Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a set of physical and mental reactions to the depletion of ethyl-alcohol blood concentrations.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms range from slight discomfort to severe physical and mental trauma.

Slight discomfort (hangover)

• Dehydration
• Irritability
• Headache
• Light Sensitivity
• Mild Nausea

Severe physical and mental trauma (Alcohol Abstinence Syndrome)

• DT’s (delirium tremens)
• Seizure
• Retching
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Acute Dehydration
• Profuse Sweating
• Depression
• Confusion
• Disorientation
• Suicidal Ideations
• Hallucination (tactile and visual)

What are DT’s?

DT’s is an acronym for delirium tremens. DT’s are a specific set of alcohol withdrawal symptoms that are limited to alcoholics who are physically dependent to alcohol. Alcohol abstinence syndrome that produces severe confusion, shaking hands and visual hallucinations is known as Delirium Tremens.

Other names for DT’s are; delirium tremens, the rats, trembling madness, shaking delirium, jitterbugs, the abdabs, the horrors, the fear and the jimjams.

Common Symptoms of Delirium Tremens

• Profuse Sweating
• Body Tremors
• High Pulse Rate
• Visual Hallucination
• Confusion
• Sudden Feelings of Terror

What is Kindling Phenomenon?

Kindling Phenomenon is a neurological reaction to stressful stimuli. It is called “Kindling” because like kindling used to make a fire, each subsequent match has a greater likelihood of producing a fire. This phenomenon was first promulgated by Graham Goddard M.D. Ph.D. in 1967 during research on amygdala in rats. Research on memory used electrical impulses to stimulate the brain. The research unexpectedly showed increases in the intensity of neurological reactions after each subsequent impulse.

Kindling phenomenon purports that each time a drinker experiences alcohol withdrawal symptoms the intensity of symptoms increases with each subsequent alcohol withdrawal experience. This means that once an alcoholic experiences the first alcohol withdrawal related seizure the likelihood of experiencing a second seizure is much higher than it was the first time. A second aspect of the Kindling Phenomenon promulgates that each experience of intoxication increases the craving to drink.

Kindling phenomenon is a sign of brain impairment. In order to avoid experiencing kindling phenomenon, any person experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms regardless of the intensity should take appropriate measures to minimize withdrawal symptoms.

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Central Nervous System Damage Related to Alcohol Abuse

Repeated alcohol withdrawal causes stress to the body. Repeated alcohol consumption also causes stress to the body. Both types of stress cause instigation of the HPA Axis (Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal) causing the adrenal glands to produce cortisol. Elevated cortisol levels are linked to immune deficiency and changes to neurons within the hippocampus; the area of the brain responsible for memory and mood control.

Major Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

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