No one who has experienced withdrawal would think it was something to be grateful for. Depending on the drug, you might experience anything from irritability and cravings, to diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, and hallucinations. The fear of withdrawal keeps many people using substances long after it stopped being fun. Withdrawal has ended many attempts at recovery before they really got started. If there is a silver lining, you would think it would be that once you do get through withdrawal, you have a big incentive to stay sober and not go through that again. However, there is a much better reason to be grateful for withdrawal: It probably means you’re not a psychopath. Psychopathy is characterized by impulsive behavior, risk taking, lack of regard for others, lack of normal emotions, and frequent lying and manipulation. These characteristics are similar to the American Psychiatric Association’s definition of antisocial personality disorder, listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM. Antisocial personality disorder is highly associated with criminal behavior and substance use. In fact, by some estimates, 90 percent of people with antisocial personality disorder will develop a substance use disorder. Unfortunately, these people are also the least likely to seek help, and when they do enter treatment, they rarely complete it. Although people with antisocial personality disorder are very likely to misuse substances, they do so for different reasons than most people. While many people develop addictions as a way of coping with depression, anxiety, guilt, shame, or post-traumatic stress, people on the psychopath spectrum don’t. They rarely experience guilt, shame, anxiety, or the acute fear that leads to PTSD. Instead, they’re in it for the pleasure. People with psychopathic traits typically get much greater pleasure from psychoactive substances than other people. One brain imaging study found that people who scored high on the psychopathy scale had a massive dopamine response to amphetamines–almost four times that of other participants. It’s no wonder that substance use is so high among people with psychopathic traits. When someone who scores high on the psychopath scale does quit using, it’s often because he’s in prison. Curiously, these people are much less likely to experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms than other people, even when presented with cues specifically designed to trigger cravings. The reason appears to be that the brain abnormalities that make psychopaths less sensitive to fear and pain also make them less sensitive to the cravings and discomfort of withdrawal. People with psychopathic traits aren’t necessarily bad, but their lives can be extremely hard for a number of reasons. They find it very hard to connect to other people or experience a number of positive emotions. If you are having a miserable time detoxing, take some solace from the facts that, one, you don’t have to do it again, and, two, you’re probably not a psychopath.
If you’re struggling with substance use, Recovery Ways can help. We offer intensive outpatient treatment as well as residential treatment. Recovery Ways is a premier drug and alcohol addiction treatment facility located in Salt Lake City, Utah. Our mission is to provide the most cost-effective, accessible substance abuse treatment to as many people as possible. Request information online or call us today at 1-888-986-7848.
