Saturday, June 04, 2011

Common alcohol withdrawal symptoms and how to control them

When a person decides to quit drinking, it is always a celebrated move by the individual, family members and even the colleagues. However, this path is not always smooth because it is like getting rid of something that has become part of the person’s personality. Drinking is always so deep that it influences a person’s choice of past time activities, places to hang out and even the choice of friends. The person may have engaged in this activity for so many years that the body has adapted to the contents and the amount it gets daily. Therefore, a person may face some alcohol withdrawal symptoms. This happens because the substance that was sedating the brain has been removed but the body is still producing the stimulant. These symptoms can be mild or severe.

The mild symptoms are visible six to forty eight hours after taking the last beer. These symptoms include being on edge, nausea, uncontrollably moving the eyelids, increase in heart rate, the hands may shake and this person can have unexplained mood swings. If the person does not give in to the urge to get another drink, the symptoms may develop further leading to depressive thoughts, convulsions and being delirious. It may also result to hallucinations. This person is in a stage where the body is craving for the drink so much after several days of abstinence. When it comes to the treatment of alcohol withdrawal, the recommended ways are the ones that do not involve taking medicines. In most cases, this condition does not require hospitalization unless there are problems like damage to the liver and increase in blood pressure among others. The first thing in the healing process is assessing the level of damage and the severity of the condition. Sedatives are greatly recommended to counter the levels of anxiety. As a result, the deliriousness and convulsions cease. If the situation is mild, the family and support groups can help in preventing the person from giving in to the cravings.

In addition, a person can get medication to control the shaky body movements resulting from alcohol withdrawal. A person can also try the natural remedies, which can be done at home. For example, it is vital to detoxify the body in order to provide it with the right nutrients. This can involve avoiding foods that are processed, sugary or are low in fiber content. In their place, grains, fruits and vegetables will even out the level of blood sugar and get rid of the symptoms. Exercise is also a good way to reduce the effect of the symptoms because it will assist in removing the toxins from the body. The most important thing is to take a lot of fluids to keep the level in the body stable.

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