Withdrawal Symptoms From Alcohol

Alcohol withdrawal is considered to be the worst form of withdrawal over any other substance, including heroin. At their most severe, withdrawal symptoms can include seizures, cardiac arrest and hallucinations. If proper treatment is not received when an individual is going through alcohol detox it can even be fatal. Alcohol addicts experience withdrawal when they reduce or cease drinking after extended periods of excessive alcohol consumption. Most people do not fully understand what alcohol detox is, and how serious and dangerous it can really be. With the proper alcoholism treatments withdrawal symptoms can be pacified with the necessary medications in a controlled environment.

If you are considering tapering off or stopping your alcohol abuse, it is important that you understand what detox is and what to expect when going through withdrawal. Typical symptoms that people suffering from alcohol addiction experience when going through detox and withdrawal include agitation, nausea, vomiting, sweating, irritability, anxiety, diarrhea, restlessness, weakness and insomnia. At a minimal level these symptoms, although undesirable and uncomfortable for the individual going through alcohol withdrawal, are tolerable. Detoxification from alcohol improves with time, and usually the first few days are the hardest. Once your body overcomes the shock that comes with the cessation of alcohol, you can begin to recover. With severe alcoholics however, medical treatment is sometimes necessary.

Alcohol addicts that routinely drink excessive amounts on a regular basis can experience very severe withdrawal symptoms if they decide to stop or reduce their drinking. At its worst, the detoxification process can include delirium tremens (DTs), the most severe stage of alcohol withdrawal. When someone with an alcohol addiction gets to the point of the DTs, they have hallucinations, extreme confusion, and their central nervous system goes into a state of hyperactivity. Since alcohol is a suppressant, it subdues the central nervous system. When alcohol consumption stops, an alcoholic's mind and body are not used to functioning without alcohol, and the central nervous system essentially goes into a state of shock. This is when seizures and cardiac arrest can occur.

At this stage of alcoholism, one should go to an alcohol rehab center for their detoxification process. At a treatment facility, their detox can be supervised by medical professionals, and they can be administered certain medications to curb the severe symptoms associated with their withdrawal. The most common meds used to treat severe alcohol withdrawal are benzodiazepines, such as Valium and Xanax. Going to an alcohol rehab facility or toughing out alcohol detox on your own can mean the difference between life and death. Most cases of alcohol withdrawal are treated as outpatients, but in the most extreme cases, alcoholics are taken in and treated as inpatients so they can be supervised.

Most people do not realize how dangerous alcohol detox can be. If you have been suffering from alcohol addiction from an extended period of time and you are thinking about getting sober, it is in your best interests to first consult the advice of a doctor. Depending upon the severity of your alcoholism, it may be recommended that you be admitted to an alcohol rehab treatment facility to undergo the detoxification process.