Anyone who’s gone through alcohol withdrawal knows that process can be challenging. Symptoms can include the following (courtesy of WebMD):
Mild Symptoms:
“Mild symptoms usually show up as early as 6 hours after you put down your glass. They can include:
- Anxiety
- Shaky hands
- Headache
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Insomnia
- Sweating
More Serious Problems with Withdrawal:
More serious problems range from hallucinations about 12 to 24 hours after that last drink to seizures within the first 2 days after you stop. You can see, feel, or hear things that aren’t there. Learn more about the timeline of alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
That isn’t the same as delirium tremens, or DTs as you’re likely to hear them called. DTs usually start 48 to 72 hours after you put down the glass. These are severe symptoms that include vivid hallucinations and delusions. Only about 5% of people with alcohol withdrawal have them. Those that do may also have:
- Confusion
- Racing heart
- High blood pressure
- Fever
- Heavy sweating”
Challenging stuff for sure. At Aware Recovery Care, we have the tools to help those suffering from alcohol abuse syndrome transition through this phase of recovery safely and far more comfortably.
Add to that – news from Yale. Researchers there have just published a study suggesting the drug prazosin, once used to treat high blood pressure, can help alcoholics with withdrawal symptoms reduce or eliminate their drinking more comfortably.
According to the Yale team, patients with more severe withdrawal symptoms
(i.e., shakes, heightened cravings and anxiety, and difficulty sleeping) who received prazosin “significantly reduced the number of heavy drinking episodes and days they drank compared to those who received a placebo.”
The drug appeared to have no meaningful impact on those with few or no withdrawal symptoms.
Earlier studies at Yale show that prazosin impacts stress centers in the brain and can help improve working memory while curbing anxiety and cravings – significant factors in alcohol withdrawal.
If you are struggling with an addiction to alcohol and need help in Connecticut, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Florida, or Southern Maine, the recovery teams at Aware Recovery Care are here to help. Our unique model of care is giving clients a significantly better chance of recovery when compared to traditional inpatient rehab care. To learn more or to talk to one of our Recovery Specialists.
