For some reason, some people can drink alcohol and never crave another drink as long as they live. Other people can’t make it through the day without drinking alcohol. There is no rhyme or reason as to why people start drinking alcohol. Science has provided some information on why some people continue to drink. People who become addicted to alcohol have what is referred to as Alcohol Use Disorder. About 10% of people in the United States suffer from an alcohol use disorder. They may try time and time again to stop drinking. However, their brains don’t act normally. When they go without alcohol, their body rebels. It starts to react both physically and mentally to the alcohol withdrawal. By quitting alcohol cold-turkey, people put themselves at risk of withdrawal, seizures and delirium tremens (DTs).
People with Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) suffer from an inability to drink alcohol in moderate quantities. They can’t have a couple of drinks. They must drink to excess and they must drink all the time. This is because their brains react to alcohol differently from people who don’t suffer from an Alcohol Use Disorder.
Take Advantage of our Alcohol Use Disorder Treatment Center in Durham
For people with an Alcohol Use Disorder, their brain reacts to alcohol in a certain way. When they drink too much, they stumble and slur their words. When they have too little alcohol, they go into withdrawal. There is no happy medium. They either stay drunk all the time, or they suffer withdrawal. This is why it’s critical to seek help from an alcohol treatment center in Durham, NC.
If you just stop drinking alcohol, your brain is going to get confused. It is used to getting a constant supply of alcohol to the brain. It doesn’t know how to behave without it. You will suffer physical manifestations of this confusion. You will feel anxious and uneasy and may have a fever or suffer severe vomiting.
If you want to safely and comfortably detox from alcohol abuse, you need to check into an alcohol treatment center. You will have access to care 24/7 and you will have people dedicated to getting you well. You will have medication to help with the physical and mental withdrawal symptoms associated with an Alcohol Use Disorder.
Treatment for the Kindling Effect at an Alcohol Treatment Center in Durham
One problem unique to people with an Alcohol Use Disorder is the kindling effect. This means that your withdrawal is going to get worse every time you quit drinking. If you consistently quit and relapse, your brain is not going to know how to behave. By the time it finally gets used to not having alcohol, you turn around and start drinking again. It’s a rollercoaster that your brain simply can’t handle.
When you get sober for the first time, your brain doesn’t know how to react. Every time you relapse, it gets worse. What starts out as mild withdrawal symptoms will quickly turn into a full-blown case of DTs. This effect of having a worse withdrawal every time you quit drinking is called the kindling effect.
How Does the Kindling Effect Work?
The process of quitting and relapsing wreaks havoc on your body. Every time you go through this pattern, your body’s sensitivity to the withdrawal gets worse. After your third or fourth relapse, your body will experience your first episode of the kindling effect. The effects include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Insomnia
- General malaise
As you repeat this pattern over and over, the kindling effect starts to have a physical impact on your body. After several relapses, your body will go through delirium tremens, otherwise known as the DTs. Symptoms of DT include:
- Irritability
- Fatigue
- Tremors
- Confusion
- Mood changes
- Fever, sweating, and chest pains
- Seizures
The seizures caused by alcohol withdrawal can be fatal. It is not safe to try to treat these on your own. You need to rely on medical professionals in Durham, NC specifically trained to handle alcohol withdrawal. They know how to treat the side effects and symptoms of the DTs and alcohol withdrawal. They can make the experience less painful for you.
In order to safely detox from alcohol withdrawal, you will want to contact an alcohol rehab in Durham, North Carolina. You can check-in and receive around the clock care during your detox. After you complete detox, you can take advantage of the group and individual therapy provided by a treatment program. If you want to strive for long-term sobriety, make sure you benefit from a holistic approach to alcohol addiction treatment.
