Understanding Alcohol and Seizures: What You Need to Know
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March 15, 2025Read on to learn about the risks of heavy drinking and the link between seizures and alcohol intoxication and detox. If you experience an alcohol-related seizure, seek immediate medical attention. Professional help is also available for those struggling with alcohol addiction. It’s best to seek medical advice before having any alcoholic beverage since each person is unique. A heathcare provider can assess whether light or moderate alcohol drinking is safe.
Addressing Underlying Health Issues
Developing a tolerance for alcohol has a direct impact on the central nervous system. For abusers, the cessation of drinking can significantly increase the seizure threshold. There is no definitive cutoff for what amount of alcohol you have to drink to experience withdrawal symptoms that increase the risk of seizures. As a general rule, the longer you have been drinking over time and the more you drink, the higher your risk for developing withdrawal symptoms, which may include seizures. Regardless of where you choose to go, detoxing should not be done on your own.
Alcohol Withdrawal Timeline
DTs carry a higher risk of complications, including death, if not properly managed. Medical professionals often treat delirium tremens with benzodiazepines and other supportive measures to stabilize vital signs and minimize the likelihood of seizures. It is not clear, however, whether this is only a risk for people who have a history of seizures or if it is also a risk for people who consume large amounts of alcohol in one sitting. If you are concerned about your likelihood of having a seizure due to binge drinking, it is important to talk with your health care provider. But one night, after days of heavy drinking and then suddenly deciding to quit, my body betrayed me.
Why Professional Help Is Essential
Symptoms of DT tend to start within 48 to 96 hours after you’ve had your last drink, but they can occur as much as 7 to 10 days after the last drink. When treating a diabetic emergency, the first thing to do is check the blood glucose level. If the blood sugar level is low, you must supplement with a minimum of 15g of sugar. During a diabetic emergency Substance abuse treatment, the first thing you should do — so long as you are stable enough to do so — is to check your blood glucose levels. If they are low, you’ll want to supplement with at least 15g of sugar. Once your levels are balanced back out, try to eat a normal meal complete with good sources of protein, fats, and carbohydrates.
- While less common than withdrawal seizures, consuming large amounts of alcohol can directly trigger a seizure even without a history of dependence or withdrawal.
- Keep the person safe by moving sharp objects away, place them on their side to prevent choking, and seek immediate medical attention, especially if it’s their first seizure.
- While some people think of epilepsy as the primary cause of seizures, alcohol use can also trigger these episodes under certain conditions.
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Duration and Recovery:
- These problems can be fatal on their own, or they may exacerbate an underlying medical condition.
- Binge drinking can trigger alcohol withdrawal seizures 6-72 hours after drinking stops.
- Common signs of an alcoholic seizure include stiffening of the body, jerking movements, foaming at the mouth, and temporary cessation of breathing.
This will throw your body into chemical imbalance, which leads to uncomfortable feelings of withdrawal. Continuous medical monitoring is essential during alcohol withdrawal, especially for individuals at high risk of seizures. Benzodiazepines are a cornerstone of alcohol withdrawal treatment. These medications help calm the nervous system, reducing anxiety, tremors, and the risk of seizures.
- When people talk about alcohol seizures, they usually mean alcohol withdrawal seizures.
- The severity of alcohol withdrawal symptoms depends on the severity of the alcohol use disorder.
- Specific medication for alcohol-induced seizures can also be prescribed.
- Understanding the signs of alcohol and seizures contributes to effectively managing the situation and ensuring that an individual gets appropriate care.
- For those people who can’t or don’t want to enter into an inpatient treatment program, most treatment centers also offer outpatient treatment.
Experiencing a seizure during alcohol withdrawal increases the likelihood of developing DTs, which are typically the most severe aspect of the withdrawal process. If DTs occur, they usually manifest approximately 3 to 5 days after the last drink, and are characterized by severe confusion, hallucinations, fever, and cardiovascular instability. DTs pose a significant risk and require immediate medical attention. Alcohol can make your brain stop working normally what does an alcoholic seizure look like while you drink. When you quit drinking, your brain could get into some trouble because it is not able to handle the absence of alcohol.
When someone drinks too much alcohol, it can turn dangerous fast. Alcohol poisoning isn’t the same as just being really drunk — it’s a medical emergency. It can slow down the body’s basic functions, like breathing, heart rate, and body temperature. When the brain has reached that level of alcohol dependency and you stop giving it what it thinks it needs, it reacts in a negative way. While consuming alcohol can lead to seizures, the more common alcohol-related reason for seizures is alcohol withdrawal.
