How To Treat Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms At Home

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One of the first questions that many alcoholics ask others when they are trying to quit drinking is how to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms and alcohol detox symptoms at home.

The answer to this question is quite simple: if you are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms or alcohol detox symptoms or are expecting that you will be going through alcohol withdrawal symptoms or alcohol detox symptoms due to the fact that you are quitting drinking, you should seek immediate medical assistance rather than treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms or alcohol detox symptoms at home.

Should Anyone Treat Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms At Home?

image: businessman reflecting on his alcoholism When people who drink excessively try to stop drinking, they almost always experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms (also called alcoholic withdrawal symptoms or alcohol detox symptoms by some people).

Regrettably, one of the first things that many of these individuals ask other people is how to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home.

The answer to this question is very important:

People who are experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms should not treat these alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home.

Instead, they need to seek medical assistance immediately so that their doctor, emergency room personnel, healthcare provider, or urgent care center personnel can assess the severity of their alcohol withdrawal symptoms and suggest the best option for treatment.

To understand all of the reasons why people suffering from alcohol withdrawal symptoms should immediately seek medical assistance, please continue reading.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome is a group of alcohol withdrawal symptoms exhibited by individuals who stop drinking alcohol after a pattern of continuous and excessive alcohol consumption.

These alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to moderate to severe and include both behavioral and psychological aspects.

Mild to Moderate Psychological Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

image: female mime showing saddness over alcoholic symptoms of a friend The following represents mild to moderate psychological alcohol withdrawal symptoms that typically occur within 6 to 48 hours after the last alcoholic drink:

anxiety
feeling nervous or jumpy
depression
fatigue
irritability
nightmares
rapid emotional changes
difficulty thinking clearly

Mild to Moderate Physical Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The following represents mild to moderate physical alcohol withdrawal symptoms that typically occur within 6 to 48 hours after the last alcoholic drink:

loss of appetite
nausea
rapid heart rate
vomiting
pulsating headaches
clammy skin
abnormal movements
sweating (especially on the palms of the hands or on the face)
sleeping difficulties
tremor of the hands
looking pale
involuntary movements of the eyelids
enlarged or dilated pupils

Severe Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

The following represents severe alcohol withdrawal symptoms that typically occur within 48 to 96 hours after the last alcoholic drink:

muscle tremors
extreme confusion
severe autonomic nervous system overactivity
black outs
convulsions
high fever
seizures
delirium tremens (DTs)
visual hallucinations
agitation

The main difference between rehab for alcoholics and rehab for alcohol abusers is that with alcohol abusers, treatment for alcohol withdrawal symptoms is not required due to the fact that without dependency, withdrawal symptoms are a non-issue.

Most Alcohol Withdrawal Cases Don't Require Hospitalization

image: doctor checking status of alcoholic receiving alcohol withdrawal treatment Recent research demonstrates that it is important to treat every person who is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Having said this, it can be pointed out that around 95% of the people who quit drinking alcohol suffer from mild to moderate alcohol withdrawal symptoms and can usually be treated on an out-patient basis by a healthcare professional.

The remaining 5% of people who experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms, however, suffer symptoms so severe that they must be treated in a hospital or in an alcohol rehabilitation facility that specializes in detoxification.

When you get to the point in your life when you want to quit drinking, get quality medical alcohol treatment not only for the alcohol withdrawal symptoms you may experience, but also so that you can go thorough the entire alcohol detox process under the supervision of a trained addiction specialist.

Non-Drug Detox Programs

image: doctor telling patient about her alcoholic symptoms A number of different techniques exist for treating alcohol withdrawal. While some of these treatments use medications, many, however, do not. Indeed, according to current research studies, the safest way to treat mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms is without medications.

Such types of non-drug detoxification use screening and extensive social support throughout the withdrawal process. Other non-drug detoxification programs, moreover, use vitamin therapy (especially thiamin) and proper nutrition in treating mild alcohol withdrawal symptoms.

While some alcoholics actually try to quit drinking on their own, try to undergo the detox process at home, and try to suffer through their alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home, most of these attempts will be unsuccessful. Serious diseases call for serious treatment and the best treatment for alcoholism is provided by professionals who are experts in the field of addiction.

Detoxification with Drugs

image: young woman worried about alcohol withdrawal symptoms of boyfriend Alcoholism researchers claim that chronic alcoholics who cannot maintain abstention should receive drug therapy to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms. By using medications, these alcoholics are less likely to experience possible brain damage or seizures.

Recent research demonstrates that the drugs most likely to produce effective results when treating alcohol withdrawal symptoms are the benzodiazepines, namely, the longer-acting benzodiazepines like Valium and Librium or the shorter-acting benzodiazepines such as Ativan and Serax.

image: drug and alcohol treatment ad

Traditionally, when administering benzodiazepines, physicians have employed a progressive decrease in doses over the time-frame of the withdrawal process. In addition, due to the fact that these drugs allow for measurable dose reductions and do not linger in the person's system numerous authorities have suggested that intermediate to short half-life benzodiazepines should be used for treating withdrawal symptoms.

All people who experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms should seek professional treatment. The main reason for this is to prevent further difficulties or complications from happening. For example, in some extreme instances, alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be life threatening.

Outpatient and Inpatient Detoxification Programs

The research on inpatient and outpatient detoxification programs is also important. Studies have shown that inpatient detoxification is more effective and longer-lasting than outpatient detox programs. The important issue here is the following: the more severe the alcohol-related withdrawal symptoms, the more likely that inpatient detox programs should be used.

When alcohol addicts stop drinking, they will at the very least experience mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety, restlessness, overall discomfort, and irritability. Regrettably, the easiest way to stop such symptoms is to drink more alcohol--thus starting the negative addiction spiral all over again.

Perhaps the most important lesson to be learned from the above discussion is this: When experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, always see your healthcare provider or your doctor immediately so that he or she can assess the severity of your situation and suggest the best option for treatment.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms (also known as alcoholic withdrawal symptoms by some people) usually appear within 12 hours of the last drink, and the symptoms peak within 48 to 72 hours. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can continue for as long as a week or more. In some instances, moreover, various symptoms such as fatigue, rapid mood changes, and sleep changes can last for months. Alcohol withdrawal should be considered a serious medical condition that can quickly become life-threatening if untreated by professionals.

How To Treat Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms At Home: Conclusion

image: doctor reading list of alcoholic symptoms of patient Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms. When alcoholics stop drinking, they almost always experience alcohol withdrawal symptoms (also known as alcohol detox symptoms or alcoholic withdrawal symptoms by some individuals). In fact, it is the fear of experiencing these alcohol withdrawal symptoms that is one of the primary reasons why alcoholics need to drink everyday.

Equipped with the information articulated above, the next time someone asks you how to treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home, you can say to them: "You shouldn't treat alcohol withdrawal symptoms at home--you need to seek medical assistance immediately so that the seriousness of your alcohol withdrawal symptoms can be appropriately evaluated and the best option for treatment can be implemented."

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The medical and alcohol addiction research literature has repeatedly demonstrated that there is a relationship between alcohol abuse and sleep problems such as insomnia. In fact, alcohol in an individual's body can interfere with one's ability to get to sleep and with an enjoyable, restful, deep sleep. Not only this, but in instances of alcohol dependence, insomnia is one of the alcohol withdrawal symptoms that people experience that can persist for many weeks after they have stopped drinking and attained sobriety.

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