Facts About Xylazine Withdrawal: Symptoms, Timeline, and Treatment

Drug addiction often means turning to more unorthodox substances in search of a newer, stronger high — even if it means seeking out prescription medication not intended for human use.  

Originally developed as a sedative in veterinary practice, xylazine has been on the drug abuse radar for several years now, where alarming reports of its misuse and related health complications have begun to emerge more and more.  

Commonly combined with addictive opioids, the powerful effects of xylazine have contributed to more than a 275% rise in overdose deaths between 2019 and 2022, notes a study from Johns Hopkins.  

The first step after admitting you have a problem with xylazine — or discovering a loved one has become dependent on it — is to learn as much as you can about it and its long-term addictive effects. Why is “tranq” (one of xylazine’s street names) so dangerous? What types of xylazine withdrawal symptoms can you expect after weaning off the drug?  

Read on to learn more about xylazine withdrawal and what Xylazine addiction treatment looks like.  

What Is Xylazine? 

Xylazine is a tranquilizer and painkiller mainly developed for veterinary use for animals. It was first synthesized in 1962 and was initially studied as a possible analgesic and anesthetic for humans, but the drug was deemed inappropriate for people when studies showed harmful side effects like hypotension and central nervous system depressive effects, says the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA).

Since those clinical trials were abandoned, xylazine was later approved in 1972 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration strictly for animal use and not for human consumption. According to the DEA, it was initially noted as an adulterant drug in Puerto Rico sometime in the early 2000s, when people began injecting it recreationally. “Around a decade later, it was documented on the island as a drug of abuse on its own, which has continued to present,” the organization notes.  

What Is Xylazine Used For?  

In veterinary medicine, xylazine is used primarily as a sedative. “It is used on many different animal species such as cattle, sheep, horses, dogs, cats, deer, rats, and elk to calm and facilitate handling, perform diagnostic and surgical procedures, relieve pain, or act as a local anesthetic,” notes the DEA.  

In animal patients, the DEA notes, xylazine is generally administered on its own or in tandem with other anesthetics like ketamine or barbiturates injected into a vein or muscle or taken orally.  

However, this, unfortunately, hasn’t stopped many people from experimenting with xylazine for recreational use in their drug supply and seeking out its sedating effects, which can include drowsiness and dangerously slowed breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.  

Is Xylazine Addictive?  

While xylazine is not classified as an addictive substance in the same way as other drugs, it is a controlled prescription drug that raises the potential for addiction, notes the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It can also contribute to severe drug addiction when combined with other addictive substances. 

Xylazine can be swallowed, inhaled, smoked, snorted, or injected, and its sedative effects last anywhere from 20 to 50 minutes. It’s also frequently combined with highly addictive drugs like heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl.  

“Research suggests that some people use it intentionally to lengthen fentanyl’s euphoric effects,” notes the NIDA. “However, people who use drugs also report using it by accident, with some telling researchers that it was an unwanted additive to their drugs.” 

However, because xylazine is not an opioid, many opioid reversal drugs like naloxone or nalmefene don’t work on reversing its effects during an overdose on a mix of xylazine or fentanyl, hydrocodone, oxycodone, or the like. If administered, the sedative effects of xylazine will remain.  

“Overdoses associated with xylazine may be more difficult to identify in clinical settings, as they often appear similar to opioid overdoses and may not be included in routine drug screening tests,” says the DEA. 

Regional use of xylazine as an abused drug has also increased. According to the DEA, between 2020 and 2021, the Midwest saw a 7% increase; the Northeast, 61%; the West, 112%; and the South, a 193% rise in xylazine use. 

Where Do People Get Xylazine?

The desperate lengths many people will go to obtain xylazine also speaks to its addictive potential.  

“Animal owners, particularly the pet owner’s ‘vet shop,’ where they try to go to different veterinarians to prescribe controlled substances to their pets and then use these drugs for themselves instead of giving them to the animal is the major health concern,” notes the 2024 NIH study. “As the accessibility and availability of veterinary medications grow, so does the risk of their misuse. Some of the owners falsely cite the behavioral problems with their pets to get these controlled drugs.” 

Xylazine is also available cheaply on the black market, which means that buyers and users of the drug have no way of knowing the dosage they’re receiving or what may be mixed with their supply. According to the DEA, xylazine can be obtained online from Chinese websites in liquid and powder form as cheaply as $6–$20 per kilogram. “At this low price,” says the DEA, “its use as an adulterant may increase the profit for illicit drug traffickers, as its psychoactive effects allow them to reduce the amount of fentanyl or heroin used in a mixture.”  

Why Is Xylazine Called “Tranq” or a “Zombie Drug”?  

Xylazine is often called “tranq,” “tranq dope” (when mixed with heroin or fentanyl), or “zombie drug” because of the extreme, almost zombie-like trance state a user falls under after misusing the drug. It also carries the monikers “sleep cut,” “anestecia de caballo,” or “horse tranq.” 

“Tranq” is also part of “tranq wounds,” severe skin ulcerations, and necrotic flesh bruises that resemble those seen in untreated infections. These can form from repeated xylazine use — the skin’s way of reacting to a foreign substance not meant for human use.  

These wounds can begin developing even in areas where the drug was not injected, leading to extreme tissue damage and, in some cases, gangrene that necessitates the need for limb amputation. 

“Initially, the skin blisters, most commonly around sites of injection,” notes a study by Penn University’s Center for Addiction Medicine and Policy. “These blisters can then coalesce into deeper ulcers. Ulcerations may be deep and reach full thickness, with exposed tendon and bone.” 

