Author:
Dr B S Suvarna
B.A, D.I.Hom[Lond.], M.I.H, PhD, PGDPC (Psychotherapy & Counselling, USA)
HOMOEO PHYSICIAN
MAMTHA HOMOEO CLINIC
Jeevan Shanthi
Karnataka State, India
People drink alcohol for lots of reasons – to have fun , to relax or to fit in with friends . Lots of people try alcohol when they are young , and for most , it does not cause any serious problems. However drinking too much can lead to having problems at school , work or home . Alcohol is also a major cause of road trauma and other accidents .
If your body becomes too used to alcohol , it may not be easy for you to cut back or stop drinking . The best time to take action is before you have major problems .
It is not just older people who have problems with alcohol , young people aged 14 to 29 may often binge drink and young people aged 18 to 24 have more problems with alcohol than any other age group .
Some of the other problems caused by heavy drinking are :
- relationship problems with family and friends
- money and legal problems .
- feeling depressed and anxious
- unplanned and unwanted sex
- sexual problems
- problems with and thinking straight
- problems with sleeping
- for pregnant women , damage to the unborn baby
What are the signs of problem drinking ?
If you have any of the following problems , your drinking may be putting you at risk of harm !!!!
If you have been drinking heavily for a long time you may be alcohol dependent , this means that your body is now used to alcohol and you may suffer “withdrawal symptoms “ , when you try to stop or cut down your drinking withdrawal symptoms include , shaking , sweating , feeling sick or disturbed sleep .
Do any of these problems sound familiar ?
- you some times miss school or work due to a hangover .
- you drink in situations when you know it is dangerous (for ex-driving while drunk)
- you get into fights or create a scene while you are drunk
- you keep on drinking despite problems caused by or made worse by alcohol
- you need more alcohol to get drunk
- you experience withdrawal symptoms when you have a break from alcohol (shaking , sweating , feeling sick or disturbed sleep )
- you drink to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms
- you drink more than you want to drink
- you are not able to stop or cut down your drinking
- you spend more and more time and effort on drinking and recovering from its effects
- you can no longer do what you enjoy because of your drinking for ex-going to the beach , surfing , shopping etc.,
What is Alcohol Withdrawal ?
If you have been drinking heavily , for a while you may experience some withdrawal symptoms , if you stop drinking, for example , shaking , sweating , feeling sick , vomiting , and problems of sleeping . If you have such symptoms , you will need to be watched by a nurse or doctor when you start cutting out alcohol . Withdrawal is a sign that your body is recovering from alcohol . How bad the symptoms are will depend on how long you have been drinking and how much alcohol you have consumed , and whether you have tried to stop drinking before , if you use recreational or party drugs or you have any other medical problems . You may experience more severe health effects during alcohol withdrawal .
Common Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms :
Shaking, sweating , feeling sick , vomiting , agitation , disturbed sleep .
Withdrawal Settings :
Alcohol withdrawal can be undertaken at home , as an out patient in a hospital or in a community residential facility. The most suitable setting for you will depend upon how serious your alcohol withdrawal is , whether you have any other physical or mental illnesses , your choice , your situation , and the services available in your area .
1. Home-based Withdrawal :
Management involves withdrawing from alcohol at home in a supportive setting . Your withdrawal symptoms are checked by visits and telephone calls from a health care worker . you or a trusted family member or friends can manage any medications that may be necessary .
2. Out patient withdrawal :
Management is similar to home-based withdrawal management , however you would usually attend a clinic every day to see how you are going and to collect some medication .
3. In patient withdrawal :
Management maybe at a community residential setting or a hospital with trained medical staff available to care for you if you have alcohol withdrawal problems such as seizures
Medicated Withdrawal :
Some people are given a short course of medication to help them through the withdrawal . “Homoeopathic Medicines “ are thought to be the most helpful , medication for alcohol withdrawal problems . medications do not speak up the withdrawal process , but can make it easier for you by treating the symptoms .
Homoeopathic Medicines :
- Strophanthus hispidus – Q (mother tincture )—nausea with special disgust for alcohol and so aids in treatment of “ dipsomania “
- Angelicin tincture Q (mother tincture ) five drops . three times daily , produces disgust for liquor .
- Quercus glandium spiritus Q ( mother tincture ) antidotes effects of alcohol , vertigo , deafness , with noises in head , takes away craving for alcoholics , give dose as below for several months .
Tips For Coping With The Urge To Drink Include :
- do some physical exercise or other distracting activity
- have some thing to eat or a non alcoholic drink
- leave the situation
- use relaxation techniques
- think of the positive consequences of not drinking and the negative consequences of resuming excessive drinking
- delay having a drink for 15 minutes
Family Therapy :
Family therapy involves working with you and members of your family to support changes in drinking habits , however it is only suitable when there is agreement between you , your family and the counselor that your family’s involvement is likely to be helpful .
How Can I Avoid Returning To Heavy Drinking ?
If you do slip up and drink too much , it’s important that you don’t see your self as a failure . Instead look at how the problem happened and see if there is a way you can manage it better in future .
The first step in preventing a return to heavy drinking or a relapse , is to help you to recognize the high risk situations that might lead you back to drinking alcohol . This will mean noticing which situations cause problems for you and working out ways to either avoid these situations or cope with them with out drinking . This might mean working out ways to see your friends that don’t involve drinking or learning how to set limits on your drinking when you are out with your friends . You can also change your life style to avoid drinking , for example-you can focus on activities and behaviours that do not go with drinking alcohol , finding new ways to reward your self , and developing new friendships .
Alcohol Abuse : Many women find the relaxing effects of an alcoholic drink a great pleasure at the end of a hard day’s work and provided it is no more than this , overindulgence is unlikely . However , it is very easy to extend the one drink to two and then several , and a pattern can develop of needing a drink to relax . Alcohol abuse has then begun , some times a well developed hang over may act as a deterrent to future excess in some women , but this does not apply to all , so some of the following homoeopathic medicines may prove useful in relieving the symptoms . If the alcohol abuse becomes serious medical attention should always be sought as soon as possible
Symptoms and medicines :
Irritable and peevish , or sad and weepy , can not bear to be touched
- A severe head ache and an upset stomach after drinking too much alcohol , especially wine —-antimonium crudum
- stomach feels as if it is on fire , which leads to anxiety , irritability and restlessness , indigestion , which is commonly with diarrhoea —arsen.album.
- a strong craving for alcoholic drinks , over sensitivity to all external stimuli feels better for washing in cold water —–asarum europium
- Nausea and vomiting following over indulgence ; the vomit is green and acidic , great despondency and apathy —cardus marianus
- irritable and peevish ,or sad and weepy , cannot bear to be touched ,a severe head ache and an upset stomach after drinking too much alcohol , especially wine .——-antimonium crudum.
- stomach feels as if it is on fire which leads to anxiety , irritability and restlessness , indigestion, which is commonly associated with diarrhoea —arsenicum album .
- a strong craving for alcoholic drinks , over sensitivity to all external stimuli , feels better for washing in cold water . —–asarum europium .
- nausea and vomiting following over indulgence ; the vomit is green and acidic , great despondency and apathy ——cardus marianus
- a liking effervescent alcoholic drinks , smell of food causes nausea , a head ache develops which is worse in the late afternoon and evening –colchicum
- sedentary thin , irritable , impatient , angry and spiteful , worries about own health and over sensitive to noise , smells ,light and music , constant nausea with a feeling that a good vomit feeling better —nux vomica
Any of the above medicine shall be taken with the consultation of homoeopathic doctor for it’s dosage and potency
