Alcohol Shakes and Tremors
Alcohol shakes are also known as alcohol tremors. These are most commonly a sign of alcohol withdrawal and will occur when the part of your brain that controls your muscles reacts to the alcohol leaving your body.
If you or someone you know has been experiencing alcohol tremors, read on to find out some more information about why these tremors happen, how you can stop them, and how detoxification and rehab can help.
Why Does Alcohol Make You Get Tremors?
Alcohol is a depressant and slows down part of the brain. This interferes with mood-regulating chemicals. Heavy drinking causes the brain to become used to a reduced level of stimulation. Once alcohol leaves the body of someone who drinks heavily, the brain becomes flooded with additional activity. The nervous system also becomes hyperactive and all of this can result in tremors or shakes. The shakes can come on very quickly in as little as eight hours after your last drink.
Even when you don’t consider yourself an alcoholic, you may find that you are misusing alcohol in other ways. Even if you consider your drinking to be recreational, this can also cause shakes. Drinking a large amount in one session can result in hangover tremors. You may feel your hands or your whole body shaking, depending on the amount of alcohol that you have consumed.
If you are experiencing alcohol tremors, shakes or any other withdrawal symptoms, this may be a sign that you have developed a physical dependency on alcohol. When your body is so used to having alcohol in the system, when you then reduce your consumption this can commonly cause shaking after drinking.
How Do You Stop Alcohol Shakes?
Although it is easier said than done, there are some things you can do to stop drinking shakes. These hangover tips could help you with your alcohol tremors:
- Drink water with every single alcoholic drink that you consume
- Drink a pint of water before you go to bed
- Eat a hearty balanced breakfast that contains fats, carbs, and proteins
- Get a minimum of eight hours of sleep
- Drink plenty of water throughout the day
- Avoid any super processed foods even though you’re probably craving them
What Are The Other Signs Of Withdrawal?
Alongside the alcohol shakes and tremors, there are several other physical symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. These symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Sweating
- Seizures (in severe cases)
- Hallucinations (in severe cases)
Some of the psychological symptoms that you may experience with alcohol withdrawals include the following:
- Confusion
- Depression
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Fatigue
- Irritability
The withdrawal symptoms from alcohol will vary from person to person and they can depend on several factors such as how fast you stop or cut down the drinking or how much you have been drinking.
Alcohol shakes can indicate that you need to withdraw from alcohol in a much safer way with the help of medical care. This can help you get the best start to your recovery.
What Can Recovering Alcoholics Do to Help Reduce Shakes and Tremors
Anxiety and stress can both increase the severity of the withdrawal symptoms that you experience. It can help greatly if you keep busy with activities and if you find some enjoyable things to do that can promote your well-being and health.
Below are a number of examples of what recovering addicts can do to help reduce their tremors and shakes:
- Start a new hobby or continue with an old one
- Engage in exercises such as biking or walking
- Participate in meditation or yoga
- Read a good book
- Watch some upbeat movies or TV shows
- Listen to motivational speakers on YouTube or podcasts
- Spend time with some positive people that you trust
- Try acupuncture to help reduce stress and anxiety
- Eat a healthy diet which is high in lean proteins, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains
- Ask your doctor to recommend some mineral supplements, vitamins, and herbs that may be beneficial
- Avoid things that are high in sugar
- Drink plenty of water
Detoxification and Rehabilitation
It is always recommended that you get a medically-assisted alcohol detox in a professional setting where you are surrounded by medically trained professionals. These professionals can help you with your withdrawal symptoms.
Depending on the severity and the nature of your alcohol withdrawals, you may be prescribed some prescription medication that can help you with your withdrawal symptoms. In addition to the medication that can help you to reduce your withdrawal symptoms, there is also medication available to help you stay away from alcohol in the future. This is sometimes prescribed to help you with your recovery once you have achieved abstinence from alcohol.
Diagnosis of Alcohol Shakes
There are over 20 different types of alcohol tremors. The appearance and source are quite noticeable. Shakes that are linked to alcohol abuse or withdrawals will include cerebellar tremors and enhanced physiological tremors.
Alcohol tremors and shakes are diagnosed based on someone’s medical history and a neurological and physical examination.
Depending on how severe your alcohol disorder is, the withdrawals can begin around 5 – 10 hours after your last drink or sometimes sooner. Withdrawal symptoms will usually peak at around 24 – 48 hours after your last drink. The symptoms may last for several weeks.
The symptoms of alcohol shakes and tremors include the following:
- Difficulty with drawing and writing
- A rhythmic shaking right across the body, typically in the hands
- A shaky voice
- Problems with holding and controlling utensils and other handheld objects
Find a Rehab For Alcohol Addiction
If you are struggling with an addiction to alcohol, you should reach out for help as soon as possible. The sooner you reach out for help with your addiction, the easier and more comfortable it will be for you to recover from the addiction.
To find out more about how we can help you overcome an alcohol addiction and the treatments available to you, please do get in touch with us today. Our team will answer any questions you may have and provide you with the advice you need to achieve the life you want.
