Withdrawal – Disturbing Symptoms have Individuals Looking For Information

The word withdrawal has many possible definitions. Clearly, the definition that interests addiction specialists most is “the process of ceasing to take an addictive drug”. (Oxford Dictionary) Withdrawal from drugs or alcohol can range from relatively mild symptoms like nausea and fatigue to painfully severe symptoms, which include convulsions and delirium.

The following study is an examination of online queries for the word “withdrawal” and related phrases. The results are presented in comparison bar graphs. Analyzing the frequency with which individuals search for information about withdrawal from specific substances can help addiction researchers and specialists keep abreast of addictions trends and developments.

Withdrawal from Drug Addictions – Several Surprising Omissions

The fact that “alcohol withdrawal” is the most commonly searched phrase in Graph 1 below (25,730 queries over a one-year period) is not particularly surprising. What is striking, however, is the frequency with which individuals are searching for information about the withdrawal symptoms for some popular antidepressants. Following the second most frequently searched phrase, “nicotine withdrawal”, the next four most commonly searched phrases are all for anti-depressants. In fact, in Graph 1, there are 11 different anti-depressant references.

What makes this surprising is the fact that, in general, anti-depressants, whether they are SSRI, SNRI or tricyclics, are not considered physically addictive. In fact, symptoms from the discontinuation of anti-depressants are not referred to as withdrawal. They are more commonly referred to as discontinuation reactions. Symptoms can include dizziness, nausea, lethargy, anxiety, headaches, insomnia and tremors.

Withdrawal - Prevalent Search Topics - Graph 1

(Continued on Graph 3 at the bottom of this page)

Top 30 two and three word combinations

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	4,000		27,000
alcohol withdrawal	25730
nicotine withdrawal	18262
lexapro withdrawal	15707
paxil withdrawal	14985
effexor withdrawal	11559
zoloft withdrawal	10710
alcoholism withdrawal	10238
prednisone withdrawal	10137
prozac withdrawal	9259
caffeine withdrawal	8886
xanax withdrawal	8588
withdrawl from	8372
withdrawal method	8124
paxil withdrawl	7475
withdrawal symptom	7226
methadone withdrawal	7180
ambien withdrawal	6300
ativan withdrawal	6295
withdrawal syndrome	5459
alcohol withdrawl	5415
cymbalta withdrawal	5397
withdrawal zoloft	5204
adderall withdrawal	5166
zoloft withdrawl	5099
narcotic withdrawal	5092
vicodin withdrawal	4838
wellbutrin withdrawal	4424
withdrawal from adderall	4382
opiate withdrawal	4217
citalopram withdrawal	4085
	4,000		27,000

Withdrawal from Zoloft, Lexapro, Paxil, Effexor, Prozac…

With anti-depressant withdrawal search phrases like “withdrawal from Zoloft” occupying so much of Graph 1, it leaves little room for search phrases which may seem more obvious. Search phrases centering on illicit or illegal drug withdrawal are not prominent. Two general phrases in Graph 1, “narcotic withdrawal” (5,092) and “opiate withdrawal” point to possible illicit drug use; but it is not until Graph 3 that phrases centering around illegal drug use appear – “cocaine withdrawal” (3,734), “marijuana withdrawal” (3,663) and “heroin withdrawal” (3,003).

Another interesting aspect of this study is the frequency with which individuals misspell withdrawal. Graph 2, the top 100 words used in withdrawal searches, lists the word withdrawal as the most used word at 431,949 and “withdrawl” listed as the second most commonly used word at 116,232. One quarter of the time individuals are misspelling a commonly used word.

Withdrawal Market Research - Graph 2

Top 100 words used in withdrawal searches
(Top 1000 can be found at Top 100 withdrawal exact phrases and top 1,000 concepts/words. - Graph 5)

