How to leave alcohol

Alcohol is another of the many most risky substances that can create addiction, that is, a substance that can very easily cause pathological need for consumption. Alcohol for its great involvement in the body, specifically in the brain reward circuit and also for its easy access, can easily cause an addiction, of which the detoxification process and per se the abandonment of its consumption is very complex. In this psychology-online article we explain to you How to leave alcohol and what are your treatment options.

1. Can you leave alcohol at once?
2. Alcohol abstinence
3. How to stop drinking alcohol forever
4. Pills to stop drinking alcohol

Can you leave alcohol at once?

Alcohol is a potentially addictive substance due to its extensive neurochemistry alteration in the body. try to stop it can cause poor adherence to the treatment that is invasive in nature. Abandon it sudden.

As mentioned, alcohol consumption causes great neurochemical alteration in the body, which when trying to stop it will cause the characteristic symptoms of a abstinence, same as for its uncomfortable presentation and Little tolerable They will take him to a relapse.

In this article you can see the effects of alcohol on the brain and nervous system.

Alcohol abstinence

According to DSM 5 (2013) alcohol abstinence is the cessation (or reduction) of alcohol consumption that has been very intense and prolonged. In alcohol abstinence two or more of the following can appear symptoms or signs following a few hours or days of ceasing (or reducing) consumption:

1. Insomnia.
2. Psychomotor agitation.
3. Hyperactivity of the autonomic nervous system, that is, sweating or heart rate greater than 100 beats per minute).
4. Increase of tremor in the hands.
5. Visual, auditory or tactile transitional illusions or illusions.
6. Anxiety.
7. Generalized tonic-clonic seizures.
8. Nausea or vomiting.

Symptoms usually begin when blood alcohol concentrations decrease significantly (that is, within 4 to 12 hours) after alcohol consumption has been stopped or reduced Second day of abstinence And they can significantly improve the fourth or fifth day. However, in acute abstinence, symptoms of insomnia, anxiety and autonomic dysfunction can persist 3 to 6 months with less intensity. It should be noted that generalized tonic-clonic seizures have only presented in less than 3% of people.

The most serious and dangerous way of alcoholic abstinence is delirium tremens, characterized by confusion, tremors, hallucinations and other symptoms already mentioned. The imbalance of the nervous system is such that it will require hospitalization.

Abstinence symptoms can be relieved by administration of alcohol or benzodiazepines (diazepam for example). Abstinence symptoms can serve to perpetuate behaviors with alcohol or beer and thus contribute to relapse, which causes a continuous alteration of social and labor functioning.

Abstinence syndrome will also depend on the type of alcoholism.

How to stop drinking alcohol forever

¿How to stop drinking? Next we will see the 4 essential keys to it.

1. Recognition of the problem

Stop drinking alcohol forever is one of the purposes that sometimes seem to be utopian for family, friends and other people close to the consumer, even for the same addict becomes an act that is very out and also very far from their abilities.

Something very interesting also happens in this purpose of stop drinking alcohol, and it is often considered a problem only by nearby people. For the addict this seems to be just a habit of drinking a few beers on weekends or the only resource to relieve frustrations, so there is no problem to fix.

The first step in overcoming an apparent addiction will always be acceptance, accept that there is a problem to overcome and therefore a possible solution.

2. Compromise and responsibility

Although, sometimes, accepting the problem to stop drinking alcohol can be hidden into a superfluous resignation (For example, you can say the following: I know that I have a problem, but it is impossible for me to stop drinking; I have no solution, I am already lost, no one can get me out of here) or you can even hide in false and desperate aid screams (For example, the patient can say the following: I will not be able to get out of here without the help of ...; I need to get out of here; I need them to help me get out of here; I need you not to leave and help me out of here; I know I have a problem and I am trying to solve it but I don't want you to get away). These two mechanisms that appear acceptance are the opposite of this.

These mechanisms that seem to be the work of someone so intelligent and manipulative, are simple primitive manifestations of every human being to survive in a perpetua gratification, so you must be prepared to know how to face this situation. In the following article, family orientations are offered to help a person with alcoholism.

The next step to stop drinking will be to take the commitment to assume the Alcoholism treatment.

3. Detoxification

The detoxification process is often the more difficult step being the most susceptible to relapses. Detoxification must often be accompanied by professionals clinicians due to frequent physical symptoms that arise.

This step based on how complex it is to stop alcohol consumption because people begin without that support that relieves or intervenes with those physical symptoms.

Here you will find more information about how to help a friend with alcoholism.

4. Emotional work

Most but that all needs of excessive consumption of some substance are caused by emotional difficulties.

The low frustration tolerance or the few psychological tools to face the vicissitudes of life is well known, and that are replaced by the hurried and euphoric jump for being fine or feeling good; People who tend to drink alcohol often manife dopaminergic systems), and thus feel full of pleasure or relief.

Returning to the first step of acceptance, people who present a problem with alcohol consumption often deny that they drink for possible emotional conflicts And they refuse to analyze or explore this area of ​​their life, which are often of unconscious content (traumas in childhood, little frustration tolerance training). Therefore, the next step to stop drinking and stop needing alcohol to cover personal problems will be to do a psychological job of Self -knowledge and emotional management.

5. Psychological and pharmacological accompaniment

In most cases where there is a problem with alcohol consumption, it is intervened with psychological treatment and some drug as an adjunct to the procedure. Psychological accompaniment will depend on the approach suggested by the clinician and also required by the patient.

Pills to stop drinking alcohol

The most use drug in the intervention of alcohol consumption is the disulfiram, that causes an acute reaction to ethanol consumption. With commercial name of Antabus.

This drug prevents dopamine metabolism. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is released in large quantities when alcohol is consumed; Excess dopamine results in symptoms of greater blood pressure, restlessness, anxiety and other unpleasant symptoms. But it is necessary to highlight that within these adverse effects the hypotension and dizziness of vital importance are frequently added, since a fall can cause a cranial contusion, and said contusion, as it is not the brain watered with the sufficient amount of blood, it can cause death.

In someone who is not a regular consumer alcohol will metabolize in the liver by the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase. After alcohol intake, this gives rise to acetaldehyde, which continues to transform. When disulfiram blocks or inhibits the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase, a Blood acetaldehyde accumulation, Thus the increase in acetaldehyde blood concentration later contributes after alcohol intake in patients treated with disulfiram, which consists of a series of Unpleasant physical effects, This reaction is also known as an antabus effect.

The disulfiram blocks the reaction, which prevents acetaldehyde from metabolizing and thus causes an increase in its plasma concentrations.

This drug is indicated in the Alcoholism treatment In uninhabing programs. Since acetaldehyde is responsible for the hangover, by ingesting alcohol under treatment or effects of disulfiram there will be an immediate and acute hangover (much more serious).

The main symptoms of the Antabus effect are the following:

1. Nausea.
2. Vomiting.
3. Tachycardia.
4. Acne.
5. Difficulty breathing.
6. Redness.
7. Palpitations in head and neck.
8. Pulsatile headache.
9. Sweating.
10. Chest pain.
11. Thirst.
12. Dyspnoea.

This article is merely informative, in psychology-online we have no power to make a diagnosis or recommend a treatment. We invite you to go to a psychologist to treat your particular case.

If you want to read more articles similar to How to leave alcohol, We recommend that you enter our category of addictions.