Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Alcohol withdrawal management can make a huge difference when quitting or stopping drinking. We need support with a challenge like an alcohol detox, and Desistal high strength formula can help you in this journey. Our team developed our detox pack to target the most common and uncomfortable symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can be triggers, things which start you back drinking again to relieve the effects of stopping.

DTs Delerium Tremens

The most serious effect of alcohol withdrawal is DTs. It is a group of symptoms that come on around two days after you stop drinking. If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you must speak to your GP or Call 111 urgently. These are life-threatening and cannot be managed by yourself. See our page on pills to stop drinking for more information on the kind of medications you can get on prescription for this problem.

Some of the symptoms of DTs include:

• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Mental Confusion
• Rapid or irregular heart rate
• Death

Anxiety

Understandably, anxiety is a frequent side effect of withdrawal from alcohol. Not only is this a time of significant change, but if you have been using alcohol to ‘numb’ your anxieties, they will be even more present. For this reason, we chose to use bacopa monnieri in Desistal.

Current thinking on anxiety and depression is that natural treatment is better for mild or short-term cases. Bacopa has long been used in traditional medicine to treat psychiatric issues like depression and anxiety.

If you are taking anti-anxiety or anti-depressants, please see your doctor about starting Desistal. Bacopa Monnieri can increase the effects of serotonin-based medications. While this may seem a good thing, it should only be done under the supervision of a doctor. This doesn’t apply to long-term or chronic anxiety and depression, a serious condition that needs medical attention. 

Sweating

For many going through alcohol withdrawal, sweating daily and at night is common. As a CNS (Central Nervous System) Depressant, alcohol causes fluctuations in many body functions. This includes your heart rate, body temperature and blood pressure. Alcohol has been raising all three of these long-term, putting your body into a state of flux when you withdraw. 

If you stop drinking and are struggling with night sweats alcohol detox is a likely culprit. Temperature changes in the body, withdrawal-related anxiety and insomnia can all contribute to night sweating.

How to stop cold sweats from alcohol withdrawal?

• Experiment with room temperature and keep your options open with warm and cool clothes and blankets available.
• Stay hydrated. Sweating causes water loss – don’t add dehydration to your problems. This is very important for the night sweats alcohol withdrawal can cause.
• Take detox supplements that help with the central nervous system. The Bacopa, MCT Oil and Acetate in Desistal help restore balance to your mind and body during detox.

Insomnia

The reasons for insomnia are multiple. Insomnia is the most common alcohol withdrawal symptom. Other symptoms such as sweating, itching and hallucinations frequently disturb sleep. Add to this the change in sleep patterns and sleep quality in those detoxing. The ingredients of Desistal were chosen to promote the return to natural balance, which reduces the sleep issues caused by detox symptoms. Bacopa Monnierei has been linked to sleep enhancement by improving general well-being and reducing pain and anxiety. These are all issues that can keep you awake at night when you need rest the most.

Itching

Of all the alcohol withdrawal symptoms, itching may surprise you. It can be uncomfortable and worsen other side effects, such as insomnia and low mood. There are various reasons for this:

• Excessive alcohol use worsens skin conditions such as eczema and allergies
• Dehydration
• Hallucinations from delirium tremens from alcohol detox (itching is imaginary)

How to Stop Itching from Alcohol Withdrawal

The first step is treating the cause. Stopping drinking is essential. Try rehydration sachets or even make your own. You can also go to the pharmacy for creams and washes, on prescription or over the counter, for skin problems like eczema.

If you are concerned about it being hallucinations, you must speak to a doctor immediately. This is a sign of Delerium Tremens and requires immediate medical assistance.

Apple cider vinegar in Desistal supplements promotes healthy skin when taken as a pill to stop drinking. This can ease the itching by helping the PH balance of your skin.

Diarrhoea

There are several reasons why you have diarrhoea after drinking too much. Alcohol irritates and inflames your GI (gastrointestinal) tract. This means the entire route from entry to exit from the body. It also increases stomach acid and speeds up your digestion. An additional side effect of faster digestion is poor absorption of vital nutrients.

The most significant impact comes from how your body pushes waste out of your body. Alcohol speeds up the contractions that make this possible. Because of this, digestion speeds up and waste is less solid causing diarrhoea.

Cravings

There is a world of difference between what many people consider a craving and true alcohol cravings. Alcohol use for a long period alters your brain chemistry by binding to the neurotransmitters that create good, happy, relaxed feelings.

GABA receptors are responsible for us feeling relaxed and calm. Alcohol tricks our brain into thinking we have more GABA in our brain than we do, creating a false sense of content. This makes our brain create less GABA in response which means hangover anxiety later on. It also triggers cravings which are a physical response to what is happening in our brain. It causes other symptoms such as anxiety, depression, headaches and physical pain.

Vomiting

Throwing up is one of the most common side effects of overdrinking. It can happen after you have been drinking or the next day. The reasons for throwing up when you are drinking vs throwing up the next day are not exactly the same.

If you drink too much, your stomach becomes inflamed, and your body responds to the toxic overload by sending it back up. Also, acetaldehyde (a byproduct of removing alcohol from the liver) levels rise in your system. When it becomes too much, the liver signals the body to expel the stomach contents along with the alcohol.

Inflammation is the main culprit for throwing up after drinking the next day. Your digestive tract, particularly your stomach, is irritated, making them sensitive to any food or drinks you take in. You are likely also dehydrated, which can actually cause vomiting.

Throwing up blood can also be a sign of moderate alcohol withdrawal. While it can be quite frightening, there are many causes, most of them benign. Throwing up a lot, perhaps from binge drinking regularly, can cause tears in the throat, resulting in blood in vomit. You may also have an irritated and bleeding ulcer because of drinking alcohol. The same can be said for gastritis which is made worse by overdrinking and can cause you to throw up blood.

Stomach Pain

A sore stomach and nausea are caused by alcohol inflaming the digestive tract, dehydration, anxiety and insomnia. It is important to let your body recover and eat and drink only small amounts at this time in order not to overwhelm your system.

Gastritis is inflammation of the stomach lining and can be long-term if you overuse alcohol for too long. Prolonged drinking can also cause ulcers, damage to the stomach lining and impact stomach acid.

Headaches

One of the earliest signs of alcohol withdrawal is headaches. If headaches are caused by dehydration, they will pass within 12-24 hours.  Longer-term issues can be a result of raised blood pressure or PAWS (Post Acute Withdrawal Syndrome). PAWS is withdrawal that lasts more than two weeks after your last drink. Other withdrawal symptoms such as insomnia and anxiety can also lead to headaches.