Understanding Excessive Perspiration During Withdrawal Detox

This article explores the link between detox and sweating, helping you understand why it happens and offering practical tips to manage it, supporting a comfortable, complete recovery.

What is withdrawal detox?

As the body goes through drug or alcohol detox, it experiences a spectrum of symptoms. Some symptoms are mild, while others are severe or even life-threatening. They depend on the type of substance used, the duration and intensity of use, or even your specific physiology.

Some of the most common signs that the body is going through detoxification include:

• Intense cravings
• Vomiting and nausea
• Tremors and shaking
• Becoming anxious and irritable
• Fatigue and constant tiredness
• Sharp, prolonged headaches
• Disturbed sleep and insomnia

How does sweating relate to detoxification?

An increase in the amount you sweat is an additional sign that your body is entering a rigorous cleansing stage. As the body eliminates toxins and enters the healing process, sweating more can help expel substances through the skin’s pores.

When sweating becomes excessive, it is called hyperhidrosis. Large amounts of sweat exiting your body can be unsettling, interfering with your peace of mind and the comfortable sleep your body is crying out for. In addition to the nerves and anxieties you may feel in withdrawal, being drenched in sweat can make you feel self-conscious and unhygienic.

However, it may help to understand sweating as a relatively natural response to detox, showing that your body is cleansing itself, starting with the inside and ending on the outside.

Which substances are linked to sweating during detox?

As a person falls deeper into dependence and addiction, the reasons why your body performs tasks like sweating are affected. Many substances interfere with the body’s capability to sweat as a natural response to outside factors.

Then, as you enter detox and cleanse the substance from your body, you may find unexpected sweating happens quite frequently. Research lists sweating as a common withdrawal symptom that happens when you stop chronic drug use, a result of your autonomic regulation being disrupted.

Some of the most common substances that have a direct impact on the amount you sweat include:

Helping to manage excessive perspiration during detox

Whether you’re trying to manage alone or in professional rehab, withdrawal can feel like a war raging inside your body. To combat the physical and mental distress you might feel while withdrawing, steps should be taken to make sure your external environment is as comfortable as possible.

Here are some steps to help make the process more comfortable and to reduce excessive sweating:

When to seek medical attention for hyperhidrosis

Many substances raise your heart rate and may even create a spike in your heartbeats, increasing the temperature on your skin’s surface. At this point, a rapidly beating heart may cause profuse sweating and may indicate a more serious issue, such as a heart attack.If you notice that you usually don’t sweat while taking a substance, but now you suddenly do, it may be best to seek medical attention. This could be a sign of a more serious condition happening inside your body.

Lastly, if you are sweating profusely after you’ve stopped taking a substance, seek medical help. This can be a sign of significant withdrawal, which needs medical intervention. In withdrawal from alcohol, opioids and benzodiazepines, seizures can happen. This can make medical intervention necessary.

I need professional support with an addiction

Drug detox and withdrawal is an arduous and sometimes dangerous process. We understand many people try to do it alone, but your chances of successful recovery are much stronger with professional support in rehab. This is where we want to reach out to you.

Here at UKAT, we specialise in detox programmes that help you complete your recovery. Our expert team gives compassionate, round-the-clock care to help you through the detox process. If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Your recovery is what we’re here for. A return to health, free from substance addiction, is only one phone call away.