Alcohol withdrawal occurs when someone who has a physical dependency on alcohol quits drinking. In order to choose the best alcohol withdrawal treatment, you should first determine how bad your withdrawal will be, since this will determine which steps you should take next. It's important to understand that those who simply abuse alcohol through methods such as occasional binge drinking will not necessarily suffer withdrawal since they may not be physically dependent on the substance.
Most people who experience alcohol withdrawal are not required to stay in hospitals, clinics, or other health centers. Instead, a medical may monitor the symptoms for a short period of time. In order to determine how severe the withdrawal from alcohol will be, the patient should be observed by a health professional for at least two hours.
Alcohol withdrawal treatment is determined by the severity of symptoms. In mild withdrawal, the patient may suffer from minimal visual hallucinations, agitation, and restlessness. He or she may also experience nausea, loss of appetite, and dilated pupils.
Those who suffer from more severe withdrawal symptoms may suffer from extreme confusion, muscle tremors, and seizures. They may also experience delirium tremens (DTs). DTs refer to a temporary psychotic state that is caused by alcohol poisoning and triggered by withdrawal.
In cases, of acute alcohol withdrawal, medication may necessary. Acute alcohol withdrawal causes the most severe symptoms. In these cases, medical professionals may prescribe anti-anxiety drugs or antipsychotic drugs. These are used to curb seizures and hallucinations. The best acute alcohol withdrawal treatment often requires that the patient to be restrained so that he or she is not able to hurt him or herself or others.
For the anxiety often associated with withdrawal, many specialists prescribe or recommend an anti-anxiety medication, such as benzodiazepines. Benzodiazepines are considered to be the best alcohol withdrawal treatment by many specialists because they reduce the overall symptoms and may stop the DTs from occurring.
Some specialists, on the other hand, oppose the use of benzodiazepines since these drugs can also be abused by users. There are also a number of side effects associated with withdrawal from this anti-anxiety medication. Finally, opponents of using this medication as alcohol withdrawal treatment claim that its effectiveness decreases over time as the user grows a dependency on it.
Many people believe that the best way to perform alcohol withdrawal treatment is at home. For cases of mild withdrawal, in which there are only mild symptoms, this may be advisable without the guidance of a medical professional. Home withdrawal is almost never recommended for cases of severe or acute withdrawal.
