Are Seizures from Alcohol Abuse Possible?

Alcohol abuse can lead to seizures. This widely consumed legal substance, which is at the heart of so many social activities, is one of the most dangerous substances you can abuse. 

How dangerous? It can do more harm to the body than any other substance in the world. In fact, scientists assigned alcohol their highest score for the harm it can do to individuals. According to Verywell Mind, these scientists looked at “the physical, psychological and social harm the drugs do to life expectancy, health risks, dependence, mental functioning, loss of tangibles, loss of relationships, crime, costs to society, family adversities and other factors.”

Alcohol outranked deadly substances such as heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine, and tobacco, among many infamous substances of abuse.  

What makes alcohol so dangerous are the disturbances it can unleash once someone stops drinking, commonly referred to as symptoms of withdrawal. Seizures are one of the severe withdrawal symptoms associated with alcohol abuse. People who drink heavily for more than 10 years are especially prone to developing seizures. 

Read on to find out more about what constitutes an alcohol use disorder and the dangerous effects associated with misuse.

Normal vs. Heavy Drinking

Drinking is so prevalent in the U.S. that more than 86 percent of people age 18 and older said they drank alcohol at some point in their lifetime, according to the 2015 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).

Alcohol use, in and of itself, is not dangerous. The amount you drink, however, can determine whether you are at risk for succumbing to the deleterious effects of alcohol. Thus, it is important to distinguish between normal and heavy drinking. 

Normal Drinking

One drink a day for women and two per day for men are considerate moderate levels of alcohol consumption, according to the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 
That recommended daily amount is based on the measure of a standard drink, which is 14.0 grams (0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This pure alcohol level is found in

Heavy Drinking

Excessive alcohol consumption constitutes binge drinking, heavy drinking, alcohol use by individuals under the age of 21, and any alcohol use by pregnant women.

Heavy drinking is considered quaffing 15 or more drinks a week for men, and eight or more a week for women. 

Binge drinking is considered heavy drinking. It occurs when people engage in a pattern of consumption that brings their blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) level to 0.08 percent or more. Binge drinking is also when a man has five or more and a woman has four or more drinks on a single occasion. This drinking pattern is established when it occurs within about two hours. 

Excessive drinking does not necessarily mean you have an alcohol use disorder (AUD), a diagnosis that was previously referred to as alcoholism or alcohol dependence. There, however, established criteria that can determine whether an AUD is present.  

How to Tell If You Have an Alcohol Use Disorder

When problem drinking becomes severe, it is diagnosed as an AUD. An AUD diagnosis is present when a person has met certain criteria as outlined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), the principal authority on psychiatric diagnoses.  
Under the DSM-5, if someone has met two of the 11 criteria over 12 months, it means an AUD is present. The severity of AUD, whether it is mild, moderate, or severe, is based on the number of the following criteria a person meets.

If you or a loved one exhibits any of those symptoms, drinking may already be a problem. The more symptoms you or a loved one displays, the more urgent the issue.  

Seizures and other Alcohol Withdrawal Symptoms

Seizures are among the litany of distressing symptoms that can result from alcohol withdrawal.  

Someone who exhibits withdrawal symptoms already has progressed to the stage of dependence, where they need alcohol in their system to feel normal. When they stop drinking, and alcohol leaves the body, physical and psychological disturbances may occur.

Those symptoms present themselves on two levels, common and severe. People with severe withdrawal symptoms typically have a history of heavy drinking.

When Alcohol Withdrawal Becomes Deadly

There is a more severe effect of alcohol withdrawal that can kill you. It is termed delirium tremens (also known as DTs), and it is considered the most severe form of alcohol withdrawal. People who have been heavy drinkers for more than 10 years are especially at risk for developing DTs. Overall, delirium tremens affects about 5 percent of people in alcohol withdrawal.  

The symptoms of DTs generally occur between two to four days after that last drink. They also may not show up until a week or 10 days later.

If you exhibit any combination of these symptoms, it constitutes a medical emergency. Treatment must occur as soon as possible. Without proper medical attention, DTs carries a high mortality rate. 

If you are exhibiting seizures or worse, it is time to consider professional treatment. 

How Professional Treatment Can Help

Because alcohol is so dangerous, especially in withdrawal, professional addiction treatment is essential. 

A professional recovery program will start with medical detoxification where you will be under 24-7 care and supervision as a medical team gets you through withdrawal as safely and comfortably as possible.

To further your recovery, you can receive ongoing care on a full-time basis through a partial hospitalization program (PHP) or an intensive outpatient program (IOP). With either option, you will receive intensive treatment and therapy that allows you to uncover the root of your alcohol use disorder. However, an IOP will allow you to live at home (or some other housing arrangement) during treatment. 
After treatment is completed, a caseworker will arrange aftercare through an alumni program, which allows you to connect to a recovery community that provides support, motivation, and inspiration.