Many people coping with alcoholism struggle to overcome it. However, we must remember that it’s not impossible. It’s important to understand that conquering alcoholism, while scary and tough, opens doors to a healthier and happier future. As long as you explore rehabilitation choices under strict medical supervision and choose the right recovery plans, there’s little to fear.
Withdrawal can be a difficult obstacle to cross for anyone. In some rare and extreme cases, some symptoms can be fatal. Let’s explore this a little more.
What is Alcohol Detox?
When a person is struggling with Alcohol Use Disorder, their system is dependent on alcohol and quite a bit of it is in their body regularly. This is where detoxification comes in. Alcohol detox is the process of completely flushing the body of alcohol, toxins, and the chemicals it has generated artificially.
This is the first step towards curing AUD. During this phase, the person usually experiences intense withdrawal symptoms as the body goes without alcohol after a long time. After about 1-2 weeks, the withdrawal symptoms subside, and the body slowly begins to return to its normal state.
Detoxification that is medically aided and supervised by skilled professionals is the most successful. This is normally done at a specialized detox/rehab facility, or sometimes a medical alcohol detox from home under the care of medical professionals. They often prescribe medication to ease the withdrawal period.
Most people with AUD are hesitant about quitting alcohol because of the detox phase and the withdrawals it comes with. But as long as you are under the medical supervision of capable physicians, you can overcome it.
What Is Withdrawal?
Withdrawal is the set of varying physical and mental symptoms that appear when an individual quits or reduces their intake of a substance their body has become greatly dependent on, such as alcohol. The person will endure distressing side effects when the number of liquor/drugs in their body is not being replenished.
The sort of withdrawal symptoms a person has, as well as how severe they are, is determined by how long they’ve been dependent on the substance, how much they’ve been consuming it, and their mental and physical health.
Can It Be Fatal?
Withdrawal symptoms vary from minor to life-threatening during the alcohol detox phase.
Individuals who have suffered from years of excessive drinking are more prone to experience severe withdrawal symptoms such as delirium tremens. This may lead to seizures, stroke, or a heart attack. While seizures alone aren’t fatal, they may lead to severe head injury.
While only a small number of people who experience severe withdrawal symptoms may die, it is not a good idea to go through alcohol detox without a medical professional.
Frequently Asked Questions About Alcohol Withdrawal
Withdrawal is one of many hurdles in the road to recovery. When you quit or severely reduce your alcohol intake, your brain activity is disrupted, resulting in a hyper-aroused state, which can cause a variety of withdrawal symptoms.
Following are commonly asked inquiries about alcohol withdrawal:
1: What are the typical symptoms of withdrawal?
- Anxiety
- Excessive sweating
- Nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting
- Body pain
- Fever and exhaustion
- Inability to concentrate or sleep
- Major mood swings
Extreme symptoms include
- Seizures
- Hallucinations
- Tremors
- Delirium tremens (in rare conditions)
2: When do I need help?
Once you can no longer regulate the amount or duration of your drinking, or when you start to experience negative repercussions as a result of your drinking, but you still can’t control or reduce your use, that is when you know that you need treatment and help.
Consider your medical alternatives and seek recovery the proper way: with an expert medical team monitoring your wellness through your rehabilitation.
3: How early do withdrawal symptoms start?
The initial indications of alcohol withdrawal can appear as early as a few hours after the last drink. Individuals may suffer acute withdrawal symptoms in the days and weeks following the termination of alcohol consumption, which could be more intense than others.
4: How long do the withdrawal symptoms last?
Physical withdrawals can last from anywhere between 3-5 days and 1-2 two weeks of monitored cleansing and detox but emotional withdrawal might last considerably longer. Some symptoms might last for several months.
Summary
# AUD can be overcome, however, quitting it may result in withdrawal symptoms.
# Detoxing is the first step towards recovery
# Withdrawal can be fatal but only in severe cases.
# Withdrawal depends on the severity of the person coping with alcohol.
# The symptoms vary from person to person.
# Withdrawal is tough nevertheless, with the suitable choice of monitoring and medical attention, the journey may become easier.
