first yawn through our personalized counseling services and live the life they have always wanted. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, contact us to learn more about our treatment services, including our heroin addiction treatment services, today.
