Can You Die From Alcohol Withdrawal?

Life is precious, but we tend to reduce our chances to live a healthy life due to certain bad habits. One of the bad habits include alcoholism. In today’s world, the first drink is taken out of curiosity. You find it intoxicating and it helps you to forget your worries. In our thoughts and belief system, it is just a way to escape from the harsh realities of life.

The famous singer, Amy Winehouse, died at a young age and several newspapers and online platforms say that it was due to alcohol withdrawal. Her father said that Amy was trying to quit alcohol and it did not work out for her. Amy’s father mentioned that she did everything in excess. Whether it was botox or alcohol, there was no end to it. How true is the assumption that one can die of alcohol withdrawal?

The singer was found dead in her London home and the doctors say that no harmful and illegal substances have been found in the reports. However, she was taking a medication to help curb the anxiety symptoms and alcohol withdrawal side-effects. The question is – Can you die from alcohol withdrawal?

Scary as it is – there are millions of people who want to find out the answer to this valid question. Let’s find out!

What happens to the body after you quit alcohol?

A human body is complex. When you drink alcohol or do anything in excess, the body gets addicted to it. The same happens when you start taking drugs. Alcohol is a form of depressant of the CNS. CNS is the central nervous system. It slows down the brain and makes you woozy.

When you are drinking alcohol, you tend to speak in a slurry language and are unable to recall anything. Everything gets erased from your brain. If the person is continuously drinking or gets dependent on alcohol, the body gets adapted to the depressant effect.

When the alcoholic tries to bid adieu to alcohol, the central nervous system gets excited. This leads to the evident symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. What are these symptoms? Let us find out in the next section.

Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Note – Alcohol withdrawal is necessary but you need to be ready for the symptoms. It could take a week or two to get used to the symptoms or they might get reduced after a point of time. The symptoms can be mild, but in some cases it is severe. It depends from one person to another.

If you have been an alcoholic for a long period of time, then the symptoms will be severe.

The first set of symptoms that you may see:

• headache
• sweating
• nausea
• tremors
• insomnia
• restlessness
• anxiety

You may have seen it in movies of how an alcoholic goes in a crazy state. They start to shiver and get restless. But, movies are also a form of lesson because you can even learn something from Leonardo Dicaprio in the ‘The Wolf of Wall street’. He is dependent on alcohol, drugs and ends up destroying his own life.

If you want to get sober, alcohol withdrawal will be difficult but it is doable.

Now let us understand the major symptoms. These happen in severe cases. If you have been dependent on alcohol to control your emotions, then you will see the following symptoms:

• Hallucinations
• Seizures
• Sweating (excessive)
• Heart rate going up
• Agitation
• State of confusion
• Breathing rate increases
• Loss of consciousness

All these are severe symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Coming to the main question that made you click on this article link – can you die after quitting alcohol?
This is getting serious, but it is important to answer the question to get a clarity.

Can you die after quitting alcohol?

The answer is a YES, but keep reading. As human beings, we love to jump to conclusions but only solution-focused people read the full post to gain understanding.

Withdrawal convulsions are serious and can be life-threatening. It is best to meet a doctor before you call it quits. Just like a divorce should be a mutual decision and is a thought-out process, you must consult with a doctor.

It is your body and the parts are complex! You will not die because of alcohol withdrawal, but the symptoms of it can be lethal.

The symptoms include heart going into a spasm or seizures. If your heart is not pumping the blood properly then your life is at risk. If you are not able to breathe properly, you may die in your sleep.

Anxiety is extremely dangerous because you have no idea what the patient might do! If they do not have access to alcohol and are getting restless, they might jump off a cliff or a building. Now these are the symptoms that are dangerous and can be life-threatening. So, yes, alcohol withdrawal can take your life away and it is due to the severity of the symptoms.

Delerium Tremens is another symptom that causes confusion and hallucination. A person suffering from this condition can get a heart attack or even a stroke. Note – Do not stop or quit alcohol abruptly!

If the doctor is out of town, he may even suggest that you continue drinking. It is not advisable to quit immediately. This is relevant in the case of people who are dependent on alcohol.

Final Take

We are not doctors, but we are well-wishers. We are content-creators and it is not in our hands to tell you to stop drinking alcohol. Although it is a wise decision to give up on alcohol, but the process needs to be slow.

Consider it that you are in a relationship with alcohol. You cannot leave your partner immediately. It will require some time and a thought-out closure.

An alcoholic is used to the consumption of alcohol. Their body requires alcohol for survival. Stopping it immediately might be risky for your life! Learn from the mistakes of others and a popular example being Amy Winehouse.

Speak to a doctor and take it slow. It is good that you have decided to drop alcohol, but do it the right way.