Mexican Calea Withdrawal and Detox

Hallucinogens are synthetic drugs, derived from plants. These drugs alter a person’s perception, changing how they see reality. Someone who is ‘high’ on hallucinogens can experience mood swings, panic, anxiety and other symptoms.

Mexican Calea (also known as Calea Zacatechichi) is a hallucinogenic herb, known for its dream-inducing effects. For this reason, it is popularly called the ‘dream herb’. Its plant material is extremely bitter and has also been dubbed ‘bitter grass’.

Symptoms and Effects

Calea Zacatechichi is taken by some to increase, remember and even induce psychic dreams. It has been used in many studies relating to psychological and sleep enhancements.

Traditionally, Calea Zacatechichi has been used for thousands of years to treat various ailments, such as dysentery, swollen scalps, skin rashes, fever, stomach cold and headaches. It is also commonly used as a laxative, to stimulate appetite, as a calming agent, and as a cleansing agent.

It is consumed by smoking dried leaves and stems; taken in the form of capsules; placed under pillows; applied to certain parts of the body; or taken as a tea.

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Mexican Calea Withdrawal: What is it?

After a long period of using Calea Zacatechichi, your body readjusts to functioning normally with it present. Abuse and addiction are quite different, although the former is often the start of the latter.

When you start abusing it, your body builds tolerance. This is usually the point between addiction and abuse. You could decide to simply discontinue at this point. However, if you do continue using, you will likely continue to increase the dosage in order to achieve the same effects from the drug.

After a while, your body will have readjusted to the regular traces of Calea Zacatechichi in your body; discontinuing use at this point will cause withdrawal symptoms, as your body tries to readjust to the absence of this substance. When you reach this point, you’re considered to be addicted.

Withdrawal symptoms can include flashbacks, insomnia, diarrhoea, aggression, depression, muscle spasms, psychosis (for long periods of time), loss of coordination, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, permanent perceptual state and apathetic state. The intensity of these symptoms may be affected by how long and how frequently you’ve been using Mexican Calea.

Types of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

There are two types of withdrawal: acute and the post-acute.

Acute withdrawal is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, increased blood pressure and body temperature, lasting for a few weeks at most. However, the accompanying symptoms may differ for each individual.

The second stage of post-acute withdrawal is accompanied by less physical, but more emotional and psychological symptoms. These include mood swings, anxiety, irritability, tiredness, low energy levels, reduced enthusiasm, lack of concentration, insomnia and disturbed sleep.

These symptoms are experienced due to the brain chemistry gradually returning to normal. The chemicals in the brain fluctuate during this readjustment, which brings about these symptoms. Those experienced during the post-acute withdrawal phase are mostly the same for everyone.

At first, post-acute symptoms appear in short intervals – minute by minute or hourly. After that, these intervals lengthen and you could encounter them every few weeks or even months. There are usually no obvious triggers and each episode could last for a few days. Post-acute withdrawal usually lasts for about two years. Suffice to say, recovery cannot and should not be rushed.

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Causes of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

When hallucinogens are consumed over a period of time, they cause a chemical imbalance in the brain by affecting its glutamate and serotonin production. These chemicals are responsible for perception, behaviour and regulatory body functions such as temperament, hunger, sexual behaviour, body temperature and muscle control. This imbalance causes your body to develop a dependence on the drug.

When you stop using Mexican Calea after a long-term of abuse, your body goes into withdrawal mode, which is simply its response to the absence of a drug it has adjusted to functioning with regularly. This is because your body is constantly trying to stabilise its internal environment

Mexican Calea: Withdrawal Timeline

The timeline of Mexican Calea withdrawal can be affected by any of the following factors:

  • How long you’ve used Mexican Calea: the longer your body has been exposed to a hallucinogen, the more time it will take for withdrawal to take hold. You would not expect a case whereby a six-month addiction and two-year addiction involves the same withdrawal time period.
  • How much of it you’ve been using (dosage and frequency): this also affects the withdrawal timeline, because the more Mexican Calea you have in your body, the more time it would take for withdrawal to take hold.
  • Any other drugs you may have used alongside it: you may have combined other drugs with Mexican Calea, which might have slowed down or accelerated the acting time of the hallucinogen or caused some other effects that can increase or reduce the timeline of withdrawal.
  • Any other co-occurring health conditions: other health conditions can increase the longevity of withdrawal.

