What Is Alcohol Withdrawl?

Withdrawal symptoms occur when a person refrains from using a substance on which they have developed a dependence. Individuals who drink excessive amounts of alcohol run the risk of experiencing withdrawal symptoms when they stop drinking. Alcohol withdrawal can manifest itself in a variety of symptoms, ranging in severity from unpleasant to fatal.

Cause

• Excessive drinking has a powerful effect on the brain that can cause withdrawal symptoms.

  The long-term, excessive use of a substance can have a serious impact on the human body as the body becomes accustomed to the substance's effects. In the case of alcohol drinking, alcohol binds to GABA receptors in the brain, which inhibit the firing of neurons and produce alcohol's sedative effects. With heavy drinking, alcohol constantly inhibits the brain. In response to the constant inhibitory effect produced by frequent heavy drinking, the brain will begin to produce excitatory neurotransmitters. When alcohol consumption decreases substantially or stops, the excitatory neurotransmitters are no longer countered by alcohol's inhibitory effect, which causes withdrawal symptoms.

Symptoms

• Severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal may include fever, delirium tremens, and seizures.

  Alcohol withdrawal generally occurs from five to ten hours after a person stops drinking, although it can be even a week later. Psychological withdrawal symptoms include depression, anxiety, rapid emotional changes, irritability, fatigue, and cognitive problems. Typical physical symptoms include headache, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, pallor, clammy skin, sweating, pupil dilation, rapid heart rate, insomnia, and tremors. In some cases, the symptoms can be very severe and include high fever, delirium tremens (hallucinations and confusion), convulsions, and seizures. Alcohol withdrawal, in such severe cases, may lead to death.

Treatment

• Patients may be prescribed benzodiazepines to help relieve their symptoms.

  Due to the serious nature of severe symptoms, patients who are suffering from alcohol withdrawal should be treated in a proper facility. Treatment is designed to both alleviate immediate withdrawal symptoms and prevent complications, while addressing the harmful alcohol dependency of the patient. Throughout the process, patients' vital signs and mental status are monitored to ensure their health. They are often tested for alcohol-related diseases. Often, patients who experience severe symptoms may need to be sedated for a week or until withdrawal is finished. Benzodiazepines are frequently used to help lessen the severity of symptoms. If hallucinations or other signs of delirium tremens take place, the patient may be placed on anti-psychotic medications. As the symptoms of withdrawal decrease, most patients are to refrain from drinking while beginning counseling.

Who Is At Risk

• Alcohol withdrawal is more common among men.

  While it can occur in children or teenagers, alcohol withdrawal is usually found in adults. The excessive use of alcohol, such as five or more drinks per day for men or four drinks per day for women, puts individuals at a substantially higher risk for developing symptoms of alcohol withdrawal when drinking is discontinued. Alcohol withdrawal is far more common in men than in women. If untreated, the mortality rate of alcohol withdrawal can be 20 percent. With early diagnosis and treatment, the mortality rate is significantly lower, at 1 to 5 percent. People with existing conditions such as cirrhosis or other preexisting conditions are at a greater risk of dying from alcohol withdrawal.