Recognizing and Dealing with Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Alcoholism is a condition that affects more than 17 million adults in the United States alone. This potentially life-threatening condition can often cause problems that deeply affect a drinker’s life and self-perception. Making the decision to quit drinking is not an easy one, though often a necessary one. Dealing with alcohol withdrawal symptoms can make quitting an even more difficult task and understanding the potential effects can be crucial in knowing what to expect and how to deal with it.
Alcohol withdrawals occur due to a disruption in the neurotransmitters of the brain that begins during the consumption of alcohol in one way and then changes once the supply to the body has been cut off or reduced below tolerance threshold. When drinking, the part of the brain which produces feelings excitability is suppressed, which causes it to overcompensate. Once there is no more alcohol in the system to keep it suppressed, this area of the brain goes into hyperactivity and creates many of the symptoms that are associated with alcohol withdrawals. The effect of drinking on the brain also has a hand in many of the psychological withdrawal symptoms that can occur.
The severity of alcohol withdrawals is based on a number of factors, including age, genetic predisposition, the length of time that one has been drinking and the amount of alcohol that is commonly consumed. A condition known as ‘kindling’ may also occur meaning that the withdrawal symptoms will get worse on each occasion that one quits drinking. Dependency on other drugs with similar properties to alcohol will also tend to cause symptoms to be more severe.
Withdrawal symptoms can occur as early as two hours after one has had their last drink, though it is more common that a day or two pass before they begin to manifest. They generally last for several weeks and some (especially psychological symptoms such as the desire to drink) will sometimes linger for years. Mild symptoms will usually show first and more severe symptoms will begin to appear as cessation of drinking progresses, though for people with particularly high levels of consumption the more serious symptoms can appear within a matter of hours.
Some of the minor symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
• Mild anxiety, irritability, nervousness, agitation and/or mood swings.
• Shakiness, especially of the hands.
• Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and/or diarrhea.
• Headaches and difficulty concentrating.
• Insomnia, fatigue, depression and/or nightmares.
• Sweating, clammy skin and/or pale complexion.
• Alcoholic hallucinosis – a condition that causes visual, auditory and/or tactile hallucinations. This condition usually lasts for around 48 hours and the hallucinations are minor and easily distinguishable as not real.
For those that have higher risk factors, symptoms can be much more intense and debilitating. Some of the severe withdrawal symptoms are:
• Severe anxiety, disorientation and/or confusion.
• Profuse sweating and possible fever.
• Tremors, high blood pressure and/or a racing and irregular heartbeat.
• Black-outs and/or memory loss.
• Delirium Tremens (DTs).
Delirium tremens (also known as “the shakes”) is a particularly serious withdrawal symptom. It usually takes between two to three days for the DTs to begin showing, but they have been known to appear as early as two hours after an alcoholic’s last drink. Symptoms generally peak at around five days without alcohol. The DTs consists of a mental state of confusion, rapid heartbeat, sever shaking, fever and seizures, though the most famous symptom of the DTs is intense, primarily visual hallucinations. These hallucinations can be quite extreme and hard for one experiencing them to distinguish from reality. Though fewer than five percent of alcoholics experience delirium tremens, the combination of DT symptoms can sometimes lead to death, with estimates putting the fatality rate between 5 and 15 percent.
A condition known as post acute withdrawal syndrome, or protracted withdrawal, may keep some of these symptoms recurring long after the body has freed itself from the addictive effects of alcohol. These effects will lessen as time goes on, but can last for many years in some. Some of the types of symptoms that may linger are alcohol cravings, disorientation, nausea, headaches, insomnia and a clouding or impairment of the senses.
Withdrawal symptoms can escalate rapidly, so even if they seem minor at first there is still a chance of them becoming severe with little or no warning. For those that have been drinking for many years, whose alcohol consumption levels are extremely high or those who have experienced severe symptoms in the past, seeing a doctor is critical. Those who have certain conditions which may be exacerbated by alcohol withdrawal, such as heart disease, lung disease or a history of seizure, should also see a doctor. There are many medications which doctors can prescribe which will lessen the effects of withdrawals as well as staving off some of the more severe symptoms, such as seizures or the delirium tremens.
Doctors will most likely treat a sufferer of alcohol withdrawal with certain medications, such as anticonvulsants for the shaking, beta-blockers to help with blood pressure and antipsychotics for the anxiety and hallucinations. Vitamin supplements are an essential part of recovery from alcohol addiction, as the body will be depleted of vitamins and minerals from prolonged alcohol consumption. Not replacing these vitamins can complicate withdrawal symptoms even further.
Receiving inpatient care is highly recommended for those who wish to get over their alcohol addiction permanently, especially those who are suffering from severe symptoms that can interfere in their quality of life and lead them back to drinking. Alcoholism is a disease which can eventually kill and it is in one’s best interest to end the addiction sooner rather than later. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will get worse as one’s drinking habit goes one, and so quitting early may ensure that one need not suffer such severe effects as the DTs. Ultimately, the decision to quit or continue drinking is in the hands of the individual, but one should always be aware of the potential consequence of either path.
