Alcohol Withdrawal Seizures Can Alcohol Cause Seizures?

If you or someone you care about abuses alcohol, you might be concerned about the negative consequences of drinking too much. Below, you’ll learn more about seizures, how they can be linked to alcohol use, abuse and alcoholism, and how to know whether you or someone you love might be addicted to alcohol. Now that we better understand how alcohol consumption and withdrawal are linked to seizures, let’s map out the steps we can take to prevent them and maintain our well-being.

Treatment Options for Alcohol Withdrawal and Seizures

Early intervention and evidence-based treatment are crucial for ensuring safety and achieving long-term recovery. If you’re seeking addiction treatment for yourself or a loved one, The Recovery Village Cherry Hill at Cooper is here to help. Our facility is conveniently located within the heart of New Jersey, under 20 minutes from Philadelphia. We have a full range of treatment options, including medical detox, inpatient care, partial hospitalization programming, and intensive outpatient services.

• If you or someone you know is struggling with alcohol addiction, reach out to a healthcare professional or a specialized addiction treatment center for assistance.
• Addiction and substance use disorder affects over 17% of the American population.
• Acamprosate is another drug doctors may prescribe to a person who is receiving treatment for alcohol use disorder.
• Symptoms begin as early as 6 hours after the initial decline from peak intoxication.
• Alcohol withdrawal is a serious process that should not be underestimated or not taken seriously.

Treatment Options for Alcohol Use Disorder

Such medical problems include altered blood chemistry, certain infections, and Wernicke’s syndrome (see the following section for a marijuana addiction discussion on Wernicke’s syndrome) (Saitz 1995). The risk of death is reduced, however, in patients receiving adequate medication and medical support. If you or someone you know is experiencing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, it is crucial to seek medical attention.

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• This will throw your body into chemical imbalance, which leads to uncomfortable feelings of withdrawal.
• It’s also recommended that family members engage in some type of therapy or support to help them take care of themselves and help them return to “normal” family roles.
• Other seizures in alcohol-dependent individuals may be due to concurrent metabolic, toxic, infectious, traumatic, neoplastic and cerebrovascular diseases and are frequently partial-onset seizures.
• For individuals struggling with alcohol abuse, the consequences can extend beyond physical health and well-being.
• The risk of seizures increases with the amount of alcohol consumed and the speed at which it is consumed.
• Detoxification (detox) and alcohol withdrawal symptoms are best handled with the aid of medical professionals.

In early stages, symptoms usually are restricted to autonomic presentations, tremor, hyperactivity, insomnia, and headache. In minor withdrawal, patients always have intact orientation and are fully conscious. It is estimated that 2 million Americans experience the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal each year (1). Generalized tonic–clonic seizures (rum fits) are the most dramatic and dangerous component of the alcohol withdrawal syndrome.

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Although the patient may be apathetic, intellectual abilities other than memory are relatively preserved (Charness 1993). Korsakoff’s syndrome can occur in the absence of alcohol use; however, the disease rarely follows Wernicke’s syndrome in nonalcoholics. This observation has lead to speculation that the neurotoxicity of alcohol is an important contributing factor in the memory disorders of alcoholics (Charness 1993). The main concern over the development of delirium tremens during alcohol withdrawal is the threat of mortality that comes with it. Delirium tremens is estimated to come with a 35% risk of death if you go through it without treatment.

Anxiety disorders are manifested by extreme fear and anxiety, accompanied by heart palpitations; shallow, rapid breathing (i.e., hyperventilation); sweating; and dizziness. Alcohol has antianxiety properties that promote its use to self-medicate anxiety (George et al. 1990a,b). However, prolonged alcohol use—and especially acute AW states—can increase anxiety levels. Marked signs of anxiety commonly appear between 12 and 48 hours after cessation of alcohol consumption (Peyser 1982). Benzodiazepines are also central nervous system depressants that work in the brain the same way as alcohol.

Laboratory tests and imaging studies are critical in diagnosing alcohol seizures and providing appropriate care. Diagnosing alcohol-related seizures (ARS) is a complex process that involves distinguishing these seizures from other types and identifying their link with alcohol use or withdrawal. As the alcohol leaves your body over time, your central nervous system, and a part of your sympathetic nervous system, stay unbalanced. Your sympathetic nervous system is a network of nerves that helps your body activate its “fight-or-flight” response. It reacts to stress with sweating, increased heart rate, and hangover shakes or tremors.

When alcohol is abruptly discontinued, the brain becomes hyperexcitable, potentially triggering seizures. Alcohol has the can withdrawal cause seizures ability to lower the seizure threshold in the brain, making it more susceptible to seizure activity. Alcohol abuse can have severe consequences, not only on physical health but also on mental well-being and social relationships. It is essential to recognize the potential risks and seek help if alcohol abuse becomes a concern. Laboratory studies suggest that valproic acid may inhibit GABA metabolism and activate GABA synthesis (Fawcett 1989). In addition, data indicate that carbamezapine decreases the flow of glutamate into slices of the hippocampus, a part of the brain involved in seizures (Olpe et al. 1985).