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Generally speaking, withdrawal symptoms accompany alcohol detox, and there are approved pharmacotherapies that may help with alcohol detox/withdrawal in alcohol dependent persons.
Alcohol detoxification (colloquially known as "detox") generally describes the process or period over which an individual begins to recover after the abrupt cessation of drinking.
The period of detox from alcohol can be quite dangerous, and withdrawal symptoms can be quite severe - for these reasons, a healthcare professional should be consulted prior to suddenly stopping alcohol use, especially if one has been a chronic, heavy drinker.
Delirium tremens is a condition that is considered severe, and can be fatal if not treated immediately and properly.
Delirium tremens produces symptoms that occur as the result of excitotoxicity of the brain, which means that there is excessive neurotransmitter activity (particularly rebound glutamate activity) and this causes the brain to become hyperactive.
Symptoms include:
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The treatment of choice for delirium tremens is benzodiazepines, which reduce the risk of seizures and help with the anxiety associated with the condition.
However, there is a catch to using benzodiazepines as a treatment for alcohol withdrawal - they have high abuse potential, so health care professionals make a thorough assessment before recommending ongoing benzodiazepine treatment for alcohol detox.
Antipsychotics may also be used for extreme cases of hallucinations.
During alcohol detox, sedative medications such as benzodiazepines or barbiturates may be used to relieve and control withdrawal symptoms, and help prevent seizures.
Depending upon the degree of severity, antipsychotics such as haloperidol may be used to cope with hallucinations.
However, since antipsychotics are pro convulsants--meaning that they can cause epileptic seizures or convulsions--their use is carefully monitored and an extensive risk/benefit analysis is conducted prior to administration.
In general, patients with severe withdrawal symptoms during detox are often kept pharmacologically sedated to minimize the risk of agitation and seizures.
Benzodiazepines may even be prescribed for outpatient detox to patients at low risk of seizures or to help patients with withdrawal symptoms such as anxiety.
Alcohol detox begins after the user takes their last drink, and withdrawal symptoms often appear within 6 to 12 hours after cessation of drinking.
Withdrawal symptom severity depends upon the degree of dependence on alcohol in the user. Frequent heavy use will usually be accompanied by more severe withdrawal symptoms while light, infrequent use will have less severe symptoms.
During the beginning of detox, the following symptoms may occur:
Users going through alcohol detox may also experience hallucinations during the first 24 hours--these hallucinations are different from those experienced during delirium tremens. Seizures are also possible during detox, and can occur between the first 24 and 48 hours after drinking cessation.
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome can be a complication of alcoholism in general, and its neurologic signs can complicate acute alcohol withdrawal. It is caused due to a thiamine (Vitamin B1) deficiency and is characterized by:
Alcohol detox usually lasts around 72 hours; however, withdrawal symptoms and delirium tremens may last anywhere from one to several weeks.
Alcohol detox can occur in both inpatient and outpatient settings. The setting you choose should depend both on your lifestyle and your health care provider's advice.
Outpatient treatment is normally safe for patients who have mild to moderate withdrawal symptoms and a moderate severity of dependence. Even though detox occurs in the patient's home, medical staff oversees the detox through contact with the patient and periodic clinic visits as needed.
Inpatient detox is often indicated for people who have experienced:
Regardless of the treatment setting, medications can be prescribed to help relieve withdrawal symptoms (such as anti-nausea medications) or prevent seizures (benzodiazepines / barbiturates).
There are several factors to keep in mind when choosing the best alcohol detox center:
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