How Hard Is Going Through a Seroquel Withdrawal

Side Effects of Seroquel

When you suddenly stop using Seroquel, you may experience withdrawal symptoms that can either be severe or mild. Going through these Seroquel withdrawal symptoms is not easy, especially for those with severe symptoms.

For example, you may experience vomiting, restlessness, or nausea. In addition, some patients have experienced withdrawal dyskinesia or abnormal movements. In this article, you can learn more about Seroquel, its side effects, and its withdrawal symptoms. You will also get to find out about the different treatments for Seroquel addiction.

What is Seroquel?

Seroquel is a psychotropic form of medication used in treating schizophrenia for adults and for children who are 13 years or older. Seroquel is also used in treating bipolar disorder or major depression. ¹

Drug Class and Schedule

Seroquel belongs to the antipsychotics drug class. The drug is categorized as an atypical antipsychotic or second-generation antipsychotics. It functions by altering the activity of some natural substances in your brain. The drug is also called Quetiapine, and it is approved for sale by the FDA under the prescription of a medical professional.

Seroquel is not regarded as a controlled substance, although there is a potential for the drug to be abused or misused. According to studies, Seroquel is the most abused antipsychotic drug. The possibility of abusing Seroquel is high when the drug is used without a prescription. Despite doctors’ warnings, most people take Quetiapine in higher amounts and for more extended periods than necessary.

Other Names for Seroquel

On the highway, Seroquel is known as Susie Q, Squirrel, Quell, and Baby Heroin, and many people misuse the drug by crushing and inhaling it. Others will mix Seroquel with water and administer it intravenously. This use method increases the likelihood of Seroquel abuse. In these situations, the risk of overdosing is often higher.

What Does Seroquel Treat?

Seroquel is highly suitable for treating patients with schizophrenia.² It helps to rebalance serotonin and dopamine, which improves one’s behavior, mood, and thinking. The FDA has approved quetiapine for treating acute bipolar disorder, which causes manic or depressive episodes. It also serves as an adjunctive treatment for depressive disorders, making it highly suitable for use as an antidepressant. Some people take Seroquel for sleep while others take it for anxiety.

Quetiapine³ is sometimes prescribed as an off-label drug that can treat delusional parasitosis, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and delirium, which may occur in an ICU. However, before your doctor can prescribe this drug off-label, there should be a justification for such an action.

Quetiapine can also be used to treat borderline personality disorder, insomnia, intermittent explosive disorder, paranoid disorder, Tourette’s syndrome, etc. As earlier mentioned, Seroquel, which is the brand name, is also called Quetiapine Systemic.

Is Seroquel Addictive?

Seroquel is addictive and has been abused by people who believe that they cannot carry out their everyday function without the drug. The palm beach⁴ post reported that the Florida State Juvenile Department increased its purchase of Seroquel over other drugs like Ibuprofen in 2007. The use of Seroquel to treat post-traumatic stress disorder has risen by almost 700% between 2001 and 2015.

The United States Military spending on the purchase of Quetiapine has also increased by nearly 700%, according to NBC News⁵ . In 2011, The American Conservative also pointed out a high rate of Seroquel and opioid abuse in the military.⁶ This report hinted that about 25% to 35% of soldiers in the United States Army suffer from addiction.

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Signs of Seroquel Addiction

Some people may be unaware that they are addicted to a particular drug. They may feel the need to always have the drug in their system without knowing that they may be addicted to it. Most people addicted to Seroquel tend to believe that they control their actions or behaviors, and such denial has led to more adverse effects of the drug. There are telltale signs of Seroquel addiction:

When you combine Quetiapine with other substances so you can get a stronger feeling of highness.
Stealing from others or lying about losing your prescription so you can get more of Seroquel.
Lying about your usage of the drug and not being honest about how you use it.
Experiencing problems with your relationships, the law, divorce, job termination, bankruptcy, or facing jail time.
Not being interested in your hobbies or activities you used to love.
Attempting to quit the drug but not being able to maintain sobriety afterward.
Experiencing Seroquel withdrawal symptoms when you reduce or Seroquel dosage or you stop out rightly.
Feeling psychologically incapable of functioning without using Seroquel.
Abusing Seroquel in settings that are considered dangerous, like watching kids, traveling, or driving.
The continuous abuse of Seroquel irrespective of the adverse side effects that you may be experiencing.

