Despite how prevalent alcohol use is in the American social scene, it is not as harmless as many people think. Alcohol, when consumed in moderate amounts, can be part of the balanced lifestyle. The risks of withdrawal symptoms of alcohol, though, are not only present to those addicted to alcohol, but they can also affect those who drink socially.
The effects of alcohol are both pleasant and euphoric because of how the drug impacts the central nervous system. Alcohol’s effect on the central nervous system, or CNS, can be detrimental when too much alcohol is consumed, leading to many potential complications and neurological concerns. One of the big concerns with withdrawal symptoms of alcohol is the increased risks of seizures.
There is a significant link between alcohol abuse and seizures. In fact, studies have shown that 9 to 25% of cases of epilepticus seizures are caused by alcohol abuse. Though epilepticus is rare, it can be serious. These seizures will occasionally last more than five minutes. This leads to a medical emergency that can cause brain damage that is permanent or death.
There is an unfortunate truth about binge drinking. That truth is that too many people enjoy this behavior without considering the risks. Many believe that because they do not binge drink often, there is nothing to worry about. Even if a person only drinks once a week, if they are binge drinking during that time, they are endangering their health by abusing alcohol.
Binge drinking is defined by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism as drinking in a pattern that brings the BAC, or blood alcohol concentration, levels 0.8 g/dL. This happens in about two hours and will normally occur after a man has five drinks or woman has four drinks. If you drink this amount or more within two hours, you are putting yourself at risk.
Occasionally, an individual may experience what is called alcohol intolerance. This is a lot like an allergy because your body has a severe reaction to consuming alcohol. The reaction can create moderate symptoms and some discomfort. On rare occasions, though, an individual with alcohol intolerance may begin having seizures if they consume too much alcohol.
Alcohol poisoning is one of the biggest dangers of binge drinking. This happens when a person consumes a large quantity of alcohol so quickly that their body is unable to detoxify fast enough. When this happens, the alcohol will build up in the body and overwhelm the central nervous system. This results in potential side effects and can cause your body to begin malfunctioning or slowing down.
As you can see, there are many withdrawal symptoms of alcohol you should be aware of. You don’t have to be addicted to alcohol to put yourself at risk. If you are worried about withdrawal symptoms of alcohol, or are interested in getting help for your alcohol problem, give Coastline Behavioral Health a call today. We can help you overcome your problems with alcohol in a safe environment.