How to Deal with Depression from Opiate Withdrawal
How to Deal with Depression from Opiate Withdrawal
Depression from opiate withdrawal can negatively impact someone’s mental health, wellness, and path towards sobriety.
Depression From Opiate Withdrawal
Depression from opiate withdrawal is a common side effect that can have long-lasting effects. Fortunately, depression and opiate addiction are both highly treatable. There are several medications and therapies available that have been proven to reduce opiate withdrawal symptoms and help people find recovery.
What Is Opiate Withdrawal?
Opiate withdrawal, also frequently referred to as opioid withdrawal, is the set of symptoms that occurs when opiate use suddenly stops. Opiates and opioids include drugs such as heroin, morphine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and fentanyl, which all similarly affect the brain and body.
Opioid withdrawal symptoms are intensely uncomfortable and closely parallel severe flu symptoms. Fortunately, opiate withdrawal is not typically life-threatening, and opiate withdrawal treatment can vastly improve symptoms and help people break through this first phase of recovery.
How Long Do Opioid Withdrawal Symptoms Last?
The opiate withdrawal timeline differs for everyone, depending on factors like:
But typically, detox from opiates results in symptoms that resolve in a week or two.
Symptoms of Opiate Withdrawal


Opiate Withdrawal Timeline
Opiate detox can last up to two weeks, but the severity of symptoms typically peaks after just a few days, then gradually gets better. The opiate withdrawal timeline has three stages; these stages will be detailed below.
Stage 1: Early Withdrawal
Stage 2: Peak Period
The peak period of opiate withdrawal typically happens three or four days after opiates were last used. Signs of opiate withdrawal in this stage include nausea, insomnia, diarrhea, and intense mood swings.
If left untreated, this stage can be an incredibly intense and harrowing experience, as the withdrawal symptoms of drugs like heroin and oxycodone feel overwhelming.
Stage 3: Post Acute Withdrawal
After the peak period, the major symptoms of opiate withdrawal begin to subside. People may still feel sick for up to two weeks, but at a much lower intensity than during the peak period. However, post-acute withdrawal can last for months, if not years. This is where depression from opiate withdrawal can kick in, as lingering symptoms can lead people to feel that the promises of recovery have been left unfulfilled.
Do Opiates Cause Depression?
When people feel depressed during the post-acute withdrawal phase, it happens for one of two reasons:
The use of opiates for depression that was already present can be a form of self-medication.
Opiate Withdrawal Depression
Depression and opiate addiction can be related, as in the case of oxycodone and depression. Many drugs affect the brain through the dopamine pathway in the brain’s reward network. Opiate use causes a flood of dopamine to enter the brain, giving a strong sense of reward. The longer drug use continues, the more the brain adjusts to these new dopamine levels by cutting back on the receptors which process dopamine when it arrives.
This downregulation of dopamine receptors can make people feel less and less rewarded by pleasurable everyday experiences. Going to the beach for a day may sound great to most people, but someone with opioid use disorder may find the experience boring. This can lead to clinically significant depression from opiate withdrawal and is a key target for treatment.
Common Opiates Used to Self-Medicate
However, the use of opioids for depression that was already present is also common. Opiates used for depression include:


Opiates and Depression Treatment
People experiencing depression from opiate withdrawal, whether from the use of opiates for depression or new depression resulting from opiate withdrawal, need professional addiction treatment to recover.
The best treatment centers will combine mental health and addiction treatment services, including:
These services can help people learn about the risks of substance use, develop healthy coping skills, repair and nurture their relationships, and treat co-occurring mental illnesses simultaneously.
Get Help for Opiate Withdrawal at San Diego Detox
When you’re ready to start opioid withdrawal treatment and get help for co-occurring depression, reach out to the professionals at San Diego Detox. From the moment you call our premier addiction treatment center, our experienced team will be there to support you every step of the way. Don’t delay treatment any longer — recovery is worth the effort.
Learn More About San Diego Detox
Our team is standing by to discuss your situation and options. Your call is fully confidential, and no obligation is required.
Resources
- https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/000949.htm
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK310652/
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1555415521005523?casa_token=Pq8f-JPakOcAAAAA:jsLs5TDLu6V8f1UuinhVEhiLj_1eo4mlwaaN7Vzw1J1Qqw_9arhpmadBEssZDIJmzZis0e9PJg
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6175215/