• Cravings, dysphoria, anhedonia, increased appetite, fatigue, agitation, anxiety, increased sleep, vivid unpleasant dreams and slowing of movement
• Potential Complications
• Hallucinations - Visual or tactile transient hallucinations, paranoia, psychological disturbances, abnormal affect, auditory or visual delusions
• Seizures - Convulsions, sensory disturbances, loss of consciousness
• Agitation - Anger, aggression, irritability, violent outbursts
• Psychosis - Thought disorder and perceptual disturbances

Onset

• Crash phase: within hours of last use
• Withdrawal: 1-4 days after last use

Duration

• 2-4 days
• Acute phase: 7-10 days
• Subacute phase: a further 2-4 weeks

• Stabilising and reduction regime of diazepan

Diarrhoea

• Atropine Sulphate/Diphenoxylate Hydrochloride (Lomotil)
• Loperamide Hydrochloride (Imodium)
• Drink plenty of fluids - 6 - 8 glasses of water a day
• Eat regular meals

Headaches

• Paracetamol (Panadol)
• Massage

Nausea and Vomiting

• Anxiety, headache, insomnia, muscle aching/twitching/cramping, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, perceptual changes, feelings of unreality, depersonalisation, seizures, agitation, confusion/psychosis
• Potential Complications
• Seizures - Convulsions, sensory disturbances, loss of consciousness
• Delirium - Agitation, hyperactivity, tremor, confusion and disorientation.  Can occur without progressing to delirium tremens

Onset

• 1-10 days, dependent on half-life of drug

Duration

• 3-6 weeks or longer

Headaches

• Paracetamol (Panadol)
• Ibuprofen
• Massage

Nausea and Vomiting

Cannabis withdrawal is similar to the withdrawal experienced from stopping tobacco smoking. As with tobacco, the withdrawal symptoms associated with cannabis can be disruptive enough to contribute to continued use and also contribute to relapse in people trying to quit. Cannabis withdrawal is not the same for everybody. Various factors influence the severity of cannabis withdrawal. Factors that may influence how severe cannabis withdrawal will be and how long it may last when someone tries to quit are:

Onset

• 1-2 days of last use

Duration

• Pharmacotherapy-based withdrawal regime

Diarrhoea

• Anxiety, craving, muscle tension, muscle and bone ache, muscle cramps, sleep disturbance, sweating, hot and cold flushes, goose-bumps (piloerection), yawning, runny eyes and nose, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, palpitations, elevated blood pressure and pulse, dilated pupils and agitation
• Potential Complications
• Dehydration - Increasing thirst, dry mouth, weakness or light-headedness, darkening of the urine or decrease in urination