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Xylazine Abuse? 

Some warning signs of xylazine abuse in a loved one are more subtle than others. Since it’s often mixed with opioids, many symptoms of opioid withdrawal overlap, but here are some distinct characteristics:  

• Heavy sedation or prolonged unconsciousness 

• Slow or shallow breathing 

• Skin ulcers or abscesses, even in non-injection areas 

• Disorientation or confusion 

• Decreased heart rate and blood pressure 

• Unresponsiveness or a “zombie-like” demeanor  

What Is Xylazine Withdrawal Like?  

There’s little research on tranq dope withdrawal on its own since many of the xylazine withdrawal symptoms may accompany being mixed with fentanyl or another drug. However, symptoms usually mimic those found in stopping the use of other nervous system depressants.  

Xylazine Withdrawal Symptoms  

Since xylazine is a sedative, withdrawal can cause a sudden rebound effect and lead to extreme agitation and discomfort. Some common xylazine withdrawal symptoms may include: 

• Severe anxiety and restlessness 

• Irritability 

• Feelings of crankiness or uneasiness 

• Rapid heart rate 

• Increased blood pressure 

• Insomnia 

• Sweating 

• Nausea/vomiting 

• Muscle stiffness  

Towards the end of tranq dope withdrawal, cravings for the drug accompanied by depressive feelings are not uncommon.  

Xylazine Withdrawal Timeline  

Just like curbing the usage of any other addictive drug, the length of time it takes to withdraw from xylazine depends on various factors, like the length of time you’ve been using the drug, your severity of use, your unique physiology, and if any other drugs are involved.  

Generally speaking, xylazine withdrawal symptoms begin quickly. You’ll start to notice the signs within 12 to 24 hours, which can worsen within the next day or two. Your symptoms should subside within the next couple of days, but cravings can persist for a few more weeks. 

What Is Xylazine Addiction Treatment Like?  

Quitting any cold turkey drug is not the way to sustain lasting recovery since so many of the long-term effects and xylazine withdrawal symptoms can be difficult to manage on your own, raising your risk of relapse and using again.  

Professional treatment at a rehab facility with caring, compassionate, licensed, and experienced staff sets you on the right path since the treatment trajectory follows a careful order meant to address even the most severe addictions. 

Medical Detox Xylazine Addiction Treatment  

Managing xylazine withdrawal symptoms begins with a period of medical detox. When you stop using a drug, withdrawal symptoms are inevitable since an addicted body has grown dependent on it to function. This is why professional medical detoxification is so important compared to quitting on your own, since medical staff — from doctors and nurses to addiction specialists — are trained in knowing how to safely mitigate these symptoms in the easiest way possible. Here, they’ll work closely with you to lessen the discomfort of withdrawal, providing medications and different interventions as needed. The staff is experienced with detoxing and will be able to tell you what the detox timeline will look like from the moment you begin.

Inpatient Xylazine Addiction Treatment  

You may have heard the terms “inpatient” and “outpatient,” but what’s the difference? In the former, inpatient treatment gives you the opportunity to complete xylazine addiction treatment by residing at our facility full-time, where you can commit to a 24/7 focus on recovery with no triggers or distractions. Following full detox, an inpatient program means every day is focused on getting sober, from the moment you rise in the morning and have breakfast with others living at the facility to your daily schedule of therapy, whether it’s in an individual or group setting (or both). This is a drug-free experience meant to facilitate your recovery in a safe, secure environment, enabling you to kick your addiction and develop coping and relapse-prevention strategies you can take with you back into the world. 

Outpatient Xylazine Addiction Treatment  

The latter is outpatient treatment, where you’re enabled to attend scheduled treatment during appointed times during the day and return home at night to maintain daily responsibilities while still remaining engaged in your recovery. Many people segue into an outpatient program after completing inpatient treatment; for others, it remains an option if you have a strong support system at home or your xylazine addiction doesn’t require a live-in stay at our facility. Outpatient treatment is less intensive but no less comprehensive, equipping you with the tools and skills to build healthier habits as you transition into everyday life. 

Aftercare 

One misconception about rehab is that support ends after completing recovery. This is false. There’s an entire segment of aftercare options you have access to after finishing an inpatient or outpatient stint, so you don’t need to navigate recovery alone. As treatment nears completion, with the help of your therapist and case manager, they can schedule regular follow-up sessions or connect you with local support groups close to home you can start attending, like Narcotics Anonymous or other 12-step-based organizations. Recovery is a lifelong effort, and with consistent aftercare, you reduce your chances of relapse and harness options to keep your sobriety a priority.   

Finding a Xylazine Addiction Treatment Facility  

If you’re reading this blog, we encourage you to browse our site for the comprehensive treatment options that Royal Life Centers offers. We carry various industry accreditations, and our staff carries the clinical expertise needed to understand and treat the complexities of xylazine withdrawal. 

Treatment at our Prescott facility is also integrated, involving a full continuum of care from alcohol detox to multiple drug addiction treatments. Some guests may need treatment for a co-occurring xylazine addiction and a mental health condition; through a dual diagnosis, both issues can be treated on a single, specialized track. Then, there are the ongoing modes of support that guests and their family members receive every step of the way.  

That’s just a sampling of what the road to recovery looks like in Prescott. We’re happy to tell you more about rehab, from intake to verifying your insurance to answering your questions about xylazine withdrawal and addiction for yourself or a loved one. Fill out our secure, confidential contact form, or give us a call today to learn more. Xylazine addiction treatment is effective — and sobriety is possible.