 |
|
| About Us | |
 |
|
| Projects | |
|
|
| Services | |
|
|
| Process | |
|
|
| Contact Us | |
 |
|
WITHDRAWAL ADVICE
If you have a drinking problem, people around you will probably be saying things like “you should stop drinking”. Of course in practice, it is not so easy at all to just “stop drinking” – the main reason why is withdrawal.
Alcohol is classified as a depressant. It slows down the rate at which your brain functions. If you drink too much, too often, your brain and liver get used to having alcohol in the blood. This is called “tolerance”. You have to drink more and more over the months and years to get the same effect. But the problems really start when you try to come off the alcohol. That’s when you get withdrawal, and the first symptoms can come on within just a few hours of your last drink, or you drastically reduce your alcohol intake.
Here is a list of commonly reported alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Do any of these sound familiar?
“Shakes”
Sweating
Hangovers
Headaches
Nausea and vomiting
Stomach pains and cramps
Sex problems
Poor appetite
Poor sleep
Anxiety
Feeling “down”
Sudden mood changes
In a few people the withdrawal symptoms can be very serious indeed. The most frequently occurring of these are:
Hallucinations*
Paranoid ideas*
Disorientation*
Psychosis*
Severe memory problems
Clinical depression
Epileptic fits
*possible sign of “DT’s or Delirium Tremens
In fact, the withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol are often more severe than with drugs such as “Heroin” and they usually persist for days. So, if you carry on drinking it is dangerous, but if you stop that can be dangerous too. What should you do?
The answer is to withdraw from alcohol in a safe way. To do this you really need “one to one” expert advice and a full medical examination. But here are some guidelines to let you know what options are available in principle.
Stopping At Once There are three main ways of withdrawing from alcohol. These are to stop drinking all at once, (“cold turkey”), to stop drinking gradually by reducing your consumption over a number of days, or to change over onto medication which replaces alcohol for a few days, (Detoxification”). Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Stopping At Once
If you stop drinking all at once you are greatly at risk from withdrawal symptoms. It is not a good idea to do this. However, millions of people go through this sort of withdrawal every year. For example, if they are arrested and end up in prison where the staff are unaware of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, if they find themselves on an international flight which does not drinking, or even if they wake up without alcohol and money in the house. Unless you are very well motivated and have the support of people around you it is all too easy to start drinking again before the symptoms subside. But if you do get through it you have a golden opportunity to get your life back on the rails. Seek professional advice before any plan to stop at once as you may not be fully aware of your personal risk and may be drinking more than you realise. If you choose to use this method of withdrawal you must let the people around you know what you are doing!
Alcohol Based Withdrawal
If you reduce your drinking gradually over a few days, it is usually possible to avoid the worst withdrawal symptoms. This is because your body has the chance to adapt gradually to reducing level of alcohol in the blood. Many people choose this option but it is important to acknowledge how many units of alcohol in you are drinking (see attached guide). It is important to reduce your daily alcohol intake slowly e.g. if consuming 7 cans of strong lager (7/8% proof), 28 units daily, then the following reduction regime will assist:
Day One – 6 cans / 24 units
Day Two - 5 cans / 20 units
Day Three – 4 cans / 16 units
Day Four – 3 cans / 12 units
At this point it may be beneficial to change to a weaker strength lager i.e. 5% proof 2.5 units per can.
Day Five - 4 cans / 10 units
Day Six – 3 cans / 7.5 units
Day seven – 2 cans / 5 units
Day Eight – 1 can / 2.5 units
STOP – you will now be able to be alcohol free.
Some people who drink spirits choose to change over to wine or beer and then reduce. The main thing is to gradually reduce your alcohol intake over a number of days. To do this you must be aware of the concentration of alcohol in your drinks – read the labels to judge the percentage alcohol content.
As you can imagine it is not easy to use this method. You need to be strong and well motivated person to set your own limits and keep to them. Get support from people around you. Also seek professional advice as some agencies will support you in your goal to complete an alcohol based detoxification/withdrawal.
Provided by: Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol
590 Seven Sisters Road
Tottenham N15 Tel: 0208 800 6999
Reference: “Initiative” Home page, Withdrawal Advice
If you have a drinking problem, people around you will probably be saying things like “you should stop drinking”. Of course in practice, it is not so easy at all to just “stop drinking” – the main reason why is withdrawal.
