Alcoholism is a very powerful illness that can take over your entire body once it is constantly in your bloodstream. The body becomes so adjusted to having alcohol in the system that without it, it cannot function as it normally would. This is what causes withdrawal symptoms as someone attempts to quit drinking “cold turkey” and their body is no longer receiving doses of the drug it relies on so heavily. Withdrawal can be quite dangerous in fact because the body becomes so dependent on having alcohol in its system that it can shut down in ways that are fatal at times. With treatment at detox programs however, withdrawal symptoms can be minimized and in some cases eliminated.

Alcohol withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to very severe depending on how long a person has been drinking and the quantity that they normally drink. Mild symptoms include nervousness, anxiety, depression, difficulty focusing and fatigue. More moderate symptoms include physical problems like vomiting, insomnia, tremor, sweating and loss of appetite. If a person has been drinking heavily for many years symptoms can become very intense with hallucinations, convulsions or black out. The more severe symptoms should be treated professionally but anyone that attempts to quit drinking should consult a doctor even if they have not been an alcoholic for very long.

In order to minimize and avoid withdrawal symptoms as much as possible, detox programs can provide different types of services depending on how intense your withdrawal symptoms will be. Mild symptoms can be monitored with a staff member to ensure that your heart rate, temperature and blood pressure are at a secure level and you have enough fluids in your body to be safe. For more moderate or severe symptoms you can be treated with medication or even be sedated if the symptoms become life-threatening. Detox staff are experienced in dealing with all the various stages of withdrawal and can make sure that your safety and health are intact throughout the entire experience.

Question by Liza Shevchuk: Natural Remedies For Brain Damage After Drug Abuse?
My older brother has done many drugs from about 16-21. Its been a year since his last use, and he’s been having some serious problems. He has high anxiety and he’s been having frequent episodes of “weird” (as he calls it) feelings. He doesn’t label it as feeling sick. During these episodes he feels jittery, emotional (even cry’s sometimes) out of control, his heart rate goes up. This also causes him to have insomnia. Maybe they’re panic attacks, but the thing is, what triggers it? This occurs randomly on a normal day. We believe its typical withdrawal symptoms, because he abused quite a few drugs. (Marijuana, cigarettes, ecstasy, crystal meth, shrooms, hookah, cocaine, inhalants, “uppers” (as he calls them))
He has gone to see his doctor several times to get treatment, and his doctor said he has migraines.
-____-
He prescribed him anti depressants and that didn’t help my brother AT ALL.
He does this herbal drop treatment (echinacea, other oils, etc) That help him sleep.
Now we’re trying to find him herbal remedies that would help repair his brain damage from all of the abuse he has done to it.
Thank you very much.

Best answer:

Answer by jannsody
I’m not sure that there will be repairing of the brain damage (presuming that he has that as I’m not a medical doctor :), but researchers believe that the brain is very “plastic” and may form new nerve pathways to *help* compensate for the injured areas.

With regard to inhalant use, my friend actually has a severe Brain Injury from huffing at the age of 12, now in her 30s. The chemicals in products used for huffing are actual *poisons* that were never meant to go through the bloodstream.

Please be *very* careful with herbal supplements or “remedies” (e.g., echinacea, ginkgo biloba, chamomile) as they can result in side effects and/or drug (medication) interactions. It’s best to check with a licensed pharmacist before taking any of them. Not everything that is “natural” is safe 😉

Regarding the panic attacks, some people have generalized anxiety (to know specific event) or other types of anxiety. The antidepressants may help to lessen the intensity and/or frequency of the anxiety symptoms. Such medications tend to take about 6-8 weeks before possibly noticing results. A caveat (warning) is that some antidepressants may cause insomnia (trouble getting to and/or staying asleep). However, there are medications that one may take to help counteract the insomnia.

Even though benzo’s (e.g., ativan, valium, xanax, klonopin) may be prescribed to help with sleep, they’re not always recommended as a medication due to their physical addictiveness. (Some withdrawal symptoms from benzo’s may include seizures, psychosis/mental break from reality, or even death.) Some psychiatrists (it’s best to get medication for mental health issues from a board-certified psychiatrist as opposed to “just” a family doctor) prescribe seroquel (or other medications), which is classified as an antipsychotic but in smaller dosages may help with sleep.

You’d mentioned that he’s gone to the doctor several times, and I’m wondering if he’s gone to a neurologist which is medical dr who can help rule out disorders of the nervous system – brain, spinal cord, nerves. I’m just thinking that to help “cover all the bases” (not trying to give false hope though, know what I mean).

I’m not sure that he’d still be going through withdrawal symptoms a year after stopping the drugs, but it’s a good idea to ask a doctor about that as well.

Pertaining to the anxiety, please show him this government site which may have some local counseling agencies: http://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ and can click the second link. Then one can click “near you” on the left-hand side of the page under “find facilities” and can type one’s city and state of residence into search. Their toll-free 24/7 referral helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357). Just an fyi that the first link is for those looking for substance abuse counseling/treatment, and that may be an option if he’s still “using” or having cravings for substances.

A 12-step program, such as Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), may have some local support groups. The only requirement is having a desire to get sober. One may attend an “open” AA meeting if there is no drinking problem: http://www.aa.org

This site has some common mottos pertaining to those 12-step programs, including “One day at a time”, “First things first” and “People, places and things”: http://www.royy.com/toolsofrecovery.html

Al-Anon is a 12-step program for the *friends and family* of the problem drinker, but one may attend an “open” Al-Anon meeting if the loved one doesn’t have a drinking problem: http://www.al-anon.alateen.org

Add your own answer in the comments!

Question by Crazy_person: Why does caffeine inhibit the normal negative feedback of the heart rate recovery after exercise?
I found that the heart rate didnt decrease a lot in recovery when a person had consumed caffeine. Normally the heart rate decreases to a certain point, then negative feedback kicks in and increases it slightly until the process eventually returns the heart rate to normal.
Is this right? And why does caffeine inhibit negative feedback?

Best answer:

Answer by kt
Both caffeine and exercise cause an increase in heart rate. In a normal, healthy young person, the effects of exercise are lost within about a minute of when exercise stops, because the sympathetic nervous system, and what Vander calls the “exercise center” in the brain are no longer stimulated. However, caffeine has a much longer residence time in the body, and since it is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, it would keep the heart rate elevated even after exercise stopped.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!

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by MDGovpics

Question by Crazy_person: Why does caffeine inhibit the normal negative feedback of the heart rate recovery after exercise?
I found that the heart rate didnt decrease a lot in recovery when a person had consumed caffeine. Normally the heart rate decreases to a certain point, then negative feedback kicks in and increases it slightly until the process eventually returns the heart rate to normal.
Is this right? And why does caffeine inhibit negative feedback?

Best answer:

Answer by kt
Both caffeine and exercise cause an increase in heart rate. In a normal, healthy young person, the effects of exercise are lost within about a minute of when exercise stops, because the sympathetic nervous system, and what Vander calls the “exercise center” in the brain are no longer stimulated. However, caffeine has a much longer residence time in the body, and since it is a central nervous system and metabolic stimulant, it would keep the heart rate elevated even after exercise stopped.

Know better? Leave your own answer in the comments!