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	0		450,000
withdrawal	431949
withdrawl	116232
from	36875
paxil	35626
zoloft	34680
alcohol	31849
nicotine	22756
lexapro	21037
side	20050
effexor	17418
prozac	17104
xanax	14137
caffeine	12713
symptom	11592
adderall	11231
vicodin	10995
prednisone	10822
methadone	10382
alcoholism	10271
ambien	9767
method	9638
ativan	8477
marijuana	8351
cymbalta	7385
cocaine	5909
oxycontin	5807
wellbutrin	5705
tramadol	5687
opiate	5610
syndrome	5534
citalopram	5447
narcotic	5381
paroxetine	4992
hydrocodone	4731
drug	4529
oxycodone	4467
how	4309
klonopin	4267
remeron	4143
heroin	3988
morphine	3711
long	3567
benzodiazepine	3508
phentermine	3318
sugar	3237
addiction	3209
smoking	3142
treatment	3130
neurontin	3088
letter	3036
post	2920
acute	2905
help	2871
trazodone	2812
lipitor	2756
ssri	2751
strattera	2736
duration	2704
neonatal	2566
codeine	2461
pain	2451
caffine	2300
last	2170
valium	2155
suboxone	2127
early	2055
headache	2040
zyrtec	2031
nexium	2026
toprol	2021
clonazepam	1989
percocet	1906
narcotics	1899
seroquel	1828
celebrex	1826
lamictal	1823
lorazepam	1757
support	1733
antidepressant	1710
symtoms	1706
sertraline	1646
lithium	1554
remedies	1525
buspar	1500
nausea	1448
chantix	1368
social	1368
ritalin	1324
slips	1306
risperdal	1265
pill	1222
medication	1198
lortab	1193
gabapentin	1175
elavil	1130
venlafaxine	1123
premarin	1119
painkiller	1112
xr	1085
ecstasy	1084
	0		450,000

Montreal Canada – The Center of Innovative Addictions Research

Thanks to the generous support of Clear Haven Center, a drug and alcohol treatment facility near Montreal, Quebec, Canada, search frequency studies are becoming a useful addition to the growing body of addictions research. The results of these types of studies help addictions specialists adjust treatment programs and resources.

Withdrawal - Prevalent Search Topics, Continued - Graph 3

Top 31 - 100 two and three word combinations
(Top 30 are in Graph 1 above)

	estimated searches/year across all search engines
	1,000		4200
nicotine withdrawl	4038
tramadol withdrawal	4007
caffeine withdrawl	3802
oxycodone withdrawal	3751
cocaine withdrawal	3734
withdrawal effects of marijuana	3663
benzodiazepine withdrawal	3473
withdrawal from zoloft	3413
vicodin withdrawl	3353
prozac withdrawl	3204
marijuana withdrawal	3137
methadone withdrawl	3125
morphine withdrawal	3083
neurontin withdrawal	3003
heroin withdrawal	2956
lipitor withdrawal	2754
withdrawl from paxil	2752
phentermine withdrawl	2739
oxycontin withdrawal	2701
effexor withdrawl	2651
sugar withdrawl	2580
strattera withdrawal	2567
withdrawl from zoloft	2565
drug withdrawal	2550
smoking withdrawal	2500
paroxetine withdrawal	2478
trazodone withdrawal	2429
withdrawal from paxil	2420
ambien withdrawl	2409
remeron withdrawl	2400
klonopin withdrawal	2398
xanax withdrawl	2352
symptom withdrawal	2351
post acute withdrawal	2330
withdrawal treatment	2281
hydrocodone withdrawal	2261
zoloft side effects withdrawl	2190
oxycontin withdrawl	2117
lexapro withdrawl	2105
duration of xanax withdrawal	2102
withdrawl zoloft	2045
nexium withdrawal	2025
toprol withdrawal	2013
xanax side effects withdrawal	2009
prozac side effects withdrawl	2008
ssri withdrawal	1973
paroxetine withdrawl	1960
withdrawal paxil	1897
hydrocodone withdrawl	1879
cymbalta withdrawl	1875
withdrawal from prozac	1850
klonopin withdrawl	1845
narcotics withdrawal	1839
celebrex withdrawal	1826
seroquel withdrawal	1799
ativan withdrawl	1785
alcohol withdrawal syndrome	1771
caffine withdrawl	1740
remeron withdrawal	1728
addiction withdrawal	1725
zyrtec withdrawal	1712
withdrawal letter	1676
withdrawl symptom	1672
caffeine withdrawal headache	1670
adderall withdrawl	1669
withdrawal vicodin	1649
help for paxil withdrawal	1645
lorazepam withdrawal	1623
sertraline withdrawal	1582
withdrawal from lexapro	1492
	1,000		4200