Alcohol Withdrawal

People who drink Alcohol on a regular basis become tolerant to many of the unpleasant effects, and thus are able to drink more before suffering these effects. Yet even with increased consumption, many such drinkers don't appear intoxicated. Because they continue to work and socialize reasonably well, their deteriorating physical condition may go unrecognized by others until severe damage develops - or until they are hospitalized for other reasons and suddenly experience alcohol Withdrawal symptoms.

Psychological addiction to alcohol may occur with regular use of even relatively moderate daily amounts. It may also occur in people who consume alcohol only under certain conditions, such as before and during social occasions. This form of addiction refers to a craving for alcohol's psychological effects, although not necessarily in amounts that produce serious intoxication. For psychologically addicted drinkers, the lack of alcohol tends to make them anxious and, in some cases, panicky.

Physical addiction to alcohol occurs in consistently heavy drinkers. Since their bodies have adapted to the presence of alcohol, they suffer alcohol Withdrawal if they suddenly stop drinking. Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms range from jumpiness, sleeplessness, sweating, and poor appetite, to tremors (the "shakes"), convulsions, hallucinations, and sometimes death.

Alcohol Withdrawal symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Sweating or Rapid Pulse
• Increased Hand Tremor
• Insomnia
• Nausea or Vomiting
• Physical Agitation
• Anxiety
• Transient Visual, Tactile or Auditory Hallucinations or
• Illusions
• Grand Mal Seizures