Alcohol, Withdrawal, and Seizures: How To Stay Safe

Alcohol use and seizures have a heavily documented relationship. Many people associate seizures with epilepsy, which is a neurological disease. However, seizures are also a common symptom of moderate to advanced Alcohol Use Disorder. 

AUD is a degenerative nervous system disorder, and it can cause severe neurological symptoms such as alcohol withdrawal seizures, as well as alcohol poisoning seizures. From occasional binge drinking to long-term dependence, AUD can have extreme consequences for brain health. 

Read on to learn more about the biological mechanisms of AUD and how alcohol can cause seizures.

• Alcohol Use and Seizures
• How Does Alcohol Affect Brain Activity and Seizures?
• Preventing Alcohol-Related Seizures
• Safe Recovery in Columbus, OH

Alcohol use disorder and seizures are closely related due to the damage that AUD can cause to the brain and nervous system. 

AUD is considered a chronic, relapsing brain disease that can cause structural damage to the brain if left untreated. Alcohol use impacts the brain's ability to communicate with the body via the nervous system, and without treatment, AUD can lead to a variety of devastating neurological disorders, including dangerous seizures. 

Can Drinking Alcohol Cause Seizures?

Yes. Alcohol impacts the communication of the brain with the body, causing the typical “drunken” effects associated with drinking, such as slurred speech, stumbling, and double vision. This is a result of interrupted nervous system communication between the brain and the body. 

A depressed nervous system lowers the seizure threshold for anyone, but people with epilepsy and prior seizure history are especially vulnerable to alcohol-related seizures. 

Long-term or severe AUD can cause seizures in otherwise healthy individuals. For people with severe alcohol dependency, Alcohol withdrawal seizures can take place 6-48 hours after drinking cessation. 

Alcohol withdrawal seizures can be dangerous, even deadly. 

That is why it is so important for people with AUD to seek a treatment facility with a medically supervised detox, such as Robin Recovery. We can help you detox from alcohol safely and comfortably in a monitored setting. 

What Percentage of Alcoholics Have Seizures?

Approximately 25% of people with AUD will suffer grand mal seizures during alcohol withdrawal. This number is hard to track, as other seizure disorders can arise from alcohol use, and the severity of a patient’s AUD impacts the likelihood of seizures. Approximately one-third of patients with severe AUD will experience at least one seizure. 

Anyone with an alcohol dependency should seek medical supervision for their transition to sobriety, because alcohol withdrawal seizures can be extremely dangerous. Recovery specialists can provide supervised medication regimes to lower the risk of alcohol withdrawal seizures, as well as delirium tremens (DTs), and ensure a safe, comfortable, and dignified transition to sobriety. 

Reach out to Robin Recovery to learn more about medically assisted detox programs for people with AUD. 

Can Alcohol Withdrawal Cause Seizures?

Alcohol withdrawal is the most common cause of alcohol-related seizures. People with severe AUD become chemically dependent on alcohol, and when their blood alcohol content lowers, it can overwhelm the brainstem and trigger an alcohol withdrawal seizure. These seizures are dangerous and, if left untreated, can lead to brain damage and death. 

Alcohol withdrawal seizures (colloquially called “rum fits”) are different from Delirium Tremens, though both disorders can be triggered by alcohol use and withdrawal. 

Delirium Tremens is a neurological disturbance that occurs 2 to 4 days after cessation of alcohol. DT can cause:

• Severe confusion
• Hallucination
• Tremors 
• Rapid heart rate 
• High blood pressure. 

DT and alcohol withdrawal seizures can be comorbid disorders, or they can exist separately. What is important to note is that these disorders are incredibly dangerous. That is why medically supervised detox, like the ones provided by Robin Recovery, is critical to ensuring a healthy transition to sobriety before treatment. 

Can Alcohol Poisoning Cause Seizures?

Yes. If a person engages in binge drinking, it causes a sudden elevation of their blood alcohol levels. This overwhelms the brain and nervous system and can lead to alcohol-poisoning-induced seizures. These are different from withdrawal seizures as they occur while alcohol is still in the bloodstream.  

Alcohol poisoning is a medical emergency and requires a trip to the emergency room. Patients should be monitored as they may still be at risk of alcohol-withdrawal seizures after. 

Alcohol heavily impacts the whole nervous system, including the brain. When a person consumes alcohol, they depress their central nervous system. Large amounts of alcohol consumed in a short time period, aka binge drinking, can cause severe nervous system depression. 

For people with AUD, their nervous system can adapt to having a certain amount of alcohol-related depression. Therefore, when alcohol is suddenly removed from the bloodstream, it causes brain overactivity and neurotransmitter imbalance, as well as sudden swings in blood sugar levels. This may lead to withdrawal seizures. 

Warning Signs That Seizure Risk May Be Increasing

If you or a loved one suspect you may be at risk for alcohol-withdrawal seizures, here are some symptoms to watch out for: 

• Sudden “blanking out” or staring into space 
• Confusion
• Severe anxiety and a feeling of impending doom
• Hallucinations 
• Rising heartbeat 
• Dropped blood glucose levels

Seizures are severe medical emergencies. If you suspect an impending seizure for yourself or anyone else, call 911 immediately. 

What To Do If Someone Has a Seizure Related to Alcohol

Watching someone have a seizure is frightening, but you must act quickly to ensure their safety. Here are some basic seizure safety tips:

• Stay calm.
• Try to prevent injury by helping them to a safe, soft place away from sharp objects like table corners, etc. 
• Put them in the recovery position on their side to keep their airway clear.
• If possible, place something soft under their head, like a pillow.
• Time the length of the seizure and call 911 as soon as possible.

Do NOT:

• Place anything in their mouth, they will not “swallow their tongue,” and blocking their airway can lead to choking. 
• Physically restrain them.
• Lean over them/stare at them when they come to. You want to stay calm so as not to alarm them. 

If a person has developed alcohol-related seizures, they must stop drinking immediately and seek medical attention. 

Withdrawal seizures and other alcohol-related seizures are medical emergencies and signs of a severe alcohol use disorder. AUD is a complex disease, and most people need help to get treatment. If you or a loved one is suffering from AUD, it's time to seek help from a qualified detox and rehab facility like Robin Recovery in OH. 

Robin Recovery does more than a standard rehab clinic. Our team of medical professionals and AUD specialists will work with you to get you on the road to sobriety. We offer medically-supported detox to ensure a safe transition to sobriety, and from there, set up individualized treatment planning. 

Robin Recovery’s support of their patients doesn't stop at detox or treatment. We offer ongoing sober-living meetings, events, and support to give you the best chance at recovery. Check out our website to learn more about how Robin Recovery in Columbus, OH, can put you on the path to sober living.

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