Detox, short for detoxification, is a pharmacological treatment for alcoholism that involves switching to a drug with similar chemical properties. Detox is short for detoxification, which is another name for the process.
Alcohol Detoxification: Defining Alcohol Withdrawal
Alcohol withdrawal is a set of symptoms that can occur when someone with an alcohol use disorder suddenly stops drinking. These symptoms can range from mild to severe and can last for the duration of detoxification.
Although, according to Detox to Rehab, adults make up the majority of those who experience withdrawal, children and teenagers are not immune to this condition.
Heavy drinking over a long period of time is usually the cause of alcohol withdrawal syndrome. Some of the symptoms of the syndrome may first appear after a single night of heavy drinking, but in most cases the syndrome is the result of a pattern of heavy drinking over time.
What Causes Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms During Alcohol Detox?
Neurotransmitter fluctuations in the brain are to blame for alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
The relaxed and sociable feelings that alcohol produces are actually the result of an increase in the amount of gamma-aminobutyric acid, the brain’s primary inhibitory neurotransmitter (GABA). GABA is a neurotransmitter that inhibits some signals in the nervous system, thereby decreasing brain activity.
Alcohol abuse leads to dependence on the substance because it depresses the central nervous system and alters the brain’s chemistry repeatedly over time. Because of this, drinking is required to restore one’s mood. Over time, a person with an alcohol use disorder will need to consume a greater number of drinks per session to achieve the same effects, which will have a more detrimental effect on their body.
Heavy drinking dulls these receptors, which is why alcoholics need to drink more over time to achieve the same intoxicating high they initially experienced. When these receptors are blocked, the brain responds by decreasing the activity of the central nervous system by turning off GABA receptors (CNS).
Abstaining from alcohol for six to twelve hours results in withdrawal symptoms in alcoholics, which is another sign of alcohol dependence. With increasing duration of heavy drinking, the severity of withdrawal symptoms will also increase.
If a person has progressed to the point where drinking more alcohol mitigates withdrawal symptoms, it is safe to assume that physical dependence on alcohol has set in. However, a general practitioner or psychiatrist should always be consulted for an accurate diagnosis.