Alcohol Withdrawal in San Juan, TX
Going through the process of alcohol withdrawal in San Juan without proper medical supervision and monitoring can be potentially dangerous for many people. Alcohol rehab centers provide a safe, alcohol-free environment in which to begin the recovery process. Treatment for alcohol withdrawal may include administering prescription medications to help alleviate the worst of any symptoms that do emerge.
Addiction treatment in San Juan for alcohol withdrawal focuses on preventing severe symptoms associated with withdrawal and striving to prevent the onset of seizures. Specialists in a drug and alcohol rehab center also focus on reducing the risk of dehydration and working to address any nutritional imbalances that may have resulted from years of alcohol abuse.
What is Alcohol Withdrawal?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are a range of physical and psychological responses a person experiences after stopping alcohol consumption after long periods of consistent use.
Prolonged use of alcohol over a period of time causes a person to become tolerant to the substance's effects. In an attempt to achieve the same effects, the drinker may need to consume larger volumes of alcohol. To an outside observer, it may seem as though the person is able to drink large amounts of alcohol without seeming to get drunk.
However, consistent alcohol consumption also causes changes within the brain's chemistry. Over time, the person may become physically dependent on continued consumption of more alcohol.
What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal?
Alcohol withdrawal symptoms are caused by the brain entering into a hyper-excitable state. A person who has been drinking large volumes of alcohol over a prolonged period of time may have caused changes within the brain's chemistry that interfere with normal communication pathways.
While the person is under the influence of alcohol, the brain works to try and counteract some of the sedative effects the substance has on the central nervous system. However, when consumption of alcohol is reduced suddenly or stopped completely, the brain continues to over-produce certain hormones in the belief that the person will continue drinking based on usual habits.
The over-production of hormones and neurotransmitters causes the person to experience withdrawal symptoms that can be unpleasant, although some may be potentially dangerous and require emergency medical attention.
Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms
Symptoms associated with withdrawal usually appear between 6 and 24 hours after the person's last drink and may include:
- Shaking and tremors
- Heavy sweating
- Headache (not associated with hangover)
- Intense cravings to drink more alcohol
- Anxiety
- Fever
- Restlessness and irritation
- Agitation and irritation
- Depression
- Sleep disturbances and insomnia
- Severe confusion
- Increased heart rate
- Elevated blood pressure
- Hallucinations
- Seizures
- Delirium tremens (DTs) -- a medical emergency
Is Alcohol Withdrawal Dangerous?
Alcohol withdrawal doesn't occur in people who haven't developed a physical dependency on the substance. However, a person who has developed dependence may experience a range of withdrawal symptoms that could be potentially dangerous. In some cases, severe withdrawal symptoms can be considered a medical emergency and may require a visit to the emergency room.
Anyone who has been abusing alcohol consistently over a long period of time should consider seeking professional treatment for alcohol withdrawal in a drug and alcohol rehab center.
Treating Alcohol Withdrawal
Treating alcohol withdrawal in San Juan in a drug and alcohol rehab center offers the best possible opportunity for the person to make a successful recovery from alcohol addiction. Treatment for alcohol withdrawal begins with medical detox in San Juan.
If the person is at risk of developing adverse withdrawal symptoms, prescription medications may be given to help counteract some of the hyper-excitable symptoms produced by the brain in response to the lack of sedative effect of alcohol. Benzodiazepine drugs may be used, such as diazepam (Valium). The dosage of medication may be tapered down over a period of time until the person is no longer at risk of developing dangerous symptoms of withdrawal.
Other medications may also be required to treat other symptoms that may emerge. For example, the person may be given anti-nausea medications or analgesics or sleeping medications to ease other symptoms.
Alcohol withdrawal in San Juan is simply the first stage in a comprehensive treatment program. Detox helps break the person's physical dependency on the substance, but it does nothing to address the underlying psychological triggers behind self-destructive behaviors associated with addiction.
The top drug rehab centers also provide specialized behavioral therapies and counseling sessions designed to help each recovering person identify their individual drinking triggers and high-risk situations associated with alcohol abuse. From there, it's possible to develop a relapse prevention strategy designed to reduce the risk of the person returning to a pattern of dysfunctional drinking behavior after a period of sobriety. Call now at (877) 804-1531.