Alcohol withdrawals occur due to a disruption in the neurotransmitters of the brain that begins during the consumption of alcohol in one way and then changes once the supply to the body has been cut off or reduced below tolerance threshold. When drinking, the part of the brain which produces feelings excitability is suppressed, which causes it to overcompensate. Once there is no more alcohol in the system to keep it suppressed, this area of the brain goes into hyperactivity and creates many of the symptoms that are associated with alcohol withdrawals. The effect of drinking on the brain also has a hand in many of the psychological withdrawal symptoms that can occur.
The severity of alcohol withdrawals is based on a number of factors, including age, genetic predisposition, the length of time that one has been drinking and the amount of alcohol that is commonly consumed. A condition known as ‘kindling’ may also occur meaning that the withdrawal symptoms will get worse on each occasion that one quits drinking. Dependency on other drugs with similar properties to alcohol will also tend to cause symptoms to be more severe.
Withdrawal symptoms can occur as early as two hours after one has had their last drink, though it is more common that a day or two pass before they begin to manifest. They generally last for several weeks and some (especially psychological symptoms such as the desire to drink) will sometimes linger for years. Mild symptoms will usually show first and more severe symptoms will begin to appear as cessation of drinking progresses, though for people with particularly high levels of consumption the more serious symptoms can appear within a matter of hours.
Some of the minor symptoms of alcohol withdrawal include:
• Mild anxiety, irritability, nervousness, agitation and/or mood swings.
• Shakiness, especially of the hands.
• Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite and/or diarrhea.
• Headaches and difficulty concentrating.
• Insomnia, fatigue, depression and/or nightmares.
• Sweating, clammy skin and/or pale complexion.
• Alcoholic hallucinosis – a condition that causes visual, auditory and/or tactile hallucinations. This condition usually lasts for around 48 hours and the hallucinations are minor and easily distinguishable as not real.
For those that have higher risk factors, symptoms can be much more intense and debilitating. Some of the severe withdrawal symptoms are:
• Severe anxiety, disorientation and/or confusion.
• Profuse sweating and possible fever.
• Tremors, high blood pressure and/or a racing and irregular heartbeat.
• Black-outs and/or memory loss.
• Delirium Tremens (DTs).
Delirium tremens (also known as “the shakes”) is a particularly serious withdrawal symptom. It usually takes between two to three days for the DTs to begin showing, but they have been known to appear as early as two hours after an alcoholic’s last drink. Symptoms generally peak at around five days without alcohol. The DTs consists of a mental state of confusion, rapid heartbeat, sever shaking, fever and seizures, though the most famous symptom of the DTs is intense, primarily visual hallucinations. These hallucinations can be quite extreme and hard for one experiencing them to distinguish from reality. Though fewer than five percent of alcoholics experience delirium tremens, the combination of DT symptoms can sometimes lead to death, with estimates putting the fatality rate between 5 and 15 percent.
A condition known as post acute withdrawal syndrome, or protracted withdrawal, may keep some of these symptoms recurring long after the body has freed itself from the addictive effects of alcohol. These effects will lessen as time goes on, but can last for many years in some. Some of the types of symptoms that may linger are alcohol cravings, disorientation, nausea, headaches, insomnia and a clouding or impairment of the senses.
Withdrawal symptoms can escalate rapidly, so even if they seem minor at first there is still a chance of them becoming severe with little or no warning. For those that have been drinking for many years, whose alcohol consumption levels are extremely high or those who have experienced severe symptoms in the past, seeing a doctor is critical. Those who have certain conditions which may be exacerbated by alcohol withdrawal, such as heart disease, lung disease or a history of seizure, should also see a doctor. There are many medications which doctors can prescribe which will lessen the effects of withdrawals as well as staving off some of the more severe symptoms, such as seizures or the delirium tremens.
Doctors will most likely treat a sufferer of alcohol withdrawal with certain medications, such as anticonvulsants for the shaking, beta-blockers to help with blood pressure and antipsychotics for the anxiety and hallucinations. Vitamin supplements are an essential part of recovery from alcohol addiction, as the body will be depleted of vitamins and minerals from prolonged alcohol consumption. Not replacing these vitamins can complicate withdrawal symptoms even further.
Receiving inpatient care is highly recommended for those who wish to get over their alcohol addiction permanently, especially those who are suffering from severe symptoms that can interfere in their quality of life and lead them back to drinking. Alcoholism is a disease which can eventually kill and it is in one’s best interest to end the addiction sooner rather than later. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms will get worse as one’s drinking habit goes one, and so quitting early may ensure that one need not suffer such severe effects as the DTs. Ultimately, the decision to quit or continue drinking is in the hands of the individual, but one should always be aware of the potential consequence of either path.
0 comments :
Post a Comment