It is safe to taper off alcohol with the help of medically assisted detox. In fact, tapering is an effective way to reduce withdrawal symptoms for a safer and more bearable weaning process. These medications are not standalone cures for alcohol withdrawal or recovery from alcohol addiction, and should only be used as part of an integrated treatment approach. If you drink daily, your body becomes dependent on alcohol over time. When this happens, your central nervous system can no longer adapt easily to the lack of alcohol. If you suddenly stop drinking or significantly reduce the amount of alcohol you drink, it can cause AWS.
When To Seek Help for Alcohol Addiction
Alcohol withdrawal may cause uncomfortable chest symptoms that can damage the heart. Lack of control over alcohol intake is alcohol detox side effects a commonsymptom of alcoholism. Addiction, tolerance and physical dependence encourage people to drink more alcohol over time, not less.
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Although alcohol can have a relaxing effect and increase a person’s ability to fall asleep, it can also adversely affect sleep. Consuming excessive amounts of alcohol increases your risk of suffering from poor sleep quality. Even just one bout of drinking too much may weaken your body’s germ-fighting power for up to 24 hours. Over time, large amounts of alcohol blunt your immune system and your body’s ability to repair itself. When you stop consuming alcohol after prolonged, heavy use, your CNS can’t respond or regulate itself what is alcoholism fast enough. It becomes overexcited because there’s no more alcohol to slow it down.
What Is Acute Alcohol Withdrawal?
If you’re a heavy drinker, you’re at an increased risk of developing certain diseases, such as cancer, heart disease, and stroke. However, when you stop drinking, your risk of developing these diseases decreases. When you stop drinking, various things happen to your mind and body. However, the nature and intensity of these effects can vary depending on how much and how frequently you drink. While occasional social drinking may not result in significant changes when you decide to https://ecosoberhouse.com/ quit, you may experience more significant effects if you have been drinking heavily for an extended time. By Sarah Bence, OTR/LBence is an occupational therapist with a range of work experience in mental healthcare settings.
To learn more about alcohol withdrawal, detox, and addiction treatment options, speak with a specialist at Ark Behavioral Health today. Professionals may also create a tapering schedule to help you safely stop drinking. You may think you can reduce your alcohol intake on your own, but this can be challenging if you suffer from alcohol addiction. Since alcohol withdrawal can result in serious health issues or a loss of life, trying the detox process alone isn’t a good idea. Inpatient treatment is the most intensive type of addiction treatment.
Outlook for Alcohol Withdrawal
- A hangover occurs when a person drinks too much alcohol at one time.
- A healthcare provider may request daily visits during which they will likely run blood tests and monitor vital signs until symptoms stabilize.
- Additional symptoms, such as high blood pressure, can be treated with medications specific to that condition.
- Plus, it disrupts the important REM stage of sleep and may interfere with your breathing.
Alcohol withdrawal and detox can be deadly in certain circumstances, so it’s incredibly important for thosedetoxing from alcohol to do so in a medical facility. Detox can be dehydrating to the body as it uses any means — most notably vomiting, diarrhea and sweating — to expel alcohol and its toxins. Combining alcohol’s pre-existing dehydrating qualities with withdrawal-related dehydration can easily induce seizures and may prove lethal in some cases. The long-term outlook for someone experiencing alcohol withdrawal is highly dependent on what happens after detox.
- Alcohol withdrawal symptoms range from mild but annoying to severe and life-threatening.
- Getting sober from alcohol is not something everyone can do on their own.
- Pre-existing mental health conditions can sometimes lead people to turn to alcohol to cope with their symptoms.
- Although the effects are somewhat predictable, there is no way to know with certainty which symptoms will emerge and how intense they will become for each person.