What is phenibut withdrawal syndrome?
Phenibut is an anti-anxiety medication that affects the GABA neurotransmitter in the brain and promotes a relaxed and calm feeling. It is used to treat depression, post traumatic stress disorder, etc. It also reduces negative thinking by controlling over active neural processing and due to its calming effect, people may get addicted to it. However, when its use is stopped, the brain cannot adjust to the absence of the drug, which results in phenibut withdrawal.
Phenibut Withdrawal Symptoms
- Brain fog
- Confusion
- Lack of concentration
- Irritability
- Mood swing
- Anxiety
- Dizziness
- Lack of balance
- Vertigo
- Agitation
- Reduced appetite
- Fatigue
- Hallucinations
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Heart palpitations
- Tremors
- Fear
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Assessment
- When acute dependence is observed speaking to a psychiatrist may help in knowing the reasons behind the addiction.
- Medical tests are to be done to know the levels of toxins in the body.
- Patient must reveal the correct details of the dosage and frequency of the use.
Treatment
- Tapering: Gradual tapering is believed to be the best approach to adopt for a systematic withdrawal. A 10% reduction in every 2 weeks in its consumption helps a person reduce intensity of the impact. It helps the brain to adjust to neurotransmission over a period of time and allows the person to function normally.
- Substitution: Another popular approach for weaning off Phenibut is through substitution. There are several medical detox programs that are designed to offer substitution medications.
- Stress Reduction: Reduction of stress through regular exercise, strong breathing practices and intake of other supplements is advised as a supportive approach to recover.
- Medical Detoxification: The severity of withdrawal effects is usually high which might need intake of certain medicines such as Baclofen for alleviating withdrawal symptoms.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: People on high dosage of phenibut usually get addicted to it due to the calm and psychoactive effects. CBT is a dedicated therapy that develops and supports the attitude of abstinence where patients can easily concentrate over sobriety during this withdrawal process while addressing the factors that often encourage the usage.
Prevention
- Avoid the use of the drug for recreational purposes.
- Taper the use of the drug rather than quitting it suddenly.
- Avoid the intake of the medication in any other method.
- Use medication to help ease withdrawal symptoms.
How long does phenibut take to detox?
Complete detox of phenibut varies from one individual to another. Usually a detoxification takes over 9 to 12 weeks. However, in severe cases, the withdrawal process can take up to 6 months. Cold turkey can quitting might not be the best method and it is better to taper gradually.