Long-term alcohol use leads to physical dependence and tolerance. When a person stops drinking alcohol, they may experience alcohol withdrawal syndrome or detox, which can cause a range of symptoms.
The symptoms are due to the hyper excitable state of the central nervous system, which occurs as a result of prolonged alcohol use.
The common signs and symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome include the following:
- Disturbances in sleeping pattern of the individual. The person may experience insomnia or hypersomnia due to alcohol withdrawal.
- The individual may experience the complication of hallucinations in some cases.
- The person may have the complication of headache or hypertension.
- Problem of tremors and restlessness is also reported in the persons who gave up alcohol suddenly.
- The person becomes irritable and has a feeling of shakiness in his or her body.
- The individual becomes anxious and emotionally unstable.
Alcohol detox or alcohol detoxification refers to intake of short term course of medicines in order to stop the withdrawal symptoms that might appear after one gives up the intake of alcohol.
It has been observed that the alcohol detox or alcohol withdrawal syndrome may not appear in all persons who give up alcohol intake suddenly.
Also, the syndrome may appear in a mild form in some cases. There is no fixed pattern of withdrawal symptom or alcohol detox that might appear in the person giving up alcohol. But in case, one is taking large quantities of alcohol for a long period of time, he or she should take the help of a doctor.
Taking the help of a physician for getting rid of alcohol intake is a good alternative.
It has also been found that intake of alcohol for longer period of time leads to changes in the chemical set up in the brain of the person taking it. There are certain drugs available in the market which are handy for alcohol detoxification and can be used to give up the habit of excessive alcohol intake.
The problem of kindling is also reported in which the extent of withdrawal symptoms that take place due to frequent alcohol detox procedure is severe.
The hospitals use the CIWA protocol in order to check the extent of withdrawal symptoms present in the person and the quantity of medication required for treating these symptoms.
The drugs used to contain the alcohol detox or alcohol withdrawal symptoms are
Antipsychotics: Haloperidol is a common antipsychotic medicine that is used to cure the alcohol withdrawal symptoms. But one should take these drugs under the supervision of a doctor or physician as there can be severe side effects of these drugs.
Benzodiazepines: Diazepam and lorazepam are the most common benzodiazepines used to control the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. These are quite safe and do not have any severe side effects. It is quite useful in case the complication of delirium tremens appears when one withdraws the alcohol intake.
Anticonvulsants: The anticonvulsants such as toprimate carbamazepine are quite useful for the treatment of alcohol detox or alcohol withdrawal symptoms