Generally, the first phase of withdrawal is mostly comprised of physical symptoms that last for a few weeks. These symptoms can peak at any point within this period, as withdrawal is a different experience for every individual.

The second phase of withdrawal (comprising psychological and emotional symptoms) can last for years and surface at intervals of days or weeks.

Mexican Calea: Withdrawal Symptoms and Effects

When you abuse Mexican Calea, your body develops dependency. As with other drugs, when you continue using it for a while, your body will begin to develop tolerance, meaning you would have to take larger doses to achieve the desired effect.

At this point, if you stop using Mexican Calea, you may experience discomfort as your body readjusts to functioning without it. Consequently, your body goes into withdrawal, which is often accompanied by the manifestation of certain symptoms. These are your body’s reaction to the change, as it attempts to readjust.

Symptoms of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

Mexican Calea withdrawal symptoms can be physical or psychological. The degree and nature of withdrawal symptoms you experience may likely depend on how long you’ve used Mexican Calea, how frequently, as well as other factors such as genetics, age, and even weight. For instance, people who are older may experience some symptoms more severely, because the metabolic processes in their bodies may have slowed down somewhat.

Similarly, the intensity of symptoms you experience will likely be increased if you’ve used Mexican Calea for a long period of time. How much of it you’ve taken can also be a contributing factor to the intensity of these symptoms.

Physical Symptoms of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

The following is a list of physical symptoms you might experience during Mexican Calea withdrawal:

  • Muscle spasms
  • Flashbacks
  • Depression
  • Aggression
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Insomnia
  • Loss of coordination
  • Psychosis
  • Panic attacks
  • Tremors
  • Increased heart rate
  • Seizures
  • Unstable body temperature

Flashbacks are episodes during which you may remember or ‘flashback’ to events from past hallucinations.

Psychological Symptoms of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

Psychological symptoms you may experience during Mexican Calea withdrawal include:

  • Panic attacks
  • Mood swings
  • Rage episodes
  • Poor control on impulse
  • Psychotic reality breaks
  • Speech difficulties

Effects of Mexican Calea Withdrawal

Certain symptoms of Mexican Calea withdrawal can cause self-harm and in some cases lead to suicide. For instance, episodes of rage may result in actions that could put your life (or that of others around you) in danger. For this reason, some patients are sedated during detox to keep such symptoms in check.

Other symptoms such as difficulty speaking and reality breaks can cause depression and induce a fear of insanity. Seizures in a non-familiar environment might also lead to damaging incidents.

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Mexican Calea Detoxification

Detoxification is the process of expelling an addictive drug from your system. During detox, you will experience physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms, such as flashbacks, aggression, loss of coordination and so on. These symptoms vary for different individuals.

You could choose home detoxification, which is not recommended. Alternatively, you could opt for a medically supervised detox, whereby you’ll have medical personnel on hand to monitor and control the entire detoxification process.

Mexican Calea Abuse: Detox Process

During detox, the body tries to readjust to not needing Mexican Calea to function normally. Remember that a chemical imbalance has already occurred, so the body will try to repair itself as much as it can.

There are three methods of detoxification: the first is the ‘cold turkey’ approach, mostly adopted by people who choose home detox. This involves abruptly curtailing the use of the drug in question. Quite often, the body goes into shock and severe withdrawal symptoms manifest as a result. The ‘cold turkey’ method is often not recommended, especially when undertaken without medical supervision, because of the complications that can arise from the symptoms present.

For instance, symptoms of aggression and rage may require sedation. When such symptoms occur outside of a medical environment, they could lead to self-harm or put other people in danger.

The next method is called ‘tapering’ and is most commonly applied during medically supervised detoxification. Tapering involves gradually and precisely reducing the dosage of the drug until it’s safe to stop using it altogether. This method is less painful because withdrawal symptoms are less intense. Tapering can also be accompanied by administering medication to help with the addiction and other drugs to deal with symptoms as they arise.

The third method is the rapid detox programme, in which the patient is heavily sedated and treatment is administered so that when they wake up, they’ll no longer be addicted to the drug in question. This method completely circumvents withdrawal symptoms. However, the rapid detox approach does not work for every drug.