Alcohol is classified as a depressant. It slows down the rate at which your brain functions. If you drink too much, too often, your brain and liver get used to having alcohol in the blood. This is called “tolerance”. You have to drink more and more over the months and years to get the same effect. But the problems really start when you try to come off the alcohol. That’s when you get withdrawal, and the first symptoms can come on within just a few hours of your last drink, or you drastically reduce your alcohol intake.
Here is a list of commonly reported alcohol withdrawal symptoms. Do any of these sound familiar?
“Shakes”
Sweating
Hangovers
Headaches
Nausea and vomiting
Stomach pains and cramps
Sex problems
Poor appetite
Poor sleep
Anxiety
Feeling “down”
Sudden mood changes
In a few people the withdrawal symptoms can be very serious indeed. The most frequently occurring of these are:
Hallucinations*
Paranoid ideas*
Disorientation*
Psychosis*
Severe memory problems
Clinical depression
Epileptic fits
*possible sign of “DT’s or Delirium Tremens
In fact, the withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol are often more severe than with drugs such as “Heroin” and they usually persist for days. So, if you carry on drinking it is dangerous, but if you stop that can be dangerous too. What should you do?
The answer is to withdraw from alcohol in a safe way. To do this you really need “one to one” expert advice and a full medical examination. But here are some guidelines to let you know what options are available in principle.
Stopping At Once There are three main ways of withdrawing from alcohol. These are to stop drinking all at once, (“cold turkey”), to stop drinking gradually by reducing your consumption over a number of days, or to change over onto medication which replaces alcohol for a few days, (Detoxification”). Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages.
Stopping At Once
If you stop drinking all at once you are greatly at risk from withdrawal symptoms. It is not a good idea to do this. However, millions of people go through this sort of withdrawal every year. For example, if they are arrested and end up in prison where the staff are unaware of the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal, if they find themselves on an international flight which does not drinking, or even if they wake up without alcohol and money in the house. Unless you are very well motivated and have the support of people around you it is all too easy to start drinking again before the symptoms subside. But if you do get through it you have a golden opportunity to get your life back on the rails. Seek professional advice before any plan to stop at once as you may not be fully aware of your personal risk and may be drinking more than you realise. If you choose to use this method of withdrawal you must let the people around you know what you are doing!
Alcohol Based Withdrawal
If you reduce your drinking gradually over a few days, it is usually possible to avoid the worst withdrawal symptoms. This is because your body has the chance to adapt gradually to reducing level of alcohol in the blood. Many people choose this option but it is important to acknowledge how many units of alcohol in you are drinking (see attached guide). It is important to reduce your daily alcohol intake slowly e.g. if consuming 7 cans of strong lager (7/8% proof), 28 units daily, then the following reduction regime will assist:
Day One – 6 cans / 24 units
Day Two - 5 cans / 20 units
Day Three – 4 cans / 16 units
Day Four – 3 cans / 12 units
At this point it may be beneficial to change to a weaker strength lager i.e. 5% proof 2.5 units per can.
Day Five - 4 cans / 10 units
Day Six – 3 cans / 7.5 units
Day seven – 2 cans / 5 units
Day Eight – 1 can / 2.5 units
STOP – you will now be able to be alcohol free.
Some people who drink spirits choose to change over to wine or beer and then reduce. The main thing is to gradually reduce your alcohol intake over a number of days. To do this you must be aware of the concentration of alcohol in your drinks – read the labels to judge the percentage alcohol content.
As you can imagine it is not easy to use this method. You need to be strong and well motivated person to set your own limits and keep to them. Get support from people around you. Also seek professional advice as some agencies will support you in your goal to complete an alcohol based detoxification/withdrawal.
Provided by: Haringey Advisory Group on Alcohol
590 Seven Sisters Road
Tottenham N15 Tel: 0208 800 6999
Reference: “Initiative” Home page, Withdrawal Advice
 |
||||||||||||
| Copyright HAGA | About Us | | | Projects | | | Services | | | Process | | | Contact Us | |||
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|