Exhaustion as a Physical Effect of Drug Use
Chronic drug use takes an incredible toll in the body, and can also lead to unhealthy levels of fatigue and exhaustion. The body’s systems become overtaxed by drug dependency, from days spent artificially awake on extended benders to physical fatigue from extended hyperalertness. Additionally, when side effects of drug use begin to manifest (such as dehydration, physical overexertion, or lethargy), exhaustion levels naturally increase. When the body finally gives way to physical exhaustion from drug use, drug dependent individuals may find they are forced to slow down and address the body’s need for rest and rejuvenation.
Exhaustion as a Physical Effect of Drug Use
Especially for cases of drug addiction involving stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamine derived drugs, exhaustion becomes part of a predictable dependency cycle. While under the influence of these drugs, the dependent individual’s brain chemistry becomes altered, leading the user to enter a state of surged energy and hyperalertness as the body’s “fight or flight” emergency state becomes activated. Because stimulants mimic the structure of naturally occurring chemicals in the brain, they force the release of adrenaline and serotonin. Physically, stimulant drug dependent individuals feel a euphoric sense of alertness, triggering rapid pulse, increased blood pressure, higher body temperatures, heart palpitations, and even tremors. Ultimately, the urge to expend further energy appears, as the user feels rested and the body prepares for a crisis.
Unfortunately, the intensity of these physical responses comes at a price. Each “crisis reaction” within the body naturally consumes even more energy, and the body begins to experience immense stress levels. Stress hormones are released, and bloodflow redirected to muscles, vital organs and the brain. As a result, blood is redirected from other systems that need bloodflow, and the vital organs experience physical stress due to the amount of work they are forced to perform. After a while, the body’s “fight or flight” reaction becomes stress-producing, as its intense responses are not intended to be experienced for long periods of time. With repeated drug use, the walls of the heart can begin to weaken. Furthermore, brain chemistry becomes altered, leading to chemical dependency.
Many stimulant drug users will also go days at a time without sleeping, making exhaustion worse with physically draining activities such as work binges, excessive exercise, house cleaning or even club hopping. Afterwards, even when the individual finally receives sleep, they wake absolutely exhausted from sleep deprivation, dehydration, and overexertion. In order to feel functional, drug dependent individuals use the drug again, engaging in a vicious cycle of drug use that increases in quantity, frequency, and duration as tolerance builds. The crash intensifies as well, leading many stimulant drug users to postpone sleep in order to avoid the drained feelings of “crashing.” The ultimate result is that fatigue and depression set in after each crash, further perpetuating the cycle of dependency.
Treating Physical Exhaustion From Drug Use
Fortunately, when those suffering from severe exhaustion enter a holistic drug rehab facility, they receive an individualized recovery plan that integrates health care specialists who can help repair the damage drugs have caused. Once exhaustion is properly treated and drug dependency has been cured with detox and inpatient rehab, energy levels tend to return to the pre-addiction levels. Additionally, luxury drug and alcohol rehab programs tend to offer alternative medicine treatments from nutritional, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic specialists that can help promote energy levels and flow in the body.