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Mexican Calea: Detoxification Timeline

Factors that affect the duration of detox include:

  • How long you’ve been taking Mexican Calea will determine the level of dependency. If you’ve been taking it for a long time, the detox process will be longer than it would be if you’re relatively new to the drug.
  • How frequently and at what dosage you’ve been taking will also be a consideration. Even if you haven’t been consuming the drug for a long time, increased dosage and frequency can mean the detox period might be increased, as large traces of the drug would still be in your body.
  • The point at which detox takes hold would also matter. That is, was it during an episode or after a few hours or even days?
  • Other factors include your age, weight, other medications you might be taking, and genetics. The older you are, the longer it may take to detox from any drug.

There is very little information available about Mexican Calea, so putting a specific time on the detox process is difficult. However, detox from hallucinogens can often take 20 to 28 days. The detox timeline does not include the full recovery period, which is in fact considered lifelong by many.

The symptoms experienced during detox are physical and psychological, with the former sometimes lasting for a few days or even weeks. Some psychological symptoms involve flashbacks, anxiety and panic attacks. There have even been cases of flashbacks years after treatment.

Treatment Methods and Options

There are various types of treatment available for hallucinogen abuse. Some of these are not standalone and can be combined with others for maximum effect.

Detoxification

Detox is the process of ridding the body of toxins from substance abuse and is commonly undertaken in a hospital or other emergency settings. During detox, you will be monitored and the withdrawal symptoms treated to provide as much relief as possible. You could opt for inpatient detox, which would require residing in the facility and treatment being administered by healthcare professionals.

You could also opt for outpatient detox, keeping regular appointments with your healthcare professionals to enable them to monitor and regulate your progress.

Therapy

There are counselling programmes available to help you through your recovery journey. You can choose individual counselling, group counselling or family counselling. You could even opt for three or a combination of two. Individual counselling helps root out any underlying causes of addiction and offers support and encouragement. It also provides a medium to speak freely about your addiction.

Group therapy shows you that the journey is not a lonely one and helps you learn from the struggles and experiences of others.

Behavioural Therapy

Behavioural therapies for hallucinogen addiction are available to suit various individuals – each with unique needs. This kind of therapy is great for support and best combined with pharmacological treatment. It helps to identify triggers, determine coping mechanisms and how to move past the addiction with the character as a motivational tool.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

This kind of therapy helps individuals identify patterns in their thoughts, emotions and behaviour that are associated with the addiction and helps them redirect focus and create a lifestyle with fewer triggers.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is used by many people to treat hallucinogen abuse and addiction. It involves identifying risky circumstances and how to avoid them with the relevant coping skills. This is a part of a treatment called relapse prevention.

Relapse is considered a part of the recovery process and is not a sign of weakness. Planning for relapse is simply being ready to face any possible outcome.

12-step recovery programmes

12-step groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous offer non-judgemental support towards recovery. Members get to share their stories, struggles, coping mechanisms and encourage each other in their mutual goals.

Multidimensional Family Therapy

A number of hallucinogen abusers are young adults and teenagers. Addiction to hallucinogens affects their lives in ways they might not be able to handle their own. Many find it hard to readapt to normal lives, working towards careers or even communicating effectively. They often need a lot of support from their family to help them readjust and live normal everyday lives.

Addiction can cause communication gaps in families. Subsequently, multidimensional family therapy helps these young adults, adolescents and their families to address their drug use and improve or repair family relations strained because of it. The family will learn about how they can support and help their loved ones through the recovery process.

Finding the Right Treatment

The right treatment for hallucinogen addiction may differ from one person to the next, which is why it’s important to talk to medical professionals about which treatment plan would best fit you. They will take information from you such as your age, how long you’ve been addicted, what dosage you’ve been taking, your medical history, any side effects you’ve experienced, co-occurring conditions and so on.

All these details will be analysed and used to devise the most appropriate treatment plan for you to choose from. If you’re not sure about the treatment plan proposed to you, there are several facilities available. Getting a second opinion might prove helpful in making the right choices for your treatment.

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Home Detox for Mexican Calea Abusers: How Safe is it?

Home detox is not often recommended, because there a number of risks attached.

