if an alchoholic suddenly stops drinking can it harm their health?
Question:
Answers:
Heavy drinkers can have harmful reactions if they stop cold turkey, which is why there are detox centers that will provide medical supervision and medication to alleviate tremors and other side effects. These side effects are not just psychological; they are physical. The benefit of stopping drinking far outweighs these issues, but there needs to be medical supervision. It is not simply an issue of them being in a bad mood because they don't have booze.
Alcohol addiction is not simply something that someone overcomes; it is a life threatening illness that remains throughout the rest of a person's life. The alcoholic can learn to live with the disease and remain sober. There is not a cure but there is treatment.
Folks, please be cautious when tossing out advice that can jeapordize someone's life!
Other Answers:
No b/c it is simply an addiction that one must over come.
nope, sooner they quit the better Yeah he goes into shock no more booze
only in the aspect that the detox is not going to be easy creating high levels of stress and anxiety.
No, but they will go through withdrawl symptoms which will make them feel like crap.
They can go into DT (dilerium traumas). A bad one should see a doctor. The withdrawal period can be dangerous, especially if they can't control their emotions during this time.
No, but they will go through some serious withdrawal. That, can be harmful.
No. his body will react. but.
the sooner he quits the better off he'll be.
no. it's an addiction so you will feel differently but it doesnt affect health stopping drinking can ONLY be for the drinkers best interest.
nothing phsyically harmful (long term) can happen.
unlike the continuation of alcohol consumption
Yes -- if they are bad they can go into convulsions - they should be "dried out" under medical care. It's a lot of stress on the system. Not only that, they are so miserable if they don't drink, the chances they are going to altogether quit on their own is not likely. Alchohol is the ONLY drug that if somone quits cold turky it is POSSIBLE to have physical effects that CAN be as bad as death.
that is a fact. so be safe about it. Try 12 step it statistically works better than anything.
yes. they could shoot themselves. hehehe
Most alcoholics that are successful at quiting, do it cold turkey. They just stop. That's not to say that it's an easy thing.
My father was a heavy drinker his whole life and at one point after my mom died, he finally decided to stop drinking. He'd been through Delirious Tremons (DT's) a few times in his life and he warned me that he would probably experience them.
He did.
The DT's caused him to have a bad grand mal seizure as his body 'adjusted' to life without alchohol. The whole thing from stopping to having DTs to feeling better took < 24 hours.
When he had his seizure, he fell and hit his head on some furniture. That's one way to hurt your health I suppose.
But I think ultimately, continuing drinking is more harmful than stopping suddenly.
I don't think it can harm their overall health, but they will go through withdrawals. Symptoms are/can be - shakes, fever, nausea, hallucinations, hot flashes, and others. It depends on how much they drank. Until all the alcohol is out of their body. They should drink water to keep themselves hydrated. If the person is a very heavy drinker - drinking until totally drunk on a regular basis, they should consult a doctor or possibly check him/herself into a detox clinic. one word detox. They can go through serious pain with that.
it will not make you sick however you will go through some serious withdrawl depending how much you drink and if you have been trying to stop for a while or its just a sudden thing. There is a book to read called ill quit tomorrow, it was a textbook in my alochol drug studies class. You might try aa or local support groups. i would be more than happy to give you listings of where to find help! if you are in the southern california area i can probally help you find lots of programs as well! GOOD LUCK!
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