Signs and symptoms associated with withdrawal may persist for some after the person becomes abstinent.
Clinical features:
(1) status post acute withdrawal or delirium tremens
(2) abstinent from all substance misuse
(3) presence of signs and symptoms after the period of acute withdrawal, which may persist for a long period
Symptoms may include:
(1) cravings
(2) sleep disorder
(3) anhedonia
(4) anxiety
Some of these may reflect the consequences of addiction (cravings), while others may reflect the underlying feelings that triggered self-medication (depression with anhedonia).
Differential diagnosis:
(1) relapse with new withdrawal episode
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