During detox, your body will experience withdrawal symptoms, which can be intense. The chances of relapse are greater during home detox, as withdrawal symptoms may be so intense, you’ll use the drug of abuse to feel better. This can be more apparent if you choose the ‘cold turkey’ approach. Relapse also comes with its own risks; after detoxing for a period of time, the regular dosage may lead to an overdose, which in turn can prove fatal without proper medical attention.

Home detox can actually be undertaken as an outpatient option. That is, it would still be considered a medical detox, but you don’t have to stay in the hospital. You’d merely have to follow all of the doctor’s directives and keep regular appointments so the medical team can monitor the whole process.

This does not mean that home detox is completely impossible. If you must undertake a home detox, be prepared and have structures in place in case of emergencies. Having a family member or friend around would be a great way to make sure you stay on track and get help whenever the need arises.

If you do decide to use the tapering method, it would be best to get advice from medical experts on how to reduce your dosage and take other precautions to ensure a safe detoxification process. You would also need recommendations on how to treat withdrawal symptoms that may surface. Do not take any medications without asking your doctor’s advice first. Some drugs react negatively to each other and can cause more harm than good.

Self-detoxification from Mexican Calea

Even though self-dependence and do-it-yourself strategies are often applauded, self-detoxification is dangerous and mostly unsuccessful. The chances of relapse are very high, increasing the risk of overdosing. Depending on the degree of addiction, it can even be life-threatening in some scenarios.

In extreme cases, self-detoxification can induce intense withdrawal symptoms that cause you to relapse or even overdose. Some withdrawal symptoms (like rage) may have adverse effects, such as self-harm.

Are you Ready to get Help?

You might feel like Mexican Calea is taking over your life and causing more harm than good. If your use of Mexican Calea is affecting your health, job, family, relationship or finances, you can get help. There are several treatment and rehabilitation centres available to help you deal with such problems.

These centres offer various options to suit your needs, including budget, location, privacy and even luxury. You just need to determine what works best for you.

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FAQs

Can these symptoms be categorised in order of seriousness and are there side-effects?

Withdrawal symptoms are different for every individual and their severity can progress based on a number of reasons. These include:

  • The length of abuse: a person who has abused Mexican Calea for a little while might experience significantly fewer withdrawal symptoms than another who has had years of abuse.
  • Frequency and dosage: the more of the drug a person has consumed, the greater their dependency, and in turn, withdrawal symptoms.
  • The person’s state of health at the time: co-occurring disorders and medications used will also affect how severe the symptoms can be.
  • Other reasons include genetic factors, age, and weight.

The harshest of symptoms are usually felt within the first couple of days. Their side effects can include self-harm, relapse and even overdose in some cases.

When you start the detox process, your body will likely experience withdrawal symptoms – some of which could be so intense, you may just use drugs again to alleviate the discomfort. At this point, some drug toxins will have left your system and consequently, your usual dosage may lead to an overdose. It is because of such possibilities that medical detoxification is widely recommended.

How long do Mexican Calea withdrawal symptoms last?

Withdrawal symptoms may last for a long time after detox. It could even take up to two years. However, this doesn’t mean you will experience withdrawal symptoms every day for two years. Rather, you would likely experience the symptoms at intervals. Most of the symptoms that linger after detox are not physical, but more emotional and psychological in nature.

You can’t really rush the recovery process. Your body will have to work at its own pace until it fully recovers from the abuse.

Do symptoms and their duration vary from person to person?

The initial symptoms (usually physical, depending on how long the person has abused the drug, as well as the dosage and frequency during that time) can vary from person to person. There may also be differences in the types of symptoms you experience and how long they last.

However, the symptoms you experience after undergoing detox are often similar for everyone. These symptoms are often psychological and emotional (rather than physical) and include insomnia, disturbed sleep and anxiety.

Is detox dangerous?

Detox can cause withdrawal symptoms – some of which can be quite intense. The detox process itself is safe, though the effects of the accompanying symptoms can be dangerous.

Symptoms such as rage episodes and aggression can have dangerous consequences, which is why people who experience these may be sedated to protect those around them.

There is also the risk of relapse and overdose when you take ‘normal’ doses after a relapse.

How Long Does It Take to Detox from Mexican Calea?

Many details about Mexican Calea are still unavailable. However, a typical detox from any hallucinogen usually takes about 28 days. This time is also affected by other factors, such as how long and how frequently you’ve been abusing drugs, the dosage and any co-occurring health conditions.

