Alcohol Withdrawal
Alcohol withdrawal is called for changes that passes through the body when a person suddenly stops drinking after prolonged and excessive consumption of alcohol. Symptoms include tremors (shaking), insomnia, anxiety and other physical and mental symptoms.
Alcohol has a slowing effect (also called sedative or depressant effect) on the brain. In the case of a drinker for a long time, the brain is exposed to virtually all the time depressant effects of alcohol. Over time, the brain adjusts its own chemistry to compensate for the effect of alcohol.
To do so, produce natural chemical stimulants (such as serotonin or norepinephrine, a relative of adrenaline) in larger quantities than normal. If you quit drinking suddenly, the brain acts as a vehicle accelerated which has lost the brakes. Not surprisingly, most withdrawal symptoms occur when the brain is overstimulated.
The most dangerous form of alcohol withdrawal occurs in approximately 1 in 20 people with withdrawal symptoms. This condition is called delirium tremens (also called DT). In delirium tremens, the brain is not able to readjust its chemistry in a satisfactory manner once it has stopped drinking alcohol.
This causes a state of temporary confusion and leads to dangerous changes in how the brain regulates the circulation and respiration. The body’s vital signs as heart rate or blood pressure can change significantly or unpredictably, and create a risk of heart attack, stroke or death.