Seroquel Side Effects

The use of Seroquel can cause you to experience some adverse side effects even if you take the correct dosage according to your doctor’s prescription. Seroquel side effects can be categorized into short-term, long-term, or overdose effects.

Short-Term Seroquel Side Effects

The short-term side effects of Seroquel usage may include the following:⁷

Difficulty speaking

Difficulty thinking

Weight gain

Constipation

Mood swings and irritability

Dizziness

Muscle weakness

Headaches

Dry mouth

Unusual dreams

Dropped or irregular menstruation

Reduced sexual interest or poor sexual performance

Increase in breast tissue in males (gynecomastia)

Long-Term Seroquel Side Effects

The long-term side effects of Seroquel are seen as the drug’s most major disadvantage. The side effects associated with Seroquel use may include:⁷

Increased blood sugar

Changes in blood pressure

Weight gain

Cataracts

Issues with the thyroid

Difficulty swallowing

Suicidal behaviors and thoughts

Seizures

Cardiac issues

Increased body temperature

Tardive dyskinesia (the involuntary movement of the tongue or facial expressions)

Side Effects of Seroquel Overdose

Seroquel overdose has several unpleasant side effects which may put your life at severe risk if not adequately managed or given immediate attention by a physician. Here are some of the side effects of Seroquel overdose:

Profound sedation/drowsiness

Orthostatic hypertension/blood pressure drop

Rapid heart rate

Loss of consciousness/fainting or dizziness

Seizures

Coma

Death

Seroquel Withdrawal Symptoms

Many people take Seroquel for different reasons. While some people take Seroquel for sleep,⁸ others take Seroquel for anxiety and treat other health conditions like bipolar disorders, schizophrenia, etc. The sudden withdrawal from Seroquel usage after addiction may cause you to develop some withdrawal symptoms. Here are some of the Seroquel Withdrawal symptoms you may experience once you suddenly quit taking Seroquel:

Vomiting
Dizziness
Nausea
Excessive Sweating
Insomnia
Increased heart rate
Abdominal pain
Agitation
Muscle rigidity
Restlessness
Diarrhea

Side Effects of Seroquel Overdose

Seroquel withdrawal symptoms can last between a few hours to several weeks. Some people may experience post-withdrawal symptoms. The Seroquel withdrawal timeline can be grouped into new withdrawal, rebound withdrawal, and persistent post-withdrawal. For new withdrawal, symptoms may be experienced between the first and fourth days after the last usage. The symptoms may last for a week.

However, some symptoms may last up to six weeks. For the rebound withdrawal, symptoms may begin one to four days after the last usage. Rebound symptoms may not be associated with Seroquel withdrawal but may be part of the symptoms that Seroquel was initially treating. Any symptoms that exceed six weeks of the last usage are categorized under the persistent post-withdrawal.

Factors that Address Withdrawal Severity

The following factors address the severity of Seroquel withdrawal symptoms:

Age

The severity of withdrawal symptoms is affected by the age of the individual. Younger people may experience lesser Seroquel withdrawal symptoms than older people.

Duration of use

People with a longer history of Seroquel abuse may experience longer and more severe withdrawal symptoms than those with shorter Seroquel history.

Co-occurring disorders

People diagnosed with a mental health disorder and who struggle with Seroquel addiction may experience longer and more severe symptoms than those with no previous disorder.

Lack of support

Individuals with no support from close friends and family may take longer to recover since they fight for recovery all by themselves.

Side Effects of Seroquel Overdose

The following methods can be used in treating Seroquel addiction:

Tapering use

Tapering off Seroquel is an effective way of helping you avoid the side effects of withdrawal. However, Seroquel tapering should be done by a medical professional for effective dosage management. The factors that are likely to affect the severity of the symptoms in your case and your medical history must be considered for this treatment to be effective.

Detox

Seroquel detoxification is also very effective in helping those struggling with Seroquel addiction quit the use of the drug. A safe detoxification program has to be put together by your physician so you can get rid of the drug from your body.

Therapies

Other therapies that can be used in the treatment of Seroquel addiction including family therapy, maintenance medication, vocational rehabilitation, counseling, relapse prevention program, etc.