The Basics of Alcohol Withdrawal
Unlike drug abuse withdrawal, alcohol withdrawal can actually be fatal. When a person becomes heavily dependent on alcohol, their brains become hyper-sensitive and hyper-active. This is to counter the effects of too much alcohol in their body. The patient's neurotransmitters are slowed down by alcohol abuse. This is what causes a drunken man to be slow and non-responsive. To compensate for this the neurotransmitters have to heighten their activity. When a person suddenly stops drinking, their body will still continue with this high level of activity and this is what can cause fatalities. It does not start so strong however. A person experiencing alcohol withdrawal could start with mild headaches and lead into seizures and even a comatose state. Drug withdrawals usually lead to headaches, hallucinations, and mild body pains but alcohol withdrawal can and will kill when a dependent stops alcohol intake without supervision and medical aid. As a matter of fact a good one out of three people die because of alcohol withdrawal. Most recently, authorities say that singer Amy Winehouse may have died from alcohol withdrawal since she had stopped drinking a few weeks prior.
Who is at Risk?
When a person is undergoing alcohol withdrawal they are not the only ones at risk of being hurt. True, they are the primary patient at hand and could immediately die because of the numerous withdrawal occurrences such as seizures and shakiness but the people around them can and will be affected as well. One of the most common occurrences is when an alcohol abuser who is trying to detox, causes car accidents. Alcoholics undergoing withdrawal can experience very vivid and very realistic hallucinations that could cause them to harm others, for no apparent reason. Some instances of people being beaten to death because an alcoholic was undergoing withdrawal symptoms and had experienced a very horrible hallucination have been reported.
What are the Ramifications on Alcoholics?
Aside from the health issues involved, just taking a look at the common DUI cases in California alone should discourage anyone from heavily getting into alcohol. There are specific cases such as DUI with bodily damage, DUI causing death, and DUI with damage on public property. The state of California has zero tolerance on driving under the influence therefore even just one drink can get you into a DUI. This should be enough to convince anyone to stop drinking but it also means that those undergoing withdrawal symptoms should steer away from the road as well. The common DUI Class is the AB541 program.
To avoid fatalities and health concerns when it comes to alcohol withdrawal it is important for a person to seek immediate medical help the moment as soon as they have the courage to stop alcohol drinking. It is important that they have the right medical team to assess what medications they need and what kind of professional help and rehabilitation is required to help them pull through the detoxification and withdrawal phases without lapsing back into alcoholism. By undergoing professional aid and the right medical assistance one can pull through the difficult alcohol withdrawal sequences without harm and can become free of the chains of alcoholism. It takes time and a lot of effort but it can be done and it can be done safely.