What Happens During Hallucinogen Detox?

During hallucinogen detox, the body struggles to get rid of the remaining toxins. You could experience withdrawal symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and increased body temperature during detox. However, these symptoms can be treated as they arise.

Detox is just one of the steps towards addiction recovery. It can be a painful process, however, and treatment may be administered to deal with the symptoms of withdrawal.

Why Should I Enter a Hallucinogen Detox Programme?

Addiction to hallucinogens can induce terrible side effects – some of which are long-lasting. These side effects worsen the longer you avoid getting help. Most addiction issues do not just affect the individual involved, but also their family and friends.

Who can I talk to if I don’t trust my family?

Several treatments and recovery centres have counsellors and other experts who are available to help you through the recovery process. Many of them are very experienced and will be able to answer whatever questions you might have about the recovery process and beyond.

There are also support groups and other forms of group therapy that are open and non-judgemental. Many people in such groups have struggled or are struggling with addiction as well. These groups are very helpful and act as a platform to share coping mechanisms, success stories, and encouragement.

What is Mexican Calea Withdrawal?

Mexican Calea withdrawal is the phase your body goes through when you stop taking the drug. When you abuse a hallucinogen, your body starts to depend on it for normal functioning. When you stop, it tries to readjust to functioning without its presence, like it used to before addiction. This whole process is often accompanied by symptoms such as panic attacks, aggression, insomnia, increased blood pressure and seizures.

What are the Types of Mexican Calea Withdrawal?

There are two types; acute and the post-acute withdrawal. Acute withdrawal is often accompanied by physical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and increased blood pressure. These symptoms may last a few hours or weeks at most.

On the other hand, post-acute withdrawal is mostly accompanied by psychological and emotional symptoms that last for years, appearing at intervals. Such symptoms include insomnia, irritability and anxiety.

Can anyone tell if I’m Using Mexican Calea?

People would probably not notice if you are using ‘normal’ amounts. If you’re abusing Mexican Calea however, there are symptoms and signs that could act as tell-tale signs. They include memory loss, pupil dilation, nausea, vomiting, fluctuating body temperature, and a changed perception of time. There are also behavioural changes, such as isolation from family and friends and new habits.

Can You Die from Mexican Calea Withdrawal?

Yes. It is possible to die from Mexican Calea withdrawal, which could occur indirectly. Some patients have to be sedated during withdrawal, because of intense aggressiveness and outbursts of rage. These symptoms could cause self-inflicted harm that could, in turn, prove fatal.

Are symptoms different for everyone?

Yes, symptoms are different from one person to the next. Factors like age, weight, co-occurring illnesses, genetic factors, the longevity of use can affect the severity of symptoms.

For instance, if you’ve been using Mexican Calea for a few months, you will most likely experience less severe symptoms than someone who has been taking it for years. Our bodies react differently to different things. If you’re older, your body’s metabolic processes would gradually be slowing down and this may also affect the type of symptoms you would encounter from abusing hallucinogens.

How important is medically supervised detox?

Medically supervised detox ensures you’re safe during whatever detox plan you undertake. Some of the benefits of medically supervised detox include:

  • Full medical attention: you’ll have doctors and other healthcare specialists on hand to ensure the detox process runs smoothly. If there are any complications from withdrawal symptoms, they will know how best to handle them. Your mind can rest easy in terms of safety.
  • A detox conducive environment: undergoing detox at home can be full of triggers and other psychological barriers that could hinder the whole recovery process. In a medically supervised scenario, however (especially inpatient), the environment will be perfectly conducive to detox.
  • Reduced chances of relapse and overdose: the chances of relapsing because the withdrawal symptoms are too much to bear will be almost negligible in a medical setting, as you will have experts on hand to treat any symptoms. Remember that relapse often results in overdose, since your initial dosage (even after an incomplete detox process) may be too much for your body to handle.

What happens after detox?

After detoxification, the recovery process continues. You could choose therapy or support groups to help cement your recovery. It’s advisable to go easy on yourself, eat healthily and keep fit. It is also advisable to avoid unnecessary stress factors around you because this can act as a trigger for many addictions.

Some treatment and recovery centres offer aftercare plans that provide a clean and trigger-free environment that will allow you to ease back into a routine and general normalcy. Such facilities are often designed for you to take gradual steps towards full recovery.

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