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alcohol use

A serious alcohol addiction must be treated by a medical professional with low dose anti-convulsants or barbiturates during the first few days of withdrawal. IVs flowing with hydration and nutrients are also typically required. The effects of alcohol addiction can be just as terrifying as drug withdrawal and even deadlier than heroin withdrawal. Psychological support groups

are needed for long-term care of a recovering alcoholic and abstinence is likely the only answer.

Prior to an addiction to alcohol, there is generally a prolonged time period when the social drinker finds that he or she is drinking more frequently, experiencing more adverse effects and is slightly losing control. Alcohol abusers start showing signs like drinking and driving, participating in dangerous activities while under the influence, continuing to drink even when problems with friends or family happen as a result of alcohol consumption and getting into physical fights. Drinking alcohol begins to interfere with not only social relations, but also obligations at work and school, and in some cases, drinking may even land an individual in legal trouble. These are early warning signs that alcohol use is crossing over into alcohol abuse.

Roughly 5-10% of acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms result in delirium tremens (DTs), a potentially fatal episode of feverishness, hallucinations, high blood pressure, rapid breathing and tremors. The alcohol addiction sufferer has a 35% chance of dying from the DTs if not treated by a professional and a 5% chance of death even if treated. It’s believed that the DTs are caused by drinking excessively over a long period of time (for instance 6-7 pints per day for a month or longer), or may also be caused by binge drinking without eating all day. A drug like Valium or an anti-seizure medication may be required, in addition to carefully monitoring hydration and the administering of vitamins.

If you or a loved one is experiencing signs of alcohol addiction, then you are not alone. Approximately 14 million (or 7%) of the American population is suffering with you. Half of the adults in the United States know someone who is an alcoholic and 1/4 of the children under 18 are exposed to some form of alcohol abuse. The effects of alcohol far surpass one’s own depression or anxiety and ripple out to everyone around them. Alcoholics Anonymous is a good start to recognizing the problem and breaking oneself free from the steely grips of addiction.

Published by Rehab Help Online

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Technorati Tags: acute alcohol w, addiction to alcohol, Alcohol Abuse, alcohol abusers, Alcohol addiction, alcohol consumption, alcoholic, drug withdrawal, effects alcohol addiction, herion withdrawal, social drinker, withdrawal

Tags: acute alcohol w, addiction to alcohol, Alcohol Abuse, alcohol abusers, Alcohol addiction, alcohol consumption, alcoholic, drug withdrawal, effects alcohol addiction, herion withdrawal, social drinker, withdrawal

This entry was posted on Friday, April 17th, 2009 at 4:31 pm and is filed under drug treatment. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.