Alcohol withdrawal and alcohol withdrawl symptoms

Alcoholism is a difficult condition to deal with because the physical and psychological problems don’t go away when a person stops drinking.

Although there are a lot of symptoms and side effects of alcohol use, addicts will continue to drink because of the devastating withdrawal effects. Overcoming the cravings for alcohol and other physical symptoms is a key to long-term recovery success.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The effects of withdrawing from alcohol are affected by a number of factors. Symptoms of withdrawal are both physical and psychological. Like many addictive substances, alcohol affects multiple bodily symptoms and a person’s mental state as well.

• Someone who has been drinking heavily for a short period of time and is in relatively good health won’t have as much of a problem as someone who has depended on alcohol for years and years.
• Family history of alcohol intake, the amount of alcohol a person has been drinking, the length of time they’ve been drinking heavily and age all play a factor in the severity and length of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
• People who have been drinking for a short period of time in large quantities may experience fatigue, insomnia, irritation, anger, anxiety, loss of appetite and nausea. They may also sweat excessively and experience tremors as they withdraw.

For people who have had long-term alcohol problems, the symptoms are even more severe. Delirium tremens (DT) syndrome is the most common alcohol withdrawal symptom for heavy alcoholics. A person will experience tremors, dilated pupils, hallucinations, heart palpitations, convulsions, uncontrolled movements, high fever and blackouts during DT syndrome.

In addition to these physical symptoms, alcoholics can also experience depression and anxiety while they are detoxing. They can react with violence to seemingly normal situations, suffer from bad dreams and be unable to think clearly.

Getting Help for Alcohol Withdrawal

The symptoms can be so severe with heavy use that a patient may need to get help from a rehab facility. Without professional help, an addict may find it difficult to get their life back on track and overcome addiction. The symptoms of alcohol withdrawal will bring them right back to the only cure they know of – drinking alcohol.

Until an alcoholic stops using, it is impossible to begin the recovery process. If your friend or loved one is dealing with alcohol addiction, it’s important for them to get help from an alcohol rehab facility that can help them detox safely and permanently.

Author - Dr. Jeffrey Huttman Ph.D.

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