Alcohol Detox & Panic Disorder Treatment

Dr. Jerrold Rosenbaum and Dr. Mark Pollack, authors of "Panic Disorders and Its Treatment," say that the association between panic disorder and alcohol abuse was magnified by the occurrence of panic and anxiety attacks of individuals who undergo alcohol detox. Usually, anxiety is a co-occurring predicament with detox and other forms of substance withdrawal. Anxiety can even go together with post-traumatic stress disorder, phobia and panic disorder. Take a peek on the elements of this alcohol-induced psychiatric disorder.

Alcohol Abuse and Withdrawal

• Undeniably, the challenge of getting out of a habit cannot be compared to the difficulty of withdrawing from an addiction. Accordingly, alcoholics who sought help in retreating from their unsafe dependence require a longer period of recovery. And since alcohol detox presents sudden termination of alcohol consumption, alcoholics experience severe alcohol-withdrawal symptoms such as vomiting, nausea, tremors, hallucinations, extreme anxiety and panic attacks. These withdrawal symptoms lead to the association of alcoholism and panic disorder.

Panic Disorder and Treatment

• Basically, the high level of anxiety and insomnia brought about by the withdrawal state from alcohol causes panic disorder to develop. Panic disorder is a form of anxiety disorder that is characterized by unanticipated panic attacks. An individual with valid symptoms of panic attacks and who recurrently experience at least one of the criteria indicated in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) may be diagnosed with Panic Disorder. Treatment includes long-term medication and psychiatric therapy.

Alcohol as Treatment for Anxiety Disorders

• While limited alcohol use is deemed acceptable in social situations, others misconstrue the idea of having fun while drinking and use alcohol to cope with stressful situations. People with anxiety disorders tend to use alcohol as a self-medicating technique to reduce anxiety and stress. Most people expect relief of anxiety after consuming alcohol but in reality, alcohol consumption will only increase distress. According to various psychological health studies, alcohol use causes or worsens anxiety symptoms. This is apparent in continual alcohol use whenever anxiety is felt; this may then lead to abuse, resulting to the need for habit cessation, which will bring about withdrawal symptoms that include further anxiety and distress.

Panic Disorder as a Result of Alcohol Withdrawal

• The hypothesis that alcohol withdrawal causes panics is usually seen on several perspectives. Some experts say that alcohol use does not significantly affect the diagnosis for a panic disorder. But apparently, alcohol withdrawal, technically a "hangover," usually results to agitation, anxiety and panic attacks because of the challenging confrontation of the desire to drink and the need to stop problem drinking.

Effective Alcohol Detox and Panic Disorder Therapy

• While there is no specific confirmation on which causes which, it is essential that proper facilitation is provided for both alcohol detox and panic disorder treatment. It is essential that people who go through alcohol detox are under comprehensive detoxification and recovery programs to avoid any negative side effect that may take place. Counseling has proved its efficiency in providing support and reinforcement to the recovering individual. Counselors, psychologists and psychiatrists have effectively supervised alcohol detox and panic disorder therapy. Resolving the underlying issues that contribute to both alcohol dependence and anxiety leads to a more successful alcohol detox program and psychological disorder intervention. It is imperative, therefore, that one finds a truly adept clinician who can employ a multidisciplinary approach to the comprehensive treatment of both panic disorder